One in three Australians say they tend to buy cheap vacuum cleaners and replace them when they stop working, shows this year’s Canstar Blue studies conducted by Colmar Brunton. So how can we dispose of our old vacuum cleaner in an environmentally responsible way?
Small household appliances such as vacuum cleaners constitute electronic waste or ‘e-waste’. (For more information, read about it here).This means you can’t just stick your old vacuum in a recycling wheelie bin or drop it on the curb (unless you’ve booked a collection with your council). Electrical equipment contains hazardous substances that need to be treated in a special way, and it is banned from landfill because it does not decompose.
It’s not hard to recycle your old vacuum cleaner. If it still works, obviously you can give it away to your local charity or opp shop. In South Australia, you can use the Recycle Right search engine to find your local charity to give it away to.
If the machine is dead as a doorknob and you’re buying a new one, you can trade in the old one for recycling at your local appliances dealer.
Dyson Australia is following the lead of Dyson UK in its initiative to pick up and recycle old vacuum cleaners for Dyson customers at Dyson’s cost. Research by Canstar Blue shows that owners of a Dyson are the most likely to recommend their vacuum cleaner to others.
Canstar Blue vacuum cleaner reviews 
Godfrey’s Australia actually offers a discount on buying a new vacuum cleaner if you drop off your old one with them to be recycled!
“It is important that companies take responsibility for their products at the end of their life by putting in place collection and recycling programs,” said Brad Gray, Campaigns Manager at Planet Ark upon the introduction of the ‘eco-trade’ campaign for vacuum cleaners in 2011. “It’s not yet a legal responsibility but it is a moral one.”
About 90% of the materials used to make electrical appliances can be recycled. Metal from the machine is used to make new metal items, while the plastics are recycled and used in the production of things like:
- Outdoor furniture
- Plastic plant pots
- Dashboards for cars
In Brisbane, residents can take their vacuum cleaner to the marked e-waste recycling bins at transfer stations, for free.
Zero Waste SA also recommends trying your local scrap metal recyclers, as they offer free collection in metropolitan areas.
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