Earth Overshoot Day 2024: The Appliance Recycling Group and Reuse Network launch campaign to tackle e-waste 

An estimated 194,143 kg in CO2 will be saved across four years as The Appliance Recycling Group and Reuse Network collaborate on their campaign to tackle e-waste.

The announcement comes on Earth Overshoot Day (1 August 2024), the date when humanity’s demand for ecological resources and services in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that same year according to Global Footprint Network’s latest calculations. Campaigners around the globe are sharing fresh calls to #MoveTheDate through strategies to tackle climate change. 

It is estimated that each year householders and companies discard 2 million tonnes of Waste  Electric and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). Currently, over 40% of WEEE is made up of large household appliances such as washing machines and fridges. 

Helping to Move the Date of Earth Overshoot Day

In a bid to tackle the growing number of domestic appliances being wasted and help move the date of Earth Overshoot Day, The Appliance Recycling Group and Reuse Network are embarking on a four-year campaign to give unwanted household appliances a new life. The Appliance Recycling Group, a market leading Waste Electrical and Electronic (WEEE) reuse company has extended its partnership with Reuse Network, pledging to donate appliances worth £1 million in social value to Reuse Network’s charity members over the next four years.  

Reuse Network supports a network of charitable organisations across the country who are dedicated to reuse. Each year the network diverts millions of household items from landfill, helping to reduce carbon emissions and assisting low-income households in gaining access to affordable goods.   

By reusing just one large household appliance such as a washing machine, fridge or tumble dryer, Reuse Network calculates that 29kg of CO₂ is saved, £150 in household savings is created, and one household is supported. 

Helping to save harmful CO2 emissions & tackling poverty

Over the next four years, Reuse Network has estimated that donations of large electrical appliances made available through the partnership will save 194,143 kg of harmful CO2 emissions from being produced. This equates to roughly 18 round-trip flights from London to New York. *

During 2024, The Appliance Recycling Group has donated appliances worth over £100,000 in social value to Reuse Network’s charity members across the UK. The donations have supported reuse charities at a time when donations of reuseable items have decreased as a result of the cost-of-living crisis. 

One charity that has received donations of high-quality reusable items through the partnership is The Furniture Revival, a social enterprise tackling poverty in the Upper Rhymney Valley. Thanks to the donations of reusable items, The Furniture Revival has supported multiple families living in one of the most deprived areas of the UK, many of whom are facing furniture poverty. 

Speaking on the donations of large domestic appliances from The Appliance Recycling Group, Byron James, Manager at The Furniture Revival said:

“With the increasing cost of large domestic appliances, The Appliance Recycling Group’s ongoing donations have allowed us to meet the needs of many who wouldn’t have been able to consider purchasing a new appliance.  

With the significant impacts of recent years and the ensuing cost-of-living crisis, these items are invaluable in providing the essential appliances that no home should be without.” 

James Farmer, Managing Director at The Appliance Recycling Group, said:    

“Humanity’s consumption habits are pushing us beyond our limits. Embracing reuse as the primary form of waste treatment is crucial in our battle against throw-away culture. Extending product lifecycles through responsible reuse makes economic, social and environmental sense.  In less than six months, we’ve donated over 100,000 GBP in goods to those in need. This effort not only supports charitable causes but also sustains cash flow for independent charities in the UK.

“As a former board trustee of FRADE, a former reuse charity, I fully understand the need for support, and that cashflow is key, regardless of the sector in which we operate. It is therefore with tremendous pride that The Appliance Recycling Group would put its stock where its mouth is, and pledge £1 million in stock for Reuse Network members over the next four years.”

Hannah Jordan, Commercial Manager at Reuse Network, said: 

“Earth Overshoot Day is a stark reminder of the climate crisis we are facing; by working across sectors and collaborating with organisations who have shared values and goals, we are able to make significant strides in tackling waste to help minimise our collective impact on the planet and support low-income households”.

The Appliance Recycling Group and Reuse Network’s partnership is an example of how the commercial sector and charity sector can work together to create meaningful change. Through this innovative approach to reusing appliances, we have created a model that not only transforms lives but also sets a precedent for sustainable practices in the pursuit of a better, more equitable world.

“We are looking forward to working with The Appliance Recycling Group over the next four years to ensure that good quality items are not wasted and can be reused and distributed to people facing furniture poverty.”

Reuse Network is a charity and membership body of hundreds of reuse charities in the UK. Working side-by-side with our members, we help them raise income, reduce dependence on grants, get better access to more household goods, and create opportunities for those in need. 

Find out more about who we work with and how to join the network.

The Appliance Recycling Group is a UK market leading collections and reuse organisation. Working collaboratively with manufacturers, retailers and local authorities for more than 10 years, to increase reuse and reduce carbon from the MDA stock returns process. The UK’s only Carbon Neutral WEEELABEX accredited organisation, the group operates 14 sites across the UK and reuses more than 60,000 domestic appliances every year! In 2021 it became the first UK organisation to be able to offer every major UK electrical retailer (t/o £50m+) a carbon neutral exit route for Takeback and Warranty Returned Electricals. 

Work with us to tackle climate change and poverty

At Reuse Network, we work with reuse charities and commercial partners to help alleviate furniture poverty to ensure everyone has a sustainable home.

Our reuse charities rely on donations. As the demand for household essentials like mattresses, washing machines, and fridges continues to grow, these charities often face shortages. By partnering with Reuse Network, we can help strengthen your social responsibility and circular economy strategies, by linking you up with a local reuse charity who can collect your unwanted, good-quality products to help those in need, helping to fight furniture poverty and reduce waste. It’s a win-win.

If you are able to support us in our mission with donations of household goods, please get in touch with our Commercial Manager, hannah.jordan@reuse-network.org.uk

 

 

 

Find out more about our work