How do you Dispose of Broken Appliances or Electronic Devices?
Are you stuck with a broken fridge or washing machine or has your TV given up? How do you get rid of old broken appliances or electronic devices?
15/06/2022
What do you do when a refrigerator or freezer, dishwasher or TV packs up and needs to be disposed of?
Nowadays, nearly everything we buy is disposable. When my flat-screen TV packed up, I browsed online to find the nearest repair agent only to discover that it would probably cost more to fix than to buy a new one. The majority of items that we buy these days are considered disposable - that the cost to repair them would almost be equal to buying new or spare parts that are no longer available. Is it worth trying to fix broken appliances or electronic devices - is it better to buy new - and what do you do with these items when you need to throw them away?
When a large appliance breaks down and you doubt that there is any possibility of getting it fixed, how do you get this out of your home? This can be even more of a problem if you don't have a bakkie or any way of transporting a large appliance. Say, for example, your refrigerator packs up or your dishwasher/tumble dryer/washing machine breaks down. How do you get it fixed or how do you get rid of it?
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There are quite a few options that you can consider if you need to dispose of broken appliances:
• Recycle
Your local waste management company such as PikitUp offers a service where they collect bulky waste and dispose of it in accordance with municipal guidelines. Contact your nearest PikitUp depot (find details onlline) to arrange for free collection and disposal. This service covers any large household appliance or bulky items such as mattresses or furniture.
Did you know that PikitUp and larger waste management services can be contacted to have bulky household waste removed from your home?
• Sell
Even though it is broken, there are plenty of people out there that would be willing to purchase your old appliances for a small cost. These buyers will strip them down for parts or recycling and take them off your hands. Another way to sell items is to post these on a group, perhaps a what's app or facebook group. If you know it is broken, advise that they can pick it up and have it for free.
If items are working but you are replacing them, donate to organisations that will use them.
• Donate
If the appliance is still in working order but you are replacing it, charity organisations might be willing to take it off your hands. At least this way they will collect the item - large or small - and find a use for it.
• Trade-In
From time to time, retail stores will offer a deal where you can trade-in old or broken appliances for a new model. They will collect the old appliance when delivering the new one and then you won't have to worry about disposing of it.
• eWaste Collection
Search for a waste or e-waste removal service that will collect the item and dispose of it in the appropriate manner. Some of these companies will collect for free, so be sure to check for this before you make any arrangements.
With our reliance on electrical appliances and electronic devices, knowing how to dispose of these safely and properly is essential.