LIFE24-ENV-IT-LIFE PHOENIX-WEEE 101213028: the European project that gives used washing machines a new life, with Unieuro as a key player

Every year, tons of household appliances end up as waste, generating a significant environmental impact. Washing machines, in particular, contain valuable materials such as steel, copper, and technical plastics, which are often permanently lost. To address this challenge, Life Phoenix WEEE was created: a European project that revolutionizes the reuse and recycling of large household appliances, transforming complex waste into concrete opportunities for sustainability, innovation, and social inclusion.

The initiative, promoted by DISMECO in collaboration with Unieuro, CNA Bologna, and the University of Bologna, started in June 2025, is supported by the European Commission, and will conclude in November 2027.

The project’s objective is to demonstrate the economic and entrepreneurial sustainability of recovering used washing machines, currently classified as electronic waste (WEEE), bringing them back onto the market and proving that what today appears to be “end of life” can become a valuable resource, generating tangible benefits for the environment, families, and the community.

The project’s operational model covers the entire product life cycle: collection, selection, diagnosis, and refurbishment. Young technicians from the Repair Academy, promoted by CNA Bologna, acquire practical skills in WEEE refurbishment, while non-reusable materials are recovered and recycled at a rate of up to 99%. Thanks to Unieuro, refurbished products return to the market, sold at affordable prices, generating a real impact on both the environment and the community.

At present, the consortium is completing the preparatory phase: Dismeco is equipping itself with the machinery needed to implement a highly innovative process, training staff and introducing the administrative procedures required for washing machine repair. In the second half of 2026, Unieuro will become actively involved: refurbished washing machines will be sold in around ten pilot stores in Emilia-Romagna, within layouts specifically designed for “second-hand” products.

The results achieved so far are already significant:

• 55,000 washing machines collected
• 200,000 spare parts catalogued with QR code traceability
• 9 eco-friendly vehicles used for WEEE collection
• 500 refurbished washing machines tested in pilot sales, 200 of which were donated to vulnerable families

Unieuro’s vision through Life Phoenix WEEE looks to the future: replicating the model in other European cities, creating a network of refurbishment and training centers, and contributing to the objectives of the European Green Deal and the ecological transition. The ambition is to build a society in which every object can have a second life, with Unieuro playing a leading role in a form of sustainability that is concrete, tangible, and accessible to all.