A collaborative scheme offering a free take-back service for fridges and freezers has been announced for Southern England. The partnership between Comet, Defra, local authorities, Wincanton, the Renew Trust and Remploy will operate on a pilot basis or three months, and will continue according to success rates. The service will be offered to customers in Comet’s Eastleigh locale.
Ozone depleting substances will be removed from the returned fridges before safe disposal.
Elliot Morley, Minister for the Environment commented; “I am delighted that the solid partnership between a range of organisations has enabled the pilot to get off the ground. The scheme will enable a good proportion of consumers’ old fridges to be refurbished and re-used, which is good for the environment and good for the people who will use them.”
Tom Barry, Comet Deputy Managing Director for Operations added; “We are delighted to be the first electrical retailer to respond to feedback from customers and provide a free refrigeration take-back service – a service they have been asking for sometime. However, this would not have been possible without the excellent relationships we have developed with Defra, local authorities and the other scheme partners.”
UK-based electrical retailers withdrew offers to dispose of consumer’s old fridges following a change in EU legislation during 2001.