Miele plans to significantly increase its use of recycled plastics to 7,500 tons by 2025.
According to its own figures, household appliance manufacturer Miele processed around 18,600 tons of the polymers polypropylene, ABS and ASA in 2020, but recyclates only in small quantities. Now, the use of recycled and recyclable materials is to be significantly increased not only in packaging, but also in appliances. According to Christoph Wendker, Vice President of Corporate Sustainability and Regulatory Affairs for the Miele Group, the majority of recyclates currently used are post-consumer goods (PCR), i.e. reprocessed plastics from household or commercial waste. The company says it is already producing vacuum cleaner accessories such as upholstery and crevice nozzles, furniture brushes and special brushes as well as the filter frame of the new "Boost CX1" vacuum cleaner (photo) from recycled materials at its plant in Bielefeld. Miele cites the lids of dryer models as another application example. Miele also says it is examining the extent to which alternatives made from recycled plastics can be used for packaging. The polyethylene covers for a dishwasher cleaning product and a laundry detergent are already said to be made of recycled material.
The group has eight production sites in Germany and a further seven plants in other European countries, with which it says it generated around 4.5 billion euros in sales in fiscal 2020, almost 30 percent of which was in Germany.
According to its own figures, household appliance manufacturer Miele processed around 18,600 tons of the polymers polypropylene, ABS and ASA in 2020, but recyclates only in small quantities. Now, the use of recycled and recyclable materials is to be significantly increased not only in packaging, but also in appliances. According to Christoph Wendker, Vice President of Corporate Sustainability and Regulatory Affairs for the Miele Group, the majority of recyclates currently used are post-consumer goods (PCR), i.e. reprocessed plastics from household or commercial waste. The company says it is already producing vacuum cleaner accessories such as upholstery and crevice nozzles, furniture brushes and special brushes as well as the filter frame of the new "Boost CX1" vacuum cleaner (photo) from recycled materials at its plant in Bielefeld. Miele cites the lids of dryer models as another application example. Miele also says it is examining the extent to which alternatives made from recycled plastics can be used for packaging. The polyethylene covers for a dishwasher cleaning product and a laundry detergent are already said to be made of recycled material.
