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Air conditioners need to have the CFC refrigerant gas removed, after which the heat exchanger and compressor are taken out of the unit. The heat exchanger is then broken up in a sealed crushing chamber, which results in pieces of mixed metal.

The mixed metals are then separated into iron, copper and aluminium fragments - the iron is then reused to make new compressor parts, while the recycled copper and aluminium will find a home in new heat exchangers.


Refrigerators take the most work though. First all the plastic drawers, shelved and other internal parts have to be removed by hand. Then the CFC refrigeration gas is collected. The fridge is then put on a lift and dropped into the crusher.


It's quite a sight seeing a fridge torn apart in a crusher. In fact the METEC centre looked to be the perfect staging ground for a cliff hanger scene in a James Bond film - I could just imagine Mr Bond hanging over the refrigerator crusher while the suitably hammy villain enjoyed his moment of victory, only to then turn his back and walk away, giving our hero the chance to escape from the jaws of death once more!


The crushed debris is then sorted and iron, copper, aluminium, plastics and urethane foam are all separated. Once again the iron is reused for compressor parts, while the plastics are remoulded and made into new base plates for refrigerators.

Although all electronics manufacturers have to invest in the recycling of their products, Panasonic is the only manufacturer in Japan that has built a recycling plant solely. The up side of this investment is that any profit generated by METEC belongs solely to Panasonic, and I was told that the site is now profitable, somewhat ahead of schedule.

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This device demonstrates the sorting procedure. Plastic and metal can be thrown into the top - it is then separated using magnets and air jets.

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If you're wondering why the UK doesn't have this kind of proactive approach to recycling, the answer is that it does. The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive represents a step towards proactive recycling, with WEEE regulations actually stricter than those in Japan. A quick look at the WEEE Network website shows that large domestic appliances need to be 75 per cent recyclable.

The estimates are that the cost to manufacturers in for compliance with the WEEE directive will be between £197 - £248 million in the 2008 calendar year. Each manufacturer's input will be calculated on their market share, measured in gross weight. With WEEE still in its early stages, there are no concrete numbers or solid data on the results, but it's something I'll definitely be keeping an eye on in the coming years.

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