The Lowdown on Fridge Disposal

September 13th, 2011

Environment, Energy & Water Saving

Is your fridge about as cool as a collection of Hanson records? Is your washing machine a better dancer than Peter Garrett? If so, it could be time to upgrade. But with greater demand for the new and improved, what happens to the thousands of old appliances that are discarded every week?

If you live in Japan, the answer is PETEC (Panasonic Eco Technology Center) – a specialty recycling plant that recovers salvageable materials from old TVs and whitegoods. Recycling of old appliances is compulsory in Japan, and PETEC’s ultimate aim is “zero waste recycling”.

Old fridges go through a crushing chamber, and washing machines go into a “giant blender”. Pure materials such as glass, metals, and plastics are recovered from end-of-life products and then used to make new products, thus helping to create a sustainable future.

Plans are underway for a similar recycling scheme to be launched in Australia, in accordance with the Australian’s Government’s Sustainability Plan.

But until then, it’s up to all of us to do our bit to ensure our great brown land doesn’t end up looking like a great brown trash can.

Before you ditch your old TV on the side of the road, do a bit of research to find out what options are available. There are a number of companies offering environmentally-friendly waste removal services, and most local councils offer regular waste collections.

You could also check out organisations like Reverse Garbage who offer environmental consultation and education services to local governments, communities and businesses.

If you buy a product from Appliances Online, you can have our team remove and recycle the appliance you’re replacing. Plus we do our best to recycle packaging and other materials. So now you can enjoy your brand new appliance safe in the knowledge that you’ve made an environmentally responsible choice.