How to Recycle an Electrical Appliance
The purchase of a new electrical appliance can mean replacing an old, inefficient one with one that is much more energy efficient. While this is good for the environment and the pocket-book, it begs the question as to how to dispose of the old appliance. There are several ways to safely and legally recycle old electric appliances.
Things You Will Need
- Old electrical appliance
- Internet access
- Telephone
- Look in the phone book or search the Internet to find non-profit businesses willing to accept old electric appliances that still work, such as the Salvation Army or Goodwill.
- Have the appliance dealer take your old appliance when they deliver the new one. Some appliance shops charge a small fee for disposal of your old electric appliance, but others include disposal at no cost.
- List your old electric appliance for sale on Craig’s List or E-bay. Someone may even purchase your appliance if it does not work because he or she may know they can repair it.
- Look for recycle facilities willing to take non-reusable appliances in your area. Some appliances need special care in recycling because they contain chemicals, and special recycling facilities are set up for proper disposal.
- Call your local utility office to see if a bounty program is offered for appliances that contain refrigerant. A bounty program is a program offered by some utility companies that offers a rebate for old refrigerators or freezers that are not energy efficient. If your community does offer the bounty program, you will have to confirm that your refrigerator or freezer is still in working condition.
- Schedule an appointment for your refrigerator or freezer to be picked up. With the bounty program there is typically no pick-up fee, but sometimes the refrigerant must already be removed from the appliance. In that case, you will have to hire an HVAC specialist who can safely remove the refrigerant before your appliance is collected.