Recycling centres to sell refurbished appliances

Refurbished appliances would be sold in eight recycling centres

A new workshop dedicated to refurbishing large domestic appliances for resale has opened.

Devon County Council said skilled technicians would thoroughly clean and refurbish a range of white goods, which would then be distributed across Devon for resale.

This would include refrigerators, freezers and washing machines and would be tested to ensure they meet safety and quality standards.

SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK Ltd, which operates 18 Household Waste Recycling Centres on the behalf of Devon County Council, opened the new reuse hub in North Devon.

'Affordable and reliable'

Devon County Council said depending on availability, the refurbished appliances would be sold at reuse shops in Bideford, Newton Abbot, Marsh Barton Exeter, Ivybridge, Exmouth, Exeter, Sidmouth, and Barnstaple.

The appliances would each have a 30-day money back guarantee, it said.

The scheme was originally set up in September 2023 to safety test small electrical items such as radios, televisions, and electric lamps for resale and then began refurbishing bikes.

Councillor Jacqi Hodgson, cabinet member for climate change and biodiversity, said: "Domestic appliances are essential but to buy new they are also expensive; and at a time when family finances are under huge pressure to be able to replace them when things go wrong with something affordable and reliable is difficult for many families.

"That's why the expansion of the reuse hub by SUEZ is such great news; we are not only extending the life of these items... but we are providing essential household items at affordable prices."