Trick makes washing machines greener

A STUDENT has discovered a simple trick to reduce the weight of washing machines, making them easier to move and more environmentally friendly.

Most washing machines have a 25kg (55lbs) block of concrete near the top to hold the machine steady during a spin cycle. This significantly adds to the weight of the appliance when it is being delivered by transport or moved by hand.

But the simple change, discovered by a team at Nottingham Trent University, would replace the concrete with an empty plastic container, which could then be filled with water to act as a counterweight once the washing machine is in place.

Removing the concrete reduces the weight of the appliance by a third. This change would not only save back-breaking labour but would make them lighter to transport, saving on fuel.

The university estimated the invention could save 45,000 tons of carbon dioxide on the 3.5million washing machines sold in the UK each year.

The simple change was developed as part of a final project by undergraduate Dylan Knight, 22, with the help of his engineering professor, Amin Al-habaibeh.

Knight tested the water container as a counterweight and found it just as effective as the concrete weight. The new washing machine was part of a project run by Tochi Tech, a product design firm which is working with the university. The hope is to pitch the design to global manufacturers to change the way washing machines are made.