Industry “first” for using recycled plastic

The Italian-owned company, which has its UK headquarters in Peterborough, has produced a back panel for two its washing machine models using 100% recycled content, following trials funded by the Waste and Recycling Action Programme (WRAP).

Undertaken in conjunction with Manchester-based plastic recycling company Axion Recycling, the trial was intended to research the potential to extract recycled plastic material from Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and use it in manufacturing new products.

Robert Shaw, design manager at Indesit Company, said: “Having successfully completed the trial, we now plan to roll out the innovation to some models of our Hotpoint Aquarius and Ultima washing machine range.

“We are now considering how further savings can be made by using recycled content within other component parts, throughout our manufacturing operations,” he added.

Process

Working with its sub-contract plastic moulding company RGE, Indesit produced an access panel made from recovered fridge waste, which had been shredded and made into high grade polymer pellet, to fit on the back of washing machines.

The company carried out production trials at its Kinmel Park site in Rhyl, North Wales, and adapted the moulding tool design and production process to allow greater flexibility to use virgin or recycled content. The pilot project was considered such a success that the plate is now set to be integrated into the back of Hotpoint Aquarius and Ultima washing machines.

Indesit is hopeful that the use of recycled plastic would allow it to reduce the CO2 generated in using virgin plastics, and claimed to have achieved the same production costs by achieving the same cycle time in the moulding process.

In addition to its work with Indesit, WRAP undertook research to investigate consumer response and claimed that most consumers would accept the use of recycled materials in electronic products.

During the series of focus groups, participants talked about high-end products containing recycled content including a Sony Bravia television, the Electrolux Ultrasilencer Green vacuum cleaner and a Nokia ‘Remade' concept mobile phone. WRAP explained that the response to the products was largely positive.

In summarising its research, WRAP claimed that consumers would favour an electronic item containing recycled content at the point of purchase, if the two items had the same price, function and quality.