Sustainability
“Appliances have a critical role to play in future sustainability, in helping achieve the net zero home”
Vast reductions in appliance energy and water consumption have already been achieved by AMDEA members through eco-friendly design and new technologies over the last decade. Manufacturers continue to scrutinise every phase of operations to reduce environmental impacts. This includes sustainable production, facilitating repairs to extend lifespan, appliance refurbishment to conserve resources, finding safe uses for recovered materials and much more
LEADING THE WAY
Discover how AMDEA members are supporting the country’s route to net zero. From generating solar power viand EV fleets to recycling materials and extending product lifespan, they are embracing every opportunity for carbon savings. With design at the crux, manufacturers creating ever more efficient products and ensuring theyare accessible to people with disabilities or impairments.
Production
Given the number of installed appliances in constant use, AMDEA Members recognise that their individual progress in driving down manufacturing emissions, water and energy usage, and increasing the use of recycled and recyclable materials can significantly advance the national journey to net zero.
Eco design
Production materials
Manufacturing efficiency
Packaging
Transport
Eco Performance in Use
Huge strides have been made in developing machines which are more water and energy efficient. Today’s fridge uses half the energy of a 20-year-old model and today’s washing machine needs a third less water than one produced around the millennium. Each efficiency development, wisely used in homes, is an incremental step towards our net zero goals.
In use
Smart features
Maintenance
Repair, Recycling & Recovery
Design emphasises durability and recyclability, and manufacturers extend lifespan by supplying spare parts. At appliance end-of-life, maximising recycling and recovery is key. For every three large appliances bought, two are recycled. Recycling separates an appliance into constituent materials – steel, copper, plastic etc – to be deployed elsewhere, reducing the need for virgin materials. Sometimes, materials from appliances are reused in new machines – an example of a true circular economy.
WEEE regulations and policy
Recovery of materials
Repair
FAQs
Appliances are vital to modern lives because they keep us clean and fed. After they are manufactured, they rely on water and energy to run, and all this means they have an important part to play in how the UK brings down emissions to reach net zero. Find some common questions around sustainability and the appliance industry.
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