White Goods Recycling

Learn more about White Goods Recycling in England

How do I ensure white goods are recycled in England?

Since white goods do not naturally biodegrade, they remain in landfills and they may leak dangerous chemicals into the ground and the environment, which makes white goods disposal a challenging process.

Here are some environmentally friendly ways to dispose of white goods:

• Donate them to charity
Donate your white goods to a charity organization. As long as they are still in good condition, they will be accepted and you are also helping the planet become greener.

• Recycle them
White goods disposal, particularly fridge disposal in England and fridge freezer disposal in England, can be especially challenging due to their bulky nature and harmful gases that they contain. Therefore, recycling is one of the best ways of disposal.

The recycling process of a fridge freezer involves several stages. The first stage is to remove all gasses from the system and store them for safe disposal. The gasses are usually incinerated at extremely high temperatures, but in some cases, they may also be filtered. Then, with the gasses safely disposed of, the next step is examining the insulation foam to see whether there are any CFC gases left. It is then safely packaged for reuse if clear or if not clear it will be safely sealed for incineration.

The next stage is to remove the interior shelving and storage bins to harvest the tempered glass, plastic, and metal. Since plastic can be recycled up to seven times in its useful life, and even used for energy after that, recycling plastic is very important. Glass and metal are also good for recycling. The last step is to cut up the chassis and harvest the remaining plastic, foam, and metal.

To ensure that all the processes have been performed correctly, your responsibility is to hire a responsible white goods waste contractor in England to do the work on your behalf as recycling white goods is a very specialist service.

Are white goods hazardous waste?

Not all white goods are considered as hazardous waste. However, there are components of fridges, freezers, and air conditioning units that are considered hazardous, which means that they will be treated differently within the disposal process.

The four hazardous waste characteristics are corrosivity, ignitability, toxicity, and reactivity. The components of white goods that may be classified as hazardous are as follows.
- Motors and pumps containing oil
- Printed circuit boards containing nickel
- Capacitors

Anything that contains ozone-depleting substances, such as foam (flammable hydrocarbon) blowing agents or cooling agents

What legislation affects white goods recycling?

The following are the main legislations that affect the proper disposal of white goods in England (particularly fridge disposal):

• Duty of care
All households and businesses in England throwing away waste have a duty of care to ensure that it is disposed of correctly. In practice, this means that you must take it to a licensed waste facility or to make sure that you hire a licensed waste disposal company that is registered as a waste carrier and can provide you with an appropriately completed Waste Transfer Note. Improper waste disposal is a criminal offence and can also result in civil liability if your waste ends up being disposed of illegally (such as fly-tipped), choosing the right waste disposal company is very important.

• Removal of ODS
If you perform fridge disposal, it is likely that it will be governed by the ODS Regulations. This essentially means that it is illegal to dispose of them incorrectly as they may release CFCs into the atmosphere. Any fridge that contains Ozone Depleting Substances (such as CFCs and HCFCs) must have the ODS removed in the correct way before the fridge is scrapped. If you fail to comply with these regulations, you can face a fine up to £2,500 and even prosecution.

• The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment regulations
Have put an obligation on retailers, manufacturers, local authorities, distributors, waste management companies, exporters, importers, and business users to reuse, recycle and recover white goods wherever possible.

What role do I play in the proper disposal of white goods?

In 2010, the Strategy for Hazardous Waste Management was set out by the government as a way to support and guide companies on how to dispose of their hazardous waste properly. Six different principles are outlined within this strategy, including infrastructure management, waste hierarchy, reducing reliance on landfills, no mixing or dilution, treatment of hazardous organic wastes, and ending the reliance on the use of Landfill Directive waste acceptance criteria derogations.

Since the start of this strategy, the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011 have tightened all waste management policies, particularly on the guidance of waste hierarchy, which is used to rank waste management options according to what is best for the type of waste and the impact on the environment.

Hazardous waste requires more processing to destroy than general waste. While there are no strict regulations regarding waste labelling, it is highly advised by the UK government to avoid cross-contamination of substances. Putting hazardous and non-hazardous waste in one container can be a criminal offence that can lead to a hefty fine. Fortunately, clear labelling and education can prevent this problem. You are allowed to transport your own waste directly to an authorised management site or recycling facility. Always ensure that every load of waste you pass on should be accompanied with a consignment note, which must be completed by you and the person receiving the waste.