Myths & Facts
Will it be recycled?
Major appliances no longer go to landfill. Manufacturers have been striving for over a decade to protect the environment by developing and using components and materials that can be recycled and re-used. On average at least 80% of the components and materials used in major appliances are now recycled.
Disposal
This is no longer a problem, even for the oldest appliances. Manufacturers and retailers have helped to finance processing facilities nationwide to ensure safe, eco-friendly disposal, under the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronics Equipment) Directive. All retailers (including online and mail order distributors) will either offer an "in-store take-back" scheme, accepting the old product back for processing when an equivalent item is purchased, or they will indicate a designated local site where the item will be correctly processed. There may be a charge for collection, but the processing is free.
What about the gases?
The use of Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in the production of fridges and freezers ceased in the mid-1990s. CFCs were replaced initially by Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) which do not deplete the ozone layer, but have a relatively high global warming potential. However by 2000, virtually all European built products used Hydrocarbons (HCs) as refrigerants. HCs do not deplete the ozone layer and have a very low global warming potential. But if your fridge was manufactured before 2000 it may have CFCs or HCFCs in the insulation foam. These must be processed in a licensed facility that will remove any ozone depleting substances prior to disposal.
Is it greener to hang on to my old fridge?
No! Recent studies of the total environmental impact of appliances (taking into consideration the manufacture and energy consumption during lifespan and disposal) have shown that the main impact occurs during the use of the product. Production has a very low carbon cost and on disposal at least 80% of the material is recyclable. The benefit of running an energy efficient model outweighs other environmental impacts within a few years.