Vacuum cleaner from recycled materials

Electrolux takes a new important step on the journey towards circularity with a prototype for change. Together with Stena Recycling, Electrolux has developed a vacuum cleaner made of 100% recycled and reused materials. The plastic and components originate from consumers electronic products, such as used hairdryers, vacuum cleaners and computers. The project addresses some of today's key recycling challenges while exploring circularity in household appliances.

More than 400 million metric tonnes of plastic are produced globally every year, but less than 12% of this comes from recycled materials. Manufacturers have difficulty finding enough safe and consistently high-quality recycled material. As a pioneer, Electrolux was first in the industry in 2010 to raise awareness about the global shortage of recycled plastics through the Vac from the Sea project. The volume of products containing recycled material has since increased across the industry but remain at low levels.

To step up the pace, Electrolux is partnering with Stena Recycling in the collaboration Circular Initiative. The goal is to learn more about how to make the market for recycled plastics function as well as for virgin materials. The first concrete result is a visionary vacuum cleaner made of 100 percent recycled plastic and reused components from electronic consumer products. The prototype is developed to explore circularity in household appliances.

Electrolux has committed to reduce its climate impact by 2030 and circularity is a key dimension of this. Its partnership with Stena Recycling is one of the important initiatives as it pushe forward through knowledge sharing and innovation, according to Jonas Samuelson, CEO at Electrolux.

Henrik Sundström, Head of Sustainability at Electrolux, stated that the project has highlighted many of the considerations the company takes into account as it seeks to become more circular. From product design and material use to new business models, there are regulatory requirements as well as quality and safety questions that need to be addressed. Electrolux has to strike a good balance in increasing the amount of reused and recycled materials when making products that are optimised for further recycling at the end of life.

The material from used products such as hair dryers, vacuum cleaners and computers originates from Nordic households. The focus on consumer products has enabled the project to study the lifespan of the recycled products and components to gain insights about consumer recycling behaviors and attitudes. By 2030 all Electrolux product ranges will contain at least 50% recycled materials. On the journey towards circularity, the learnings from developing the prototype will provide important knowledge for Electrolux future innovation.

Stena Recycling collects discarded electronic consumer products and breaks them down into raw materials for new products or for energy recovery.  The prototype vacuum cleaner is an action within the Electrolux Better Living Program, a plan to enable better and more sustainable living for consumers around the world through 2030.