What Are White Goods?

White goods are something that we use every day and includes all the large appliances in our home.

Most white goods are in the kitchen, such as fridges and ovens, but it also includes washing machines, tumble dryers, and even air conditioning units.

Once these units become obsolete or are beyond repair, then they need to be disposed of, but because they take up a lot of space, they can be difficult to throw out.

It’s often not possible to just take them to the recycling centre, and therefore you need to work out how you’ll throw them out before you buy a new unit.

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Why Disposal Rules Are Different

The main reason why white goods are difficult to dispose of that that they contain a lot of chlorofluorocarbons, also known as CFCs.

These gases have been shown to damage the ozone layer, which contributes to climate change, and therefore proper disposal by a technician is essential.

If you are looking for skip hire in Perth, and plan to dispose of white goods, it’s important to tell the company you’re hiring from, so they can plan for proper disposal.

White goods often have a lot of recyclable parts too, such as scrap metals, so sending them to landfill would be wasteful.

Before you dispose of white goods, it’s worth considering whether you can sell, donate, or have it repaired rather than throwing it away, as making new appliances also creates greenhouse gases. If there’s any way to dispose of your appliance instead of throwing it away, then it’s worth considering.

It’s important to not try and dispose of white goods yourself, for example through illegal dumping. This can leave you with a big fine, or even facing prosecution.

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Alternatives to Landfill

Because disposal of white goods can be difficult, it’s often worth looking at alternatives to disposal.

Some things you might want to try first include:

• Re-selling your appliance – even if it’s in poor condition, you may find a buyer on social media
• Giving it away – sites such as Freecycle make it easy to unload items such as appliances
• Find a local charity – some areas have charities that collect furniture and appliances, selling them on to low income families
• Send them to scrap – if the appliance isn’t repairable, see if a local scrap dealer will pick it up
• Arranging a collection – if you have brought a new appliance, there’s sometimes an option to get the old one taken away, which is ideal if you’re replacing a single appliance

These are often easier, cheaper options than disposal, especially if you’re only getting rid of one appliance.

However, if you’re renovating your entire kitchen or overhauling your home, then skip bin hire in Perth can be easier. This means you can get rid of multiple white goods, as well as any other waste, and have it taken away for recycling.

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Make White Goods Last Longer

The best way to keep white goods away from landfill is to keep them for as long as possible. Appliances can be expensive, and therefore this saves you money as well as helping the environment.

When choosing an appliance, look for high-quality models, and spend a little more for a decent brand. If you buy an appliance from a well-known brand, then it’ll usually come with a warranty, meaning you can get it repaired if it goes wrong, and usually has a higher energy rating.

Buying from brand names also means it’s generally easier to get your white goods serviced, and to find parts if things go wrong, so you can repair rather than replace.

Look at companies that have environmental credentials, and offer recycling schemes and other incentives. For example, some white goods manufacturers will take away their old white goods when they come to the end of their life, and recycle them as much as possible.

Choosing eco-friendly appliances that use less water and energy can also help you stay green, and can lower your energy bills over the life of the product.

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How Are White Goods Recycled?

The process for recycling white goods varies, depending on what’s being recycled, but generally the process is:

• Checking whether the appliance can be repaired and re-used
• If not, removing any valuable components that could be re-used
• Removing any toxic chemicals, such as CFCs, so they aren’t released into the atmosphere
• Shredding the appliance
• Sorting the scrap to see what can be recycled – i.e. copper, plastics, metals

This means that as much of the appliance as possible is left out of landfill, and that any potentially dangerous materials can be removed, ensuring there’s no danger to the environment.

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Learn to Repair

It’s surprising how easy it can be to repair certain white goods, and this can give them a new lease of life.

If your washing machine or fridge isn’t working to its full potential, take a look at some online guides to troubleshoot the problem. There are lots of online videos showing basic appliance repair, with step by step guides, so even those who don’t enjoy DIY can do it. It’s also easy to find parts on sites such as eBay.

If the repair is more complex, it’s worth getting a quote for repair, even if you suspect it might be cheaper to replace.

Most repair firms will give you a basic quote over the phone, so you can decide whether it’s economical to get it repaired.

Some people also throw out appliances when they get a little grubby and worn, but there are ways to give white goods a new lease of life. With a little baking soda and vinegar, you can make old appliances look like new, and therefore get the most out of your purchase.

There are even people who carry out professional oven cleaning services, and will clean other appliances for you, which can bring new life to an old appliance, and save you money.

For an easy way to dispose of white goods, get in touch with Allmetro Bins in Perth on (08) 9201 1118.