Fridges contain harmful substances which apart from being a legal requirement, mean it is essential for you to recycle them correctly.
Most fridges made before 2000 contain Chlorofluorocarbons (‘CFCs’) or Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (‘HCFCs’) in their insulation material and/or their refrigerant. CFCs and HCFCs are manmade compounds comprising carbon, fluorine, chlorine, and hydrogen. Non-toxic and non-flammable, they were used extensively in aerosols, refrigerators and solvents until it was discovered that the CFC molecules were being broken down by Ultra Violet (UV) radiation and releasing a chlorine atom that was reducing ozone in the atmosphere. Ozone depletion causes increased levels of harmful UV-B radiation which as a result causes harm to our planet.
So what legislations are in place you may ask to govern that the disposal of fridges is carried out correctly?
1. Duty of Care – Waste (Household Waste) Duty of Care (England & Wales) Regulations 2005.All householders getting rid of waste have a duty of care to ensure that it is disposed of properly. In practice this means that you need either a) to take it to a licensed waste facility (eg. local civic amenity site), or b) to ensure that any 3rd party you use to remove the waste is registered as a waste carrier with the Environment Agency. They must provide you with a completed Waste Transfer Note for the collection.
2. Removal of ODS – EC regulation 2037/2000. All refrigeration units containing Ozone Depleting Substances (ie. CFCs and HCFCs) must have those ODS removed in a controlled manner before the appliance is scrapped. Failure to comply with these regulations carries a fine of up to £2,500 and eligibility for prosecution.
3. Recycling and Recovery – The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment regulations (‘WEEE Regs’)
These regulations place responsibility on manufacturers, retailers, distributors, local authorities, waste management companies, importers, exporters and business users to reuse, recycle and recover fridge units wherever possible.
We have recently secured £5.7million of funding to build a state of the art fridge plant at our Gateshead site. Should you have any requirements, please do get in touch!