Sustainability

“Appliances have a critical role to play in future sustainability, in helping achieve the net zero home”

Paul Hide, Chief Executive AMDEA

Over the last twenty years AMDEA members have focused on design and new technologies which have dramatically and continuously reduced energy and water consumption of appliances in our homes. With 170 million essential large appliances in the 28 million homes across the UK, the technology in each machine that contributes to mitigating climate change can collectively make a major contribution to carbon neutrality.

HOMING IN ON NET ZERO

The industry’s commitment to sustainability extends beyond appliances in customers’ homes, applying also in factories and offices and to all aspects of manufacturers’ operations. It includes design, materials, manufacturing, to recycling appliances and recovering materials. The sector makes certain all phases of an appliance’s life cycle contribute to net zero targets and to ultimately achieving a circular economy. Manufacturers also ensure, in the latter stage of an appliance’s life, recycling feeds into the economy as recovered materials and enables a new cycle to begin.

Click on each step to discover more about the life cycle of your appliances

Production

AMDEA Members understand that they have a unique responsibility as their products reside in 29 million homes across the UK and by vigorously pursuing sustainability goals – setting greenhouse gas emissions targets for manufacturing sites or sourcing recyclable materials – they can make significant reductions in global warming.

Eco Design

Production materials

Manufacturing efficiency

Packaging

Transport

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Eco Performance in Use

Eco-efficient appliances, that minimise the use of water and
energy, have been embraced by householders, who now buy
the most efficient models (80% of washing machines and
90% of fridges sold are now top efficiency). The act of using a
top-rated machine at home cannot be underestimated.

In use

Smart features

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Recycling & Recovery

The appliance industry’s circular vision for its products means
the end-of-life of an appliance has now evolved into new
beginnings, with nearly half of the 6 million tonnes of material
placed on the market being recovered as secondary materials,
some of which are used in new home appliances. In fact, for
every 3 large appliances bought in the UK, 2 are recycled.

WEEE regulations and policy

Recovery of materials

Repair

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Carbon Neutrality

The industry has firmly within its sights the long-term goal of
ensuring carbon neutrality by 2050. Our Members
commitment to sustainability is demonstrated by the fact
that, despite the complexity of the task, some have already
achieved this goal while the ambition of others is to reach it
by the end of the decade. It is a sizeable undertaking but big
strides are already being made across the industry in
delivering net zero environmental impact.

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