A NEW workshop dedicated to refurbishing large domestic appliances for resale across Devon has now opened.

SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK Ltd, who operate 18 Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) on behalf of Devon County Council, including Brunel Road Recycling Centre, has opened their new reuse hub in North Devon.

Skilled technicians will thoroughly clean and refurbish a wide range of white goods such as refrigerators, freezers and washing machines which will then be distributed to reuse shops at Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs), including Newton Abbot, for resale.

The refurbished items will be safety and function tested to ensure they meet safety and quality standards.

Each appliance will each have a 30-day money back guarantee.

Initially set up in September 2023 to safety test small electrical items such as radios, televisions, and electric lamps for resale, the hub then began refurbishing bikes.

The expansion of the reuse hub follows a major recycling milestone being reached.

As of last autumn, more than 10,000 tonnes of discarded everyday items, such as bikes, televisions, and furniture, have been diverted for reuse since 2012 thanks to our recycling centres.

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 continue to be 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 and demonstrating our continued commitment to sustainability and the circular economy, but we are providing essential household items at affordable prices’.