Category Archives: Environmental

Midea Energy-Efficient Dishwasher at IFA 2023

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Midea a leading brand in smart home appliances, is showcasing a diverse range of products at the IFA 2023  Among its remarkable offerings, Midea’s green and energy-efficient dishwasher (WQP12-U7809X, together with 15 other models), certified by TÜV RHEINLAND, truly takes the lead as an environmentally conscious appliance.

At the IFA stage, Midea demonstrated its commitment to sustainability by showcasing its six green actions on a clean world, which ensures that every aspect of Midea dishwasher’s lifecycle, from design and manufacturing to packaging, transportation, and recycling, operates in accordance with eco-friendly principles, making a significant contribution to a cleaner planet. Particularly noteworthy is the exhibited NXT-GEN Dishwasher, which is gaining attention for its exceptional energy efficiency – up to 20% less energy consumption than A class, as well as its industry-first All-in-one smart TopDose.

At the event themed “Green is the New Clean,” Midea showcased its dishwasher exhibit, highlighted by the TÜV RHEINLAND Green Product Certification award presentation. Meteor Liu, General Manager of Midea KWHA Oversea Sales, participated in the award ceremony and addressed the audience. Midea has been actively working towards a greener and more sustainable future through its Kitchen & Water Heater Appliances Division lineupTÜV RHEINLAND Green Product Mark certification for Midea’s dishwasher encompasses a comprehensive evaluation across six dimensions — Corporate Social Responsibility, Environment Management, Products Climate Resilience (e.g. Carbon Emission Evaluation), Recycled Material Content, Hazard Substances, End of Life. This rigorous assessment ensures that Midea’s products adhere to high standards of environmental responsibility and performance.

In terms of design, Midea crafted its high-energy-efficiency dishwasher that meets top-level A class energy efficiency standards. The TÜV RHEINLAND Green Product Mark certification ensures that the product meets these standards align with European Union regulations for ecological design and energy labeling., during production, Midea minimizes the use of harmful chemicals in its products to reduce their environmental impact and potential harm to humans. Both the dishwasher and packaging materials tested comply with relevant EU environmental regulations. Common harmful substances like phthalates, TBBPA and MCCP were found far below the regulated limits. Additionally, Midea adopts food contact materials in the dishwasher’s interior components to ensure food safety.Midea is also committed to product recycling and reuse, as it aims to minimize plastic waste. Its dishwasher boasts a WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Reuse/Recycling Rate exceeding 87%, with a Recovery Rate surpassing 94%. Moreover, the Company adopts over 30% of recycled material in the dishwasher’s plastic parts (enclosure and stand).

Meanwhile, Midea manages carbon emissions responsibly using low-carbon materials, renewable energy sources like photovoltaic energy, and shorter transportation distances. The calculated carbon emission stands at 192.87 kg CO2eq/item (System boundaries: cradle to the gate), and the score of products repairability index is 8.3.

Looking ahead, Midea Group remains steadfast in its green development strategy, forging continued collaborations with TÜV RHEINLAND to deliver more trustworthy eco-friendly products to consumers.

Miele achieves its own climate target earlier than planned

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Miele was able to reduce its direct and indirect CO2 emissions by 52% in 2022 compared to 2019 – while at the same time increasing its production volume. These and many other key figures are presented by the Gütersloh-based family-owned company in its sustainability update published today. This puts Miele ahead of its self-imposed target of reducing its own emissions (Scope 1) and those for energy deliveries (Scope 2) by 50% by 2030 compared to 2019. Thanks to its particularly energy-efficient appliances, Miele is also ahead of plan with 8.2% savings in the use phase of its products In addition, Miele has begun construction of a geothermal plant at its headquarters in Gütersloh. The aim of the project, for which a total of 175 special boreholes are being drilled, is the renewable generation of heat and cooling for Miele’s administrative buildings. This will save the company more than four million kilowatt hours of heat per year from fossil sources – and thus around 600 tonnes of CO2.

Samsung Launches Less Microfiber™ Filter that Moves Towards Protecting Oceans from Laundry Plastics

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Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced the launch of the new Less Microfiber™ Filter, an external washing machine filter designed to significantly reduce plastic microfiber emissions during laundry cycles. Designed with inspiration from apparel maker Patagonia and expertise from the global ocean conservation organisation Ocean Wise, the filter builds on the success of last year’s Less Microfiber™ Cycle to substantially cut microplastics and enable sustainable laundry washing that is both effective and effortless. The new filter is now available in Korea and the U.K., and will roll out to other countries in the third quarter.



“With microplastics emissions to our oceans continuing to increase and regulations being strengthened in many countries, as well as microplastics becoming a growing health concern for people everywhere, Samsung worked with Ocean Wise and Patagonia to engineer technology to help prevent the release of microplastics from our daily life,” said Moohyung Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of R&D Team of Digital Appliances Business at Samsung Electronics. “With innovations like the Less Microfiber™ Filter and Cycle, Samsung is helping to enable Everyday Sustainability in a wider array of products and making eco-conscious daily practices second nature in the home.”Samsung’s proprietary Ecobubble™ technology. By using bubbles to help dissolve and absorb detergent, less heat and energy is required to wash clothes, resulting in reduced abrasion.



The Less Microfiber™ Filter takes this a step further, preventing up to 98%[2] of microplastics released during laundry from escaping into the ocean if used as specified, equivalent to eight 500ml plastic bottles per year[3] when used four times a week. In addition, to help more customers get involved in cutting microplastic emissions, the Less Microfiber™ Filter has a mountable design style that allows it to be used with standard washing machine models, demonstrating the company’s dedication to long-term sustainability and helping customers move towards embrace sustainability at home. To verify the technology’s efficacy and its features, both Cycle and the Filter were independently evaluated by Ocean Wise using a peer-reviewed microfiber shedding test protocol at the marine organisation’s state-of-the-art lab in Vancouver, Canada.

98% of electricity used in Electrolux global operations comes from renewable sources

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98% of the total electricity used in Electrolux Group manufacturer operations came from renewable sources. While a small proportion of non-renewable electricity is still sourced, Electrolux Group is proactively working to achieve 100% renewable electricity globally by 2025.

Electricity accounts for 60% of Electrolux Group’s total energy use and is a key component of the company’s journey to eliminate the use of fossil fuels in its operations by 2030 and across the entire value chain by 2050. This percentage will grow in the coming years as Electrolux Group operations are increasingly electrified.

Electrolux Group now has sites with solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in Italy, Thailand, Australia, Mexico, China, South Africa and Sweden. In 2022, these systems avoided greenhouse gas emissions of around 5,000 CO2e by producing around 10 GWh of electricity

CLIMATE-FRIENDLY HEAT PUMP DRYERS: GORENJE RELIES ON NATURAL REFRIGERANTS

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Heat pump dryers use up to 70% less energy than condenser dryers and are more in demand than ever in times of rising electricity prices. But there is also a negative aspect: In the manufacturing process, climate-damaging gases are often used as coolants. Gorenje has switched production, uses propane (R290) as a natural refrigerant for the new generation of tumble dryers and has thus achieved CO2 savings of 99.99%.

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South Korea’s LG Electronics Inc. is taking a step towards a sustainable future by ramping up its resource recycling efforts. The company has successfully collected and responsibly handled nearly 4 million tons of used home appliances.

Did you know that recycling electronics helps reduce waste, conserve valuable resources, and prevent environmental pollution? By participating in recycling programs and supporting companies like LG Electronics, we can all contribute to a greener planet. Remember, every small action counts! 🌍♻️

Electrolux Green zone refrigerator

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The Electrolux Group site in Susegana has opened its doors to the Plastics Recycling Award Europe 2023 – Automotive, Electrical or Electronic Product of the Year 2023! The award was in fact won by Green Zone MaxiSpace, the refrigerator developed and manufactured at the Treviso site. Green Zone MaxiSpace is the first built-in refrigerator with internal linings made of 70% recycled plastic from decommissioned refrigerators and represents a record in its category, given that 13% of the plastic used overall for its construction is recycled plastic. Thanks to the precious work of all Susegana colleagues, from those who work in R&D, in purchasing and up to those who work directly in the production areas, Green Zone MaxiSpace is a concrete example of our commitment to research and implement new and sustainable solutions, which allow us to reuse and reduce waste and the use of virgin materials. An approach that is also very popular with our consumers, who demonstrate that they perceive the value of this product both from the point of view of aesthetics and sustainability.

Electrolux Group launches refurbished product subscription service for Swedish consumers

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According to statistics about worldwide electronic waste,* every Swede generates 20 kg of electronic waste annually. With the launch of AtEase, Electrolux Group’s new product subscription-based service for Sweden, consumers can make more sustainable choices for the home.

AtEase is part of Electrolux Group’s ambition to reduce electronic waste and contribute to the circular economy, with Swedish consumers having the option to subscribe to a new product or a refurbished one.

AtEase is an all-inclusive service that covers everything needed to keep the appliance running smoothly, including proactive maintenance, automatic shipments of accessories, and support (the appliance is replaced within three days if a fault occurs during the subscription). Crucially, every product returned to Electrolux Group is refurbished for reuse or gives life to new appliances by donating its parts.

“If the product is too damaged or worn to be refurbished, we can reuse parts such as circuit boards, rubber bumpers, or casings to extend the life of other products. In fact, 75% of the parts we use in the refurbishment of a robot vacuum cleaner have been harvested from an end-of-life product,” says James Ostridge, Product as a Service Director. 

The products currently offered through AtEase include the Pure i9 Robotic Vacuum Cleaner, Well A7 Air Purifier and Pure A9 Air Purifier. Further floor and air care products will be introduced later this year, and more products, including kitchen and garment care, will be added to the service over time. The launch of AtEase is a natural step following a successful pilot launched in 2019 to offer Swedish consumers the Pure i9 on a subscription pay-per-use basis.  AtEase will also be introduced to further markets beyond Sweden in the coming years.

Since July 2022, Electrolux Group has also offered landlords in Sweden a similar program of appliances-as-a-service for installations, maintenance and repair of appliances, prolonging the product life span and reducing electronic waste.

Meanwhile, in Singapore, the company launched a similar direct to consumer subscription model last year that offers the rental, set up, repair and recycling of products.

BRITS URGED TO RECYCLE MILLIONS OF UNWANTED FADDY KITCHEN APPLIANCES

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Brits urged to recycle millions of unwanted faddy kitchen appliances
UK households are holding on to a whopping 18.2 million kitchen electricals that are rarely or never used.

According to research carried out on behalf of Recycle Your Electricals, millions of fad kitchen gadgets, from air fryers to bread makers, blenders to chocolate fountains, juicers to popcorn machines, are gathering dust in UK cupboards.

Ninety two percent of UK households own ‘FadTech’ – with an average of four items per home – but nearly half of households say their once-trendy items are now rarely or never used.

The top five most likely items to be gathering dust are: ice cream makers, chocolate fountains, hostess trolleys, popcorn machines and bread makers. The number of unused bread makers in UK cupboards would stretch from London to Paris and halfway back again.

In addition, there are an estimated 2.4 million unused blenders taking up space in cupboards.

Recycle Your Electricals is on a mission to get Brits to fish out their FadTech and donate or recycle them to allow the valuable materials in them to be reused as something even more useful.

For example, the estimated 2.4 million blenders gathering dust across the UK could be recycled into 2.1 million defibrillators, according to the study.

Scott Butler, executive director of the Recycle Your Electricals campaign, said: “We’ve all fallen for the latest FadTech – including me – and sometimes they become kitchen staples. But, often, after taking up counter space they’re consigned to a cupboard.

“They’re not cheap, so it can feel wasteful to clear them out but they can be recycled into something really useful or donated if they’re still in good condition. If you have FadTech to recycle, the easiest thing to do is visit our postcode locator to find your nearest drop-off point.”

Actor and presenter, Joanna Page, has a stash of FadTech, thanks to her children. She is backing the campaign, and said: “I’ve got children, so we get these items thinking they’ll be fun and they are at first. But then you don’t use them more than once a year and they just end up taking up space in your cupboard.

“I’ve got two waffle makers, I don’t even know why I need two. They’re not cheap, so it can be hard to part with them, but it’s great to hear they can be recycled and free up some all-important cupboard space.”Across UK homes, there are 6.5 million kettles, 3.4 million microwaves and 3.6 million toasters that are either broken or spare.

These could also be recycled into something really useful by visiting http://www.recycleyourelectricals.org.uk

Hydrogen Gas cooktop

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The future of cooking? Electrolux group are always looking ahead at product innovations that offer consumers more sustainable choices for the home. We’ve created this concept hydrogen gas cooktop that delivers the reliability and heat of a gas cooktop, without the environmental impact of traditional electricity or gas-powered appliances when connected to a renewable gas supply. The concept 90cm Ultimate Taste 900 Hydrogen Gas cooktop has been developed alongside Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG) for their concept home, HyHome in Victoria, Australia. In HyHome, the appliances, heating and hot water are all powered by green hydrogen gas to showcase the future of sustainable living through alternative energy sources. Green hydrogen works in much the same way as natural gas, but when created using renewable sources produces zero greenhouse gas emissions when burned.    Please note that this cooktop is a concept and not currently available for sale, and we expect different markets to introduce hydrogen gas at different paces with a blended mix of hydrogen and natural gas to begin with