So, you’ve got broken appliances you need to get rid of. Here’s some tips on used appliances and appliance recyclers.
At Junk King, we talk quite often about the benefits of recycling. And this applies to old appliances, too. Simply dumping them is not a great option.
When you consider the amount of space that millions of washers, dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators and air conditioners can take up in landfills, it makes sense not to.
Recycling Used Appliances and Appliance Recyclers
In addition to avoiding the landfill problems, when it comes to recycling your old appliances are great candidates since almost all of them are made up primarily of steel. And those with cooling and refrigeration units inside will also have significant amounts of copper and other valuable metals.
While it’s almost always better to find ways to reuse working appliances, either by selling them or donating them, if you find yourself saddled with a broken down or irreparable appliance then you need to get rid of it.
And recycling is the best appliance disposal solution there is.
Here are a few ways to recycle your old appliances:
Buy From a RAD Partner
If you’re buying a new appliance, look for retailers that partner with EPA’s Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) Program. RAD is a voluntary partnership program to help protect the environment by recovering ozone-depleting chemicals from old refrigerators, freezers, window air conditioners, and dehumidifiers.
Using best practices, a RAD partner will ensure that:
- Refrigerant is recovered and reclaimed or destroyed
- Foam is recovered and destroyed, or the blowing agent is recovered and reclaimed
- Metals, plastic, and glass are recycled
- PCBs, mercury, and used oil are recovered and properly disposed
Many appliance dealers will remove and recycle your old appliance when they’ve sold you a new one. Alternatively, some retailers or manufacturers also offer cash rebates when you buy a new fridge.
Contact Your Local Electric Utility
Your local electric utility company will be familiar with any energy-efficiency organizations or programs that support local refrigerator and freezer recycling programs. Some programs offer cash to recycle your units, while others only offer utility bill credits.
Appliance Pick-up by Your Municipal Waste Company
Many local waste management companies or agencies offer heavy trash pick-up and recycling programs for appliances. These are often scheduled for specific days of the month or year. You should contact them directly for pick-up and recycling information.
Find a Local Scrap Metal Recycler
Thousands of local scrap metal recyclers routinely recycle old fridges and freezers. Unless you have the resources for transporting your appliance yourself, find a scrap metal processor who offers free pick-up and removal.
Practicing Safe Recycling
It’s important to remember that not all appliances have the same recycling requirements. For example, refrigerators, freezers and window air conditioning units contain different types of refrigerants, oils, and other compounds that are required by federal law to be removed and recovered before they can be recycled.
Once this has been done, all of the steel, other metals and different parts can be recycled. Many recycling facilities will reclaim the foam insulation inside refrigerator doors, as well. Refrigerators in particular are great for recycling since the average refrigerator older than 10 years contains more than 120 pounds of recyclable steel.
And speaking of old refrigerators, if your used refrigerator was built before 1993, then you should be sure to take it to a professional recycling facility since the refrigerant and insulation in the older refrigerators and freezers contain chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) such as Freon, which are known to deplete the ozone layer.
When disposing of older air conditioners, freezers and refrigerators, you’ll need to confirm whether the recycler removes Freon. If not, you’ll need to contact a professional for Freon removal.
Here are a few tips for safe and efficient refrigerator removal:
- Be sure to remove everything first and then unplug your refrigerator at least a day or two before moving it. If you won’t be removing it for a while, remember that refrigerators should not be kept unplugged with their doors closed for an extended period of time. This can trap odor-causing bacteria so keep the door slightly open to prevent this from happening. KEEP CHILDREN AWAY FROM EMPTY REFRIGERATORS!
- Make sure you have a truck or flatbed trailer to use. In addition, you will want to have a furniture dolly or hand truck, and moving straps. If you need to move your appliance to the curb or driveway, use the dolly. And don’t do this alone.
- Refrigerators have mechanical components as well as coolants that can shift when being moved, so try to keep the unit as upright and vertical as possible. Because refrigerators and freezers are heavy, bulky, and awkward to move, there’s always a risk of injury or damage when moving one. Have a friend or two to help with moving your old refrigerator, especially on a staircase or through narrow doorways.
- Tape any doors with masking or duct tape so they don’t fly open during transport. Or, if your moving straps are long enough, you can use those while hauling your appliance in the truck. Take care to secure your appliance sufficiently before transporting it to the recycling facility or other destination. And remember to bring your dolly, work gloves and moving straps. You may need them then, too!
Professional Help For Used Appliance Recycling
Here’s a bonus tip: You don’t have to do it yourself!
Junk King provides an efficient, safe and eco-friendly refrigerator disposal service to make the whole process easy for you. Our experienced refrigerator removal team has the manpower to haul off that old appliance without damaging your home in the process.
And we’ll do all the heavy lifting!
Finally, we’ll make sure that the appliance is disposed of at a proper recycling facility so that it doesn’t do any harm to our ecosystem or end up in a landfill.
Our professional and insured appliance disposal team will show up at your home or office and we call 15 minutes before we arrive on site. When we arrive we’ll give you a free estimate based on how much room your items take up in our truck.
You point and we'll haul your old fridge or other items into our junk removal trucks, and with no hidden fees.
Ready to get rid of your old appliances? It’s as simple as 1, 2, 3. You make an appointment by booking online above or by calling 1.888.888.JUNK (5865)
