The UK’s All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Microplastics has published its first report, calling for new rules which would require washing machine manufacturers to fit microfibre filters by 2025.
Such mechanisms, which are to be required by law in France by 2023, have proven up to 90 per cent effective in stemming the flow of textile microfibre emissions.
Alberto Costa, the Conservative MP which assembled the APPG, told The Guardian: “This is a sensible, reasonable and cost-effective measure. The key to this [push from the new group] was getting manufacturers on board, and they agree this can be done with little expense to consumers.”
Category Archives: Environmental
LG aims to increase the use of recycled plastic
The use of recycled materials is part of LG’s larger project to create a recovery ecosystem for electronic waste. And to increase the use of post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials in its consumer electronics and home appliances products.
For LG 10 times as much by 2025
LG used approximately 20,000 tonnes of recycled plastic in its products in 2020, and plans to increase this number more than 10 times by 2025. Recycled plastic is currently used by LG in its TVs, monitors, speakers , washing machines, refrigerators and air conditioners. It will also expand its use for the coating of products. In addition to using more recycled plastics, it is also reducing the use of virgin plastics in its businesses. This year, 18 OLED TV models were made using less virgin plastic. An increase compared to the 14 models of 2020, resulting in a reduction of almost 10,000 tons of plastic.
LG reports steady appliance recycling activity
LG Electronics says it is continuing to invest in what it calls a state-of-the-art recycling facility in Hamyang County, South Korea. The LG Chilseo Recycling Center, says the firm, collects a broad range of discarded household appliances and then undertakes disassembling, crushing and screening to create secondary commodities that can be reused in new LG appliances, “beginning their life cycle again.”
Every year, the center recycles up to 550,000 appliances, including refrigerators, washing machines and air conditioners. LG says the process starts with skilled technicians and includes “tried-and-true” processes and specialized equipment that helps harvest aluminum, copper, steel and plastic, destined for end markets tied to the manufacturing of new LG home appliances.
Offering an overview of the plant, LG says the plant’s initial stage includes disassembly, shredding and sorting. Once the appliances have been collected at the Chilseo Recycling Center, workers manually remove both mechanical and detachable plastic components such as compressors, drawers and shelving. Any remaining refrigerant is safely extracted using a gas recovery device, adds the firm.
Appliance frames are then shredded and sorted into steel, copper, plastic, aluminum and any other fractions “through a variety of methods using vibration, gravity, magnets and air.”
Shredded plastics are moved to another facility and sorted another time using water before being melted, cooled and cut into small pellets of uniform size. “With their consistent shape, scale and composition, the pellets are perfect for use in the manufacturing of plastic parts and goods, offering dual benefits of reducing both waste and effort required to create new products,” states LG.
From the plastics facility, the pellets are transferred to another site where they are melted down, poured into molds and transformed into plastic components for new LG refrigerator models.
Those plastic components are then moved to LG’s plant in Changwon, South Korea, the company’s “main home appliance manufacturing facility” 30 kilometers (nearly 19 miles. There, the components become part of a new LG refrigerator as shrouds, ducts and handles, among other components.
The appliance maker states, “One of the best ways to preserve the Earth’s resources and reduce our footprint is through creating a virtuous cycle where we recycle, reuse and repurpose what we already have. From eco-conscious manufacturing and product design to responsible recycling and waste management and development of sustainable technologies, LG continues its journey to ensure a better tomorrow.”
Electrolux Celebrates 1,000th Tree Donation To The Nature Conservancy
Electrolux announced today that it has donated its 1,000th tree to The Nature Conservancy.
Through a partnership with The Nature Conservancy’s Plant a Billion Trees campaign, Electrolux North America is helping plant a tree on behalf of every consumer who registers their new Electrolux appliance before June 30, 2022. The company reached the 1,000th tree in the campaign’s first three months. The campaign is a major forest restoration effort with the goal of planting a billion trees across the planet.
Electrolux is committed to a sustainable future, both in its manufacturing operations and in consumers’ homes.
Electrolux is planting a tree on behalf of every U.S. consumer who registers their new Electrolux appliance.
“We are deeply committed to sustainability and are proud to support The Nature Conservancy,” said Nolan Pike, head of Electrolux North America. “Many thanks to our consumers for helping us make a big difference and reach the one-thousandth tree donation mark so quickly. Together, we are planting the seeds to shape a better future for our planet – the home we all share.”
Electrolux U.S. consumers who want to register their new product can do so here. After registering a product, consumers will receive a welcome email with a link to select a tree to be planted in one of four important North American forests.
“Planting the right trees in the right places is a rewarding way to foster clean and abundant waters, enhance wildlife habitats, cool our cities, improve our health, and help mitigate carbon emissions to stabilize our climate,” said Rachel Holmes Urban Forest Strategist at The Nature Conservancy. “We appreciate partners like Electrolux for contributing to our efforts to plant one billion trees.”
Electrolux Cooker factory in Egypt received the Zero Landfill Certificate
Congratulations to the Electrolux Cooker factory team in Egypt for having received the Zero Landfill Certificate — having recycled 99.63% of materials. HSE manager, Ayman El Naggar, attributes their achievement to a holistic approach that involves culture change, supplier partnerships, and top management support.
“The purpose behind Zero Landfill is to reduce our environmental footprint by decreasing the amount of waste sent to landfill. We focus our efforts on waste reduction and on opportunities for material reuse and waste recycling,” says Ayman El Naggar, HSE Manager – Egypt.
Learn more about Electrolux group zero-waste policy
Whirlpool commitment to 0 emissions
This year Whirlpool made a global commitment to reach net zero emissions in our plants and operations by 2030, building on our 60% reduction in emissions across all scopes since 2005. We are making the changes we need in our operations and supply chain for our production to be more sustainable—without shortcuts or excuses. #NoPlaceForWaste
For more information on our net-zero commitment, and our ongoing sustainability efforts, visit https://whirlpoolcorp.com/environmental-sustainability/
AO hit 2 million
Retailer AO Recycling plant at Telford have hit a landmark total – they have now recycled two million fridges. Well done to the team at AO Recycling.
Liebherr, have reduced their carbon footprint by 62%
Liebherr, have reduced their carbon footprint by 62% between 2017 and 2019 at our European production sites. The goal is to cut emissions to ~80% by 2022 compared to 2017 and continue working to make efforts that contribute to the environment.
To Learn More, visit Liebherr corporate responsibility report:
https://home.liebherr.com/media/hau/brochures/nachhaltigkeit/cr-report-2019-liebherr-hausgeraete_en.pdf
REPIC hits three million tonnes WEEE milestone
REPIC, the industry leading provider of WEEE producer responsibility compliance solutions, has been arranging for the collection and treatment of WEEE on behalf of its producer members since 2007.
Looking back over its achievement, REPIC has been undertaking an analysis of the reported EEE and WEEE trends over the past ten years and has been considering how the UK WEEE system is placed to accommodate the future changes that are likely. A technical essay will be published on the company’s Resource Hub in the coming weeks.
To mark the occasion, Louise Grantham, REPIC’s Chief Executive, visited Gap Group (NE) Limited’s facilities in Gateshead, the UK’s most recent fridge processing and recycling plant to undertake WEEELABEX certification to see first hand the WEEE being treated on REPIC’s behalf. The occasion presented an opportunity to express thanks to the scheme’s producer members, service providers, waste management companies, local authorities and other partners who have worked with and supported REPIC in achieving this milestone.
REPIC’s Chief Executive, Louise Grantham, said:
“We are proud of our 3 million tonnes achievement. We also recognise that significant milestones are not achieved alone but in collaboration with all of our partners.
“Today is about celebrating success collectively and saying a huge thank you. At a time when the recycling of e-waste has never been of greater importance, it is important to recognise what can be achieved when we work collectively to improve standards, minimise losses from the system and maximise collection levels.”
Left to right: Peter Moody and Peter Young from GAP Group with Graeme Milne, Louise Grantham and Simon Hill from REPIC.
Louise was joined in the celebrations by Peter Moody, group managing director at Gap Group (NE) Limited and REPIC’s newest recruit, Simon Hill.
Peter Moody said:
“The achievement of reaching 3m tonnes of recycled WEEE is a real accomplishment and something the management team should be extremely proud of. REPIC is at the forefront of driving up standards in WEEE processing something that in my opinion is long overdue.
“Gap Group has worked well with them for a significant number of years and hope our relationship will only get stronger as we continue to invest in new and improved technology. I think our commitment to achieve WEEELABEX certification underlines this and is a clear statement of intent.”
Simon joined REPIC in May 2021 as Account Manager – North and Scotland. The experienced WEEE sector professional previously spent over ten years as Commercial Manager with Wincanton and Sims. Prior to taking up his new position, Simon was with Suez for 6 years managing their subcontract collections network in the North and Midlands. He brings a vast amount of sector knowledge and expertise to his role in looking after key local authority partnerships for REPIC.
To see REPIC marks reaching three million tonne of waste electrical and electronic equipment recycled with this short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ogj7wEZuzus
Liebherr recognized for sustainability
Liebherr Appliances have been awarded the silver medal from EcoVadis, thereby firming up its position as a sustainable brand. With this award, EcoVadis is recognising the commitment of Liebherr in the fields of the environment, ethics, labour and human rights as well as sustainable procurement. “Only companies that take a consistent approach to assuming responsibility for society and the environment can enjoy lasting success – and that’s a good thing – explains Steffen Nagel, Director of Sales & Marketing of Liebherr-Hausgeräte -. This award recognises the joint effort of people from the most different Liebherr divisions who are constantly working to make our brand even more sustainable”. EcoVadis is an internationally recognised Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) self-assessment provider and offers a solution for monitoring sustainability in global supply chains. The EcoVadis method is based on international sustainability standards (GRI, UN Global Compact, ISO 26000) and is monitored by a scientific committee of CSR and supply chain experts to create reliable CSR ratings.
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