How to recycle white goods
There are lots of ways to recycle your old white goods or even pass them on to be used again if they are still working. Many commercial recyclers will recycle your old white goods. There are also lots of options for reuse and refurbishment.
The best options for disposing of your white goods include:
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Reuse and refurbishment: If they are still in good working condition, you can take your old appliances to second-hand dealers or reuse centres (use the search bar above). You can also donate or sell them on online marketplaces likes Gumtree. This ensures the materials and resources used to make the appliances are kept in use for as long as possible.
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Company take-back schemes: Some companies offer take-back schemes, or they may offer to take the old goods when they deliver or install the new appliance. The costs of such services are often included in the original purchase price, so do your research to see if your goods are made by a company that will take them back at the ‘end of life’ and if they recycle them.
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Commercial recyclers: Booking an independent recycler to pick up your old white goods may incur a fee, but it is a hassle-free way to be sure your old appliance won’t end up in landfill. Some recyclers will also allow you to drop off your old white goods. Use the search bar above to find a recycler near you.
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Council disposal: You can also register with your local council to have your white goods picked up, but not all councils will recycle them. Check with your council first to see if they send old white goods to a recycler or landfill.
What are white goods?
White goods are large domestic appliances that are generally not easy to transport, which separates them from appliances like toasters and kettles. Examples of a common white goods include fridges, freezers, microwave ovens, stoves, dishwashers, washing machines, clothes dryers and air conditioners.
Why recycle?
White goods contain significant amounts of metal, plastic, insulating material, refrigerant (gases) and other non-renewable and valuable materials. Recycling keeps these materials in use and out of landfills. It also helps prevent toxic substances such as flame-retardants from entering the environment.
Fridges and freezers must be degassed at their end of life because they contain a refrigerant that is a very harmful greenhouse gas.
What happens them?
Reuse – White goods sent to reuse centres or second-hand dealers may be donated to someone in need, refurbished for reuse or resold.
Refurbishing – Still-working but unwanted white goods are collected and where needed refurbished such as fitting new doors or seals.
Recycle – Safely recycling white goods involves firstly removing any hazardous materials such as gases, chemicals or heavy metals from the appliance. White goods are then crushed and shredded for recycling. Copper, steel and plastics are recovered and reprocessed into new metal and plastic products.
To safely recycle a fridge, dishwasher, dryer or other appliances, the hazardous materials inside them such as gases, chemicals or heavy metals need to be removed. The appliance is then crushed or shredded for recycling. Steel, copper and plastics are recovered and reprocessed into new products.
Recycling large quantities
Businesses and workplaces with large quantities of white goods to recycle can use a commercial recycler, which often have drop-off and pick-up services. To find a commercial white goods recycling service, visit the white goods page for businesses.
Recycling other e-waste
Batteries
Batteries can be recycled for free through Australia’s national product stewardship scheme for batteries, B-cycle.
Computers
Computers and their accessories can be recycled for free through the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme.
Mobile phones
Mobile phones can be recycled for free through MobileMuster’s recycling program.
Printer cartridges
Printer and toner cartridges can be recycled for free through the Cartridges 4 Planet Ark recycling program.
Find out more
Frequently Asked Questions
Can plastics in white goods be recycled?
Home appliances such as whitegoods are made from a mix of materials, including multiple types of metal and plastic. Although many plastics can be recycled with the right infrastructure, it is hard to separate the different types of plastics within white goods, meaning it is more often the scrap metals from white goods that are successfully recycled. However, technologies are emerging which make it easier to separate out the different plastic components so they can be efficiently recycled.
