Product design company Tochi Tech Ltd has been working with a team at Nottingham Trent University to find solutions to manufacturing common appliances. One of the products they have devised could succeed in making washing machines both lighter and more environmentally friendly.
Their product is a simple one, it is a plastic container that can be filled with water.
Washing machines are typically weighted by a slab of concrete, up to 25kg in weight, which helps to stabilise the machine when it is working. Obviously, this makes the machine both heavy to move, causing back injuries, and contributes more carbon emissions during transportation simply because of the weight.
However, by replacing this with an empty plastic container, the weight of the machine could be cut by a third. Once the washing machine has been put into place, the plastic container can be filled with water. Not only will this help people with their health, but it could save around 44,600 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year.
Dylan Knight, an undergraduate working on the project, tested the new product. He said "Everyone thinks the idea must have been thought of before. No one can really believe it. But I promise you it definitely works."
