5 facts about appliance recycling

5 facts about appliance recycling

March 27, 2023 UER Team No Comments

Over time, every appliance in your home will need to be replaced or updated. Things you use daily or regularly are likely to wear out quicker than others. When the time comes to get rid of an old appliance, you’re faced with the sometimes-confusing task of figuring out how to dispose of it properly. With appliances ranging from refrigerators to small coffee makers, it can be difficult to know exactly how to get rid of these products in the most environmentally friendly way.

1. Holding onto an old appliance for too long can be worse for the environment

By using an inefficient refrigerator or washing machine, for example, your energy consumption could unnecessarily spike, leading to higher resource use and greenhouse gas emissions. According to EPA, replacing an old refrigerator with a new Energy Star unit can save $50 per year and 400 kilowatt-hours in energy use.

2. Household appliances contain hazardous components

Many of the household appliance we throw away contain hazardous components, including used oil, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and mercury. For example, some refrigerators and chest freezers manufactured prior to 2000 have mercury-containing components. Poor disposal can lead to the release of ozone-depleting substances (ODS), which are often found in refrigerants, into the atmosphere.

3.Recycling old appliances reduces the strain of natural resources

Most of your old appliances are made of steel, aluminum, and other materials that can easily be repurposed. Steel is one of the common metals found on large appliances. On the other hand, plastics are slightly more prominent in small appliances. When we recycle old appliances, it reduces the need to mine new raw materials.

4.EPA developed a program called Responsible Appliance Removal (RAD)

EPA’s RAD voluntary program has been working since 2006 to bring together government agencies, manufacturers and retailers to ensure that refrigerators, freezers and dehumidifiers are handled properly. These partners utilize best practices and appliance recycling that “go beyond federal laws,” according to the EPA. This means recovering foam insulation and refrigerants, disposing of hazardous materials properly, and recycling all possible materials.

5. The US discards millions of appliances every year

EPA estimates that nine million refrigerators/freezers, six million window air conditioning units, and nearly one million dehumidifiers are disposed, of each year. Taking into account the large number of appliances that are taken out of service each year, the environmental impacts of properly disposing of old appliances can be significant.

Appliance Recycling Solutions

United Electronic Recycling helps residents of DFW area and businesses properly recycle their obsolete electronics. That includes ending the improper disposal of appliances, large and small. Some of the appliances we accept are washer/dryers, microwaves, blenders, and refrigerators. To learn more about what items we accept, please visit.

All DFW area residents and businesses can drop-off their old appliance at our facility in Coppell or contact us for a pick-up. We cannot accept items containing Freon if the Freon has not yet been recovered.