Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIPs) are found in many high-efficiency cooling and freezing appliances produced after 2010. This new technology influences recycling processes, suggesting a necessity of adapting methods for their treatment.

The home appliance industry in Europe, valuing excellence in recycling processes as one of the main tools to enhance circularity, started using a common VIP marking on appliances in January 2019. As of August 2020, APPLiA’s Code of Conduct for VIPs acquired another international signatory: Homa appliances, a leading refrigerator and chest freezer exporter and ODM manufacturer in China.

“This is an important step in the VIP code of conduct’s personal history.” commented Paolo Falcioni, APPLiA’s Director General, welcoming on board the new signatory. The company, first refrigerator exporter of the country and seventh on the global scale, endorsed APPLiA’s code of conduct and will therefore start identifying refrigerating and freezing appliances with the harmonised symbol. “Having the endorsement of another main international producer of refrigerating appliances shows that we have to continue promoting harmonisation of recycling in Europe, but also globally. Such a relevant player of the home appliance sector, by committing to this code of conduct, can considerably impact the results achieved in recycling practices. This scores another point for best practices and paves the way to other supporters to join too.” Paolo Falcioni added.

The marking of VIPs, placed on the back of refrigerating and freezing appliances using that insulation

technology, provides key information to recyclers. The markings better enable the visual identification for sorting for proper end of life treatment, forward indications of future needs of recycling technologies and the appropriate safety and security of the recycling plants and workers. The VIP Code of Conduct adds to APPLiA’s proactiveness in promoting initiatives to achieve the best levels of recycling of electrical and electronic equipment, such as the I4R Platform.

Know more about APPLiA’s Code of Conducts by getting in touch with Korrina Hegarty.