The Furniture Recycling Network (FRN) is this week launching a guide which sets standards for the repair of domestic electrical appliances. Craig Anderson, research and development manager of the FRN, said that the repair guide is the “foundation of the future” and was needed to convince the private sector that it can work in partnership with community organisations.
The WEEE directive makes producers and retailers responsible for the disposal of electronic and electrical waste and the guidelines should enable them to see that items repaired by the community sector have reached certain standards. FRN hopes that the guide will standardise practices and will lead to accreditation which will assure manufactures that a certain quality has been reached.
Mr Anderson said: “We needed to convince the private sector that we can work with them. Our priority now is to raise standards and regularly audit each organisation within the FRN. We have the support and backing from industry, government and the public sector to build up and improve our operations, so that we will become a valuable and prominent partner in the management of WEEE.”
The guide “Fit for Re-use” covers the whole re-use process from how to collect items to transportation, storage and methods of diagnosing faults. The guide provides a step-by-step approach for technicians, who repair cookers, fridges and washing machines and will ensure that workshop procedures are standardised across the country.
100,000 appliances
The WEEE directive which comes into play in 2006 had originally been concerned with recycling component parts of machinery. But the FRN has focused on getting re-use of whole equipment on the agenda as FRN member organisations currently refurbish over 100,000 appliances a year.
Mr Anderson said: “We have been persuading the UK and European governments and the private sector that prolonging the life of domestic appliances is both environmentally sound and essential for many thousands of households who would be unable to afford new items. I am relieved to say that the community sector has been listened to.”
The organisation will now concentrate setting up a national co-ordination system for community sector re-use and recycling of domestic appliances under the directive. Mr Anderson said: “We will be working out how we can set up national management systems and regional centres to collect and distribute domestic appliances. We won't have the chance to cherry-pick appliances that can be reused, instead we will take responsibility for part of the collection and sorting process.”
The Furniture Recycling Network (FRN) is the national co-ordinating body for 300 re-use and recycling organisations that provide unwanted furniture and electrical appliances for people who are currently living on a low income.
The FRN's domestic appliance re-use and recycling project is funded by EB Nationwide with support from the Shell Better Britain Campaign.
For more information email FRN.
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