The Black Friday sales can be a good opportunity to replace old washing machines, dryers, fridges etc. but it’s important to dispose of your old one responsibly.
300,000 tonnes of electrical waste is thrown out by UK households and businesses each year, but it doesn’t all need to be.
Here are some options:
If it’s broken, get it fixed
OK, so it might be a bit late to suggest this if you’ve decided to buy a new one, but many large electrical items can be repaired so they can live on for many more years.
Under the UK right to repair scheme, spare parts for appliances should be available for at least seven years after they are discontinued.
You could try a local electrical repair company or get in touch with a local repair café.
Donate it to charity
Some charities and social enterprises will take large electrical goods to be resold or given to people who can’t afford their own.
Find someone on recycleyourelectricals.org
Sell it
You could sell it through a site like eBay or Gumtree or a local Facebook group.
DON’T be fooled by people offering to take it away for a small cash fee, it could be fly tipped.
Recycle it
Large retailers who regularly sell items like washing machines must offer a take back scheme where you can either deliver your old one to them for free or they can collect it when they bring the replacement (which may have an additional cost).
Find out more about take back schemes
Dispose of it responsibly
If none of these options work for you, you should dispose of your bulky waste responsibly.
Paying a small amount in cash to have your item taken away could lead to prosecution and/or a fixed penalty notice of up to £400. Even if your waste is fly tipped by someone else on your behalf.
Find a licensed waste carrier locally (you can check that they are licensed on the Environment Agency’s list) and get the right paperwork from them.
Alternatively, you could use our bulky waste collection service (a washing machine would cost £39) by booking a collection online.