NEWS: Recycling hi-fi - it's a green thing

What with the European directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment, otherwise known as WEEE, and the one on the Reduction of Hazardous Substances, the consumer electronics industry has found itself having to take environmental considerations very seriously.

And in Bracknell, Berkshire, one company thinks it's found a way to do the environmental thing while building a business.

Green Home Electronics specialises in buying, refurbishing and selling top name electronics products, thus keeping them out of landfill while offering bargains to cash-strapped hi-fi buyers and collectors.[/intro]

The company buys old and unwanted equipment, working or not, which is then cleaned, repaired if required and tested, before being offered for sale via its online shop, all products being sold with a 28-day parts and labour warranty.

With a staff including a chief engineer with 25 years' experience in the electronics industry, Green Home says it deals only with top brands such as Denon, NAD, Panasonic/Technics, Pioneer, Quad and Sony.

At the time of writing, products available in its audiophile section included an Arcam Delta 290 amp for £185, a Marantz CD17 CD player for £295 and a Michell Hydraulic turntable with Focus arm for £575. Meanwhile a Sony ST-S370 tuner was just £19.99 and, in the collector's corner, there was a classic Nakamichi 600 cassette deck (pictured) for £100.

Andrew has written about audio and video products for the past 20+ years, and been a consumer journalist for more than 30 years, starting his career on camera magazines. Andrew has contributed to titles including What Hi-Fi?, GramophoneJazzwise and Hi-Fi CriticHi-Fi News & Record Review and Hi-Fi Choice. I’ve also written for a number of non-specialist and overseas magazines.