Kitchen Appliances (White Goods) - Recycling, Refurbishment and Reuse

White goods appear in virtually every home across the country. The term "white goods" applies to kitchen appliances that were traditionally white, such as washing machines, dishwashers, fridges, freezers and fridge freezers, but now often come in other colours also.

However, this has lead to a problem. Each year in the UK, nearly a million tonnes of used electrical products are discarded - and about a third of this figure is made up from kitchen appliances and white goods. About three quarters of all white goods discarded are currently recycled. However, studies have shown that this figure can be increased by replacing broken appliance parts, and this would be a step to providing more affordable domestic appliances to those who are less well off.

Already, charities and local authorities have started to work together to recycle these appliances, either by:

• Persuading retailers to take away old appliances when delivering new ones,
• Encouraging donations of old equipment.

This American fridge freezer is computer controlled, with an electronic calendar and built in nutritional fact file. It also keeps track of how long your food has been stored to prevent it going out of date and provides recipe advice and even the weather forecast. At a price tag of £7500 it will clearly only be bought by footballers' wives, but there are plenty of cheaper models of American style fridge freezers on the Comet website. They start at about £600.

Typically, warranty returns and nearly new kitchen appliances require little work to return them to a safe and saleable condition, although considerably more work needs to be spent on old and "worn-out" appliances. The safety of such refurbishments is regulated by the Electrical Equipment Safety Regulations, 1994, and suppliers of refurbished white goods must ensure that the appliances meet the safety requirements of this act.

Sadly, more than half of old appliances are deemed to be not worth repairing due to the prohibitive cost. This figure could perhaps be reduced if more care were taken when the goods are transported to the refurbisher. However, spare parts can be taken if appropriate, and metal casings and parts which are not retained are sent to metal recyclers.

For further information on recycling, visit the Department of Trade and Industry website.

Homecare Appliances
- A wide selection of Cookers, Ovens, Hobs, Hoods and Splashbacks, Fridges and Freezers, Washing machines and Dryers, Dishwashers, Sinks and Taps and Microwaves. Also fires and fireplaces.

Guarantees and Warranties

Companies supplying refurbished appliances do not always supply warranties, which can be worrying for purchasers. However, your basic rights are assured under the Sale of Goods Act, 1979, ie the goods:

• Must be of merchantable quality ( they must last a "reasonable time" and not be defective),
• As described, and
• Fit for the purpose the supplier has sold them for.

Need a hostess trolley to help cope with the Christmas Catering?

Robert Dyas are currently offering an extensive range of hostess trolleys on their website, ranging from heated side servers and hostess cordless plates to connoisseur heated hostess trolleys in a range of finishes. Click here for more info.

Appliance Plaza
- Discount prices on kitchen appliances with savings of up to 40% on washing machines, dryers, cookers, fridges and more.