What’s the Proper Way to Dispose of White Goods?

Modern-day homes are equipped with a wide range of white goods. Most households in London, for example, have their own washing machine, fridge, stove, tumble dryer and air conditioner. But what happens when one of them breaks down beyond repair? Well, you will simply have to get rid of the broken appliance and replace it with a new one. However, the disposal of white goods is not as simple and easy as it sounds. As a start, such electrical appliances tend to be very large and heavy. Most importantly, however, most of them contain so-called chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) and other chemical substances which are extremely dangerous for the environment. Namely, that makes this whole process quite tricky.

Pictured: An old fridge

Why should you carefully handle the disposal of white goods?

Almost all white goods contain at least one dangerous substance that can contribute to the environment’s pollution or to the ozone depletion. Such chemicals and gasses are usually very difficult to process, which is why not all recycling facilities in England are equipped or licensed to deal with white goods. Today, most of the popular large electronic appliances in our homes contain one or more of the following dangerous substances:

  • CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons)

  • HCFCs (hydrochlorofluorocarbons)

  • PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls)

  • Mercury

  • Oil

The use of some of these chemicals has greatly declined over the past few decades. That is, for instance, the case with PCBs which were commonly used prior to the 1980s. However, even if all the white goods in your home are brand-new and advertised as being remarkably eco-friendly, they still contain some form of a dangerous substance. What makes them greener compared to their predecessors is the fact that they are more energy-efficient. So, unless you want to contribute to the depletion of the ozone layer or the environment’s polluting, you should follow one of the following strategies when you want to dispose of your white goods.

Professional waste clearance solutions

The most responsible way you can dispose of your unwanted domestic appliances is by hiring a local waste clearance company that can offer you green and trusted waste clearance services in St Margarets TW1 or in any other London area. Registered and insured waste clearance companies will come to your address to collect your broken white goods and they will make sure that they are disposed of in the utmost responsible and eco-friendly manner. Plus, such businesses also work in partnership with reliable recycling facilities in the city and they will transfer all recyclable items to them.

Make some extra money out of your old white goods

Before you dial the number of a professional waste clearance company in London, answer the following question: Is your old appliance still in a decent working condition? If yes, you can try to make some money out of it by selling it online or by getting in touch with a second-hand electronics dealer in your area. If you are planning to replace your broken refrigerator, washing machine or any other such appliance with a new one, shop for the best deal possible. More and more appliance stores are ready to give their clients a discount if they bring them their old appliances.

Donate or give away

Win some good karma points by donating your old white goods to a local charity or to a family in need. Make sure that the appliance is working properly. Also, do clean it before you hand it over to its next owner.