Haier, the global leader in smart home appliances for 17 consecutive years has announced significant environmental achievements following the publication of its 2024 WEEE Recycling Carbon Impact Report, delivered in partnership with Ecogenesys.
The report reveals that Haier’s proportion of Ecogenesys’ recycling activity generated an estimated 18,197 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent net carbon savings over the year. This is the same as the annual carbon footprint of 1,400 UK residents.
This milestone highlights Haier’s commitment to the responsible end‑of‑life management of electrical products and its contribution to a more circular and resource‑efficient economy.
A robust, ISO‑certified carbon model
The carbon savings were calculated using Ecogenesys’ advanced carbon modelling system, which was independently peer‑reviewed and certified to ISO 14044, the global standard for life cycle assessment. This ensures the model’s accuracy, transparency and alignment with best practice.
The model quantifies:
- Carbon emissions generated during transport, treatment and recycling
- Carbon emissions avoided through material recovery, reuse and energy‑from‑waste
- The net environmental benefit of recycling Haier’s end‑of‑life electricals
The updated 2024 model incorporates new primary data from UK plastic processors, energy‑from‑waste facilities and cement kiln energy recovery, improving accuracy and UK‑specific relevance.
Turning Waste Electricals Into Valuable Resources
The report highlights the sophisticated, technology‑driven processes used to recycle cooling equipment, large domestic appliances and small electrical items. These include:
- Safe disposal of hazardous components such as refrigerant gases, oils and batteries
- Mechanical shredding and separation using magnets, eddy current separators, sink‑float tanks and AI‑powered optical sorters
- Recovery of high‑value materials including steel, aluminium, copper, plastics and printed circuit boards
- Energy recovery from non‑recyclable materials, ensuring minimal waste
Recycling these materials makes a huge difference.
Supporting the UK’s circular economy
Haier’s recycling performance contributes directly to national sustainability goals by:
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
- Conserving critical raw materials
- Preventing harmful substances from entering the environment
- Supporting high‑quality UK recycling infrastructure
- Demonstrating leadership in producer responsibility
Ecogenesys executive chairman Abs Bokhari said: “The journey our end‑of‑life electricals take is far more sophisticated than many realise. It is only through this technology‑driven process that electricals can be safely dismantled, separated and transformed into valuable secondary raw materials. This work is vital to supporting producers and the circular economy.”
Alessandro Fatini del Grande, head of EEHS, ESG and regulatory affairs at Haier Europe, said: “These results reflect Haier Smart Home UK & Ireland’s fulfilment of its UK WEEE producer responsibilities as a member of Ecogenesys, an approved Producer Compliance Scheme. The carbon savings are calculated using the Ecogenesys Carbon Model, independently peer‑reviewed to ISO 14044 life cycle assessment standards, and relate to UK recycling activities.”
A roadmap to continued success
The report also provides a roadmap for Haier to continue its good work in this area. It provides detailed insights into the carbon impact of its end‑of‑life products, enabling the company to:
- Optimise recycling operations
- Identify opportunities for further carbon reduction
- Strengthen sustainability reporting
- Communicate environmental achievements to customers and stakeholders
Haier Smart Home UK & I Ltd will continue working with Ecogenesys to enhance recycling efficiency and support the transition to a low‑carbon, circular future.
