Parent company of Hotpoint and Indesit appliance brands Whirlpool has celebrated its 15^th year of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) recycling.

In that time, it has refurbished or recycled over 850,000 appliances through its onsite processes at the company’s Peterborough site.

WEEE producer compliance scheme REPIC, established by producers to handle their recycling oblications, undertook a15-day Cycle Network Event to celebrate 15 years of the regulations.

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Whirlpool is a founding member of REPIC and welcomed a pelaton which marked the 13^th stage of its Cycle Network Event.

Members of the REPIC team were joined by Defra’s Paul Hallett and welcomed to Whirlpool by its environmental manager, Steve Wilde, reworks manager Lewis Dobbs and supply chain director, Alistair Dobson.

The REPCI Cycling Network Event aims to bring together the sector to celebrate the achievements of those involved in the reuse and recycling of waste electricals.

In total, the 15 day, 15 location and 15 great stories event, will cover a distance of over 850 miles, from Alness in the Highlands to Sittingbourne, Kent.

Whirlpool has, for a number of years, voluntarily implemented a spares and repairs programme that provide consumers with greater access to the materials necessary to repair their products.

It has also invested more than £2million, in the last few years, to deliver a more circular economy and encourage recycling and reuse.

Ian Moverley, UK communications director for Whirlpool, said: “In the last 15 years we have made great strides in moving towards a complete circular production process.

“85% of what has passed through the site has been given a second life, with the remaining 130,000 units recycled by our on-site recycling partner.

“We have also collected a further 165,000 tonnes of appliances to be recycled since 2010, providing the opportunity for the materials to be reused in new products.”

As well as opening three in-house factory outlet stores that are open to the public in Peterborough, Gateshead and Yate. We hope to open our fourth by the end of the year.

“We have for many years responded and adjusted to the growing demand for right to repair and offered greater access to more cost effective appliances.

“ The 15-year WEEE anniversary provided us with the perfect milestone to share just how responsive we have been and will continue to be to meet the demands of today’s consumer.”

Louise Grantham, chief executive of REPIC, added: “The recently introduced right to repair legislation placed the spotlight on the requirement for manufacturers to provide spares, repairs and reuse.

“For many REPIC members, like Whirlpool, it was a clear opportunity to showcase the extensive repair and reuse facilities that have already been in operation for many years.