Meaco’s drive to be green: Practical sustainability in a changing world

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Last Updated On 21 July 2025
Written By Maren Young

At Meaco, we’ve always challenged convention — because when the planet is at stake, doing things the usual way isn’t good enough. That’s why our mission remains: Your home. Your family. Our environment.

Since being founded in 1991, innovation has been at the heart of everything we do. What began as a mission to support museums with monitoring equipment, quickly became something larger: a passion for preserving not just priceless artworks, but the environments we live in. Over the years our focus on sustainability has grown with us.

We’ve always understood that change starts with action, not words. We’re committed to doing our part – and encouraging others in the industry to follow suit.

Less Plastic, More Purpose

Plastic pollution remains one of the planet’s most urgent environmental challenges. Globally, around 400 million tonnes of plastic waste are produced each year, with over 14 million tonnes ending up in our oceans annually — harming marine life and entering the food chain.

Shockingly, single-use plastics account for over 50% of this waste, much of which is used briefly before persisting in the environment for centuries. In the UK alone, around 1.7 million tonnes of plastic packaging waste is generated each year — and despite growing awareness, only 44.2% of it is recycled.

At Meaco, one of our most impactful decisions came in 2019, when we removed the standard 1-metre plastic drainage hose from our dehumidifiers. Although the hose is designed to continuously drain collected water, a survey revealed that the vast majority of our customers never actually used it. Yet, it was still being produced, packaged, and discarded—often ending up in landfill. That year alone, we saved 75,000 metres of plastic tubing, and by 2020, this figure had grown to an impressive 130,000 metres.

That change wasn’t just about cutting waste. It was about challenging assumptions and doing what’s right, even if it means breaking from convention. It showed us the power of listening to customers and making thoughtful, practical changes that have a real-world impact.

Rethinking Packaging

Packaging is another area where we’ve made tough but necessary changes — because what protects our products shouldn’t harm the planet. Our goal is to move all products to 100% recyclable packaging. That means eliminating polystyrene, plastic bags, and anything that can’t be reused, recycled, or responsibly disposed of.

Some of our latest products, like the Armin® and Sefte® 8”, already arrive in cardboard boxes with exclusively paper-based internal packaging. We’ve also started switching older product lines from plastic polybags to recyclable paper and cardboard.

We do this because protecting the environment matters — not just for today, but for the future. It’s not always the easiest option, but it’s one we’re proud to take on. Every small change adds up, and we want our customers to feel part of that journey.

When you’re shopping with the environment in mind, look out for packaging that’s clearly labelled recyclable, compostable, or made from recycled materials.

For paper products, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) logo is a good sign — it means the materials come from responsibly managed forests. Try to avoid products wrapped in lots of plastic or packaging that’s tricky to separate and recycle. Also, supporting brands that use biodegradable inks or water-based adhesives helps too.

Choosing items with thoughtful and considerate packaging doesn’t just reduce waste; it sends a message that sustainability really matters.

Better Air. Lower Bills.

Meaco products are designed for efficiency and energy-use in mind. Being green isn’t just about the environment – it’s about helping people live better, more affordable lives.

With energy prices high and many households under financial strain, we’ve worked relentlessly to design products that use as little electricity as possible.

You’ll notice that we highlight the low running and breakdown costs of each of our products. This serves two purposes.

Firstly, lower energy use reduces demand on energy supplies and the burning of fossil fuels.

Secondly, energy bills matter! To support this, our dehumidifiers include energy-saving laundry modes, our fans are equipped with ECO modes, and every product is carefully engineered to deliver top performance with the lowest possible running cost.

Engineered for the British climate, designed to save.

Our products are not just energy efficient; they are engineered specifically for the way we live and the climates we live in. This means they run more efficiently, offering you high performance without compromising on energy costs.

Take the Arete® range, for example. Unlike many dehumidifiers designed for hot, humid Asian conditions; Arete® has been carefully developed for the European climate, where cooler temperatures and a moderate humidity are the norm. That means that it works more effectively in UK homes while using less energy — helping you stay comfortable, your home protected and your laundry dry (without driving up your running costs)!

Arete® Two goes a step further with a built-in DC fan motor. This is the same energy efficient technology we use in our fans and it contributes to its whisper-quiet performance. Costing from just 4p / hour (based on 27.03p / kWh), Arete® Two is incredibly efficient for a high performance dehumidifier. And it’s all because it’s bespoke engineered for the exact conditions in our homes.

These are not just technical features. They reflect our belief that sustainability should make life simpler, cutting energy use and lowering bills without requiring compromise.

Rechargeable, Replaceable Batteries

Nowadays, you could say we live in a throwaway culture. Updating to the latest iPhone? Toss the old one away. Need new headphones for the gym? Out with the old pair…

At Meaco, we’re very aware of the battery problem and why it’s important to make batteries rechargeable and replaceable. Recently, we wrote on our blog about a topic that’s rarely discussed but hugely important: the hidden impact of built-in batteries.

We all enjoy the convenience of battery-powered devices, but few stop to think about what happens when those batteries die. Most are sealed inside, impossible to replace, which means entire products end up in landfill long before their time.

Our first battery-powered fan, the Meaco 260c, launched in 2021. It quickly became a customer favourite — but one customer got in touch with a concern: the battery compartment. While the 260c performed well, its lithium-ion battery was sealed inside the base of the fan. Once the battery died, so did the fan.

That didn’t sit right with us, so we redesigned it. Now, when the battery reaches the end of its life, you can replace it yourself — no tools, no technician, no waste!

This philosophy has guided the development of our newest product, the MeacoFan Sefte® 8” portable air circulator, which features a rechargeable, user-replaceable battery from day one. It’s not just about future-proofing the product; it’s about listening to your feedback and taking action — for you, and for the environment.

Looking ahead, starting in 2027, new EU regulations will require all home tech with rechargeable batteries — including the lithium-ion batteries used in products like fans and laptops — to have batteries that are easy for users to remove and replace themselves. This is a major step towards reducing electronic waste and helping products last longer. You can read the full regulation here.

At Meaco, we’re already ahead of the curve. Designing products with user-replaceable batteries is simply the right thing to do — for our customers and the planet. This isn’t just a practical change; it’s a responsibility we’re proud to embrace.

We encourage customers to pay close attention to the products they buy. Choosing brands that prioritise sustainability sends a powerful message and supports the move towards longer-lasting, repairable technology. For brands and manufacturers, the message is clear: the future belongs to those who lead on sustainability. We’re committed to doing our part — help us make this change happen.

Our 100% waste-free repair shop: closing the product life cycle

At Meaco, sustainability doesn’t stop at designing eco-friendly products — it extends right into how we handle repairs and waste. Our repair workshop is proud to be 100% waste-free, meaning none of our workshop waste goes to landfill. We hold a recognised certification badge that reflects this commitment.

When a product can’t be repaired, we don’t just throw it away. Instead, it’s carefully dismantled and materials like copper, steel, and other components are separated and sent to the council for recycling.

All our plastic, cardboard, and other recyclable materials are collected in one skip and picked up weekly by Elogia, a specialist recycler. Their advanced processing machinery breaks down materials like polythene to be reused in new products, and shredded plastic is repurposed for uses such as horse arena surfaces.

For any materials that can’t be recycled, we offset the environmental impact through initiatives like tree planting. Most of our waste is converted into Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF), with around 7% managed as Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF), ensuring minimal environmental footprint.

This approach is just one part of our broader mission to close the loop on our products’ life cycles — and we’re proud to lead the way in responsible, waste-free repair.

The small stuff still matters

Not every change we make comes with a press release. We’ve recently reduced the number of printed instruction manuals by streamlining the languages included, moving the rest online. It’s a simple shift that saves paper, ink, and emissions – without impacting the customer experience.

And even behind the scenes, we stay committed! When we moved offices recently, we didn’t scrap our old desks. We repurposed them into product display stands instead. It’s just one more example of how sustainability shapes our decisions — big and small.

A Journey, not a checklist

Sustainability isn’t just a box to tick or a marketing trend to chase. It’s a responsibility we take seriously — and one we’re committed to for the long haul. At Meaco, we don’t claim to have all the answers, but we’re always asking the right questions: How can we reduce waste? Lower energy consumption? Build better products that last longer and do less harm?

We invite other brands to join us on this path. It’s time to move beyond greenwashing and take real, measurable action. Because every hose we don’t produce, every battery we reuse, and every piece of fully recyclable packaging adds up to making a big difference.

But it’s not just about what we do. It’s also about you. We continue to value your feedback and love hearing your stories about how Meaco products fit into your home and lifestyle.

Your experiences help us improve and inspire others to make conscious choices on this journey to be greener.

What have you been saying?

“Love this air cooler, it’s so quiet and very efficient. Absolutely love it, thank you!”
–⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ MeacoFan 1056 Customer, 2024

“I can’t recommend this fan enough — it’s quiet, environmentally friendly, and inexpensive to run.”
– ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ MeacoFan Sefte® 8” Customer, 2025

“Packaging was as sustainable as possible. Product is compact, quiet, efficient, easy to use and understand. It’s well designed, looks discreet.”
– ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ MeacoDry Arete® One 12L Customer, 2025

“The Eco mode is great, adjusting speed to match temperature, and the rechargeable battery means I can place it anywhere — even without a power socket. Being able to replace the battery means years of use.”
– ⭐⭐⭐⭐ MeacoFan Sefte® 8” Customer, 2025

“Love the Eco mode—it automatically adjusts fan speed based on room temperature. The sleep mode is great, and it’s so quiet I can easily sleep with the fan by my bed.”
– ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ MeacoFan Sefte® 8” Customer, 2025

“It looks stylish and isn’t cumbersome like some fans. Plus, it’s portable without needing to be plugged in. I love it so much that I plan to replace all our fans with one of these.”
– ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ MeacoFan Sefte® 8” Customer, 2025

We’re proud of the journey so far. Proud of the products we create. But most of all, proud to say this is just the beginning.

If you have a story about how Meaco fits into your home or your own tips for sustainable living, please share them with us. Your voice helps shape the future we’re building — together.