A Guide to White Goods Recycling

Posted on 05/10/2020

Tips to White Goods Recycling

Do you have an old fridge that you don’t know how to dispose of? Or maybe you want to buy a new stove but don’t know what to do with the old one? Disposing of white goods requires special care as there are certain restrictions in place and you can’t just send your old fridge, oven or washing machine to the landfill for waste disposal. Here is a full guide to white goods recycling and a few things you can do with your old appliances.

Assess your white goods

First of all, you have to check if the white goods in question are salvageable and can still be used or they are damaged beyond repair and have to be properly disposed of. This first step will determine whether the item can be reused or should be sent for recycling.


Reusing white goods

If the oven, fridge, etc. you would like to get rid of is still in decent condition, you should not send it for rubbish disposal and recycling, as it may still be able to benefit someone. You can ask your friends and relatives if they or someone they know needs a still-usable oven or washing machine or whatever you want to get rid of. Alternatively, you can donate the white goods to a local charity where they will be either sold in a charity store to raise money for a good cause or given to someone less fortunate who will make good use of them.


White goods recycling

If the appliance is beyond saving – for instance, it is gravely inefficient or no longer functional and beyond repair – you should think about having it recycled. The metal parts and electronic components of white goods can be recycled and used to create new products. There are many advantages to waste recycling and recycling white goods in particular. For one, this minimises the amount of rubbish sent to landfills, but it also reduces carbon emissions and the consumption of raw materials, thus conserving resources and preserving the environment.


There are certain ways you can go about white goods recycling. Here are the most common solutions used by most people who want to dispose of an old washing machine, oven, fridge/freezer, etc.:

•    Retailers and manufacturers

Many manufacturers and retail outlets that sell new white goods have their own waste recycling policies in place and if you order a new appliance from them, they will take the old one to be recycled in line with all regulations. Some retailers and manufacturers may even offer you a discount on the new appliance if you recycle your old one with them. This serves as an incentive for the customers to recycle their old white goods, but the manufacturer benefits from it as well, as that way they can secure recycled materials for their production process instead of buying new ones.


•    Second-hand dealers

There are many second-hand dealers of white goods who will be happy to take your old appliances off your hands. Even if the white goods are not functional, they can repair them and resell them or sell them for spare parts. This is a good option for getting rid of old appliances, but not the best one, as many of the old appliances sold by second-hand dealers are very ineffective and have higher energy consumption, thus increasing the carbon emissions.


•    Clearance companies

Another option you have for getting rid of your old and useless appliances is hiring a clearance company that specialises in white goods recycling. There are a number of advantages to choosing this route of recycling your white goods. First of all, when you use such services you are not required to purchase new white goods, as it is when you approach a manufacturer. Furthermore, reliable clearance companies work only with licensed recycling centres and will guarantee the proper treatment and recycling of your appliances. And last but not least, they will come to your home to collect the old white goods, thus saving you time and hassle.


Whenever you want to dispose of an old appliance, be it a washing machine, oven, fridge or anything else, you should approach the task in a responsible manner. Ensure that if the item is still in working condition it is reused or donated, and if it is not – send it to be properly recycled.