How online retailer AO’s recycling plant is helping to boost sustainable manufacturing

AO’s plastic recycling plan in action. Image courtesy of AO Recycling

AO is supplying plastic it has recycled from old fridges to create new sustainable ventilation systems. 

 

The electricals pureplay, based in Bolton, first opened its recycling plant in 2017 and says that its Collect & Recycle service, used by customers buying new appliances, has now recycled a total of five million appliances.

 

AO says it has so far supplied Volution with recycled high impact polystyrene (HIPS) from about 63,000 recycled fridges so far. In the future it will add acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)  to that. This takes Volution towards its target of using 90% recycled materials to build fans for home ventilation. The recycled ABS will be used to make a range of parts including the fan chassis and components of the ventilation. The HIPS is used in ducting accessories. 

 

Rob Sant, managing director of AO Recycling, said: “We’re so pleased our partnership with Volution helps them close in on their target of using 90% recycled plastic in their manufacturing process by 2025. As a retailer, AO want to take responsibility for the entire recycling process, from start to finish, and we’re proud to be producing high quality recycled plastic that can be easily used in new long-life products. We will continue to invest in our plastic recycling plant as we believe this is key to fulfilling our long-term goals.”

 

Lee Nurse, business development director at Volution Group, says: “We are really excited to have worked with AO to help us get this new source of recycled material into our facilities. Our procurement teams continue to drive our ambition for 90% of the plastic within our facilities to come from recycled sources, and even with the complexities of the global supply chain situation, we are still making great progress towards that goal.”

 

AO is a Top500 retailer in RXUK Top500 research.