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The appliances and electronics you use will often reach their life span, requiring you to fling them out. Seeing as you will inevitably have to dispose of these appliances, it is crucial that you get it right the first time around. Unfortunately, getting rid of old, phased-out, or faulty appliances holds several challenges. This article delves into how to recycle your appliances and the benefits you will likely leverage from this approach.
Benefits of Appliance Recycling
Simply sussing out appliance recycling as the best approach will not do it. You are likely curious about the additional benefits of appliance recycling.
For starters, appliance recycling helps protects the ozone layer. Let’s consider a cooling appliance, for instance. These cooling agents rely on a cooling agent known as Freon to work. When not properly disposed of, this Freon will potentially leak into the atmosphere, which will finally end up within the ozone layer. When you recycle your cooling appliance, you stand a chance to reduce this Freon and other hazardous chemicals, thus protecting the ozone layer.
The environmental benefits don’t stop there. According to research by the Environmental Protection Agency, by recycling just one million laptops, the United States could save enough energy to power up to 3,500 homes for up to a year. Besides, getting important components from the appliances should reduce mining activities for said components.
Further, as highlighted, appliance recycling has the potential to save you money. Regardless of the state where you are and the regulations that apply, you must pay a disposal fee. By recycling the same, you do not have to pay said disposal fees and might even get some cash back into your pocket.
Ways to Recycle Used Appliance
Seeing as you stand to leverage significant benefits, how then can you recycle used appliances?
Resale or Donate Old Appliance
Granted, you are likely thinking of trashing your old appliances. However, in most municipalities, you can simply not toss these appliances in your bin. The other option is donating or this old appliance. Unfortunately, most often than not, it is a bit more complicated than giving away the old appliance. As such, it would be best that you do some homework on the regulations surrounding the resale or donation of old appliances.
Once well-versed on what’s necessary for lawful reselling or donation, you could try and find a market for the old appliance locally. Consider posting paper ads at stores around you or having a garage sale. You could also decide to try consigning your used appliance. Going for the consignment appliance store should help get your item in front of many potential buyers as these shops have a great reputation.
While you could get lucky and immediately find a buyer, you stand a better chance by selling the appliance online. You want to post your item on the local online marketplaces. That way, you end up reaching as many people as possible within your area. Populate your online advertisement with information that interested parties are likely looking for.
Alternatively, if the garage sale or the hassle of having to sell online is not your cup of tea, you can opt to donate the appliance. You could find a charity case and choose to give them the appliance for their use. Go around your community to find local outlets or donation centers that could accept the appliance for use on behalf of needy families.
Organize Appliance Swaps via Retailers
Suppose you are looking to upgrade to a new appliance. In most cases, there is a possibility that a dealer will agree that you trade in the old appliance for the updated version. Oftentimes, this trade-in will attract a nominal fee, especially if the appliance you brought back requires some maintenance work. In retrospect, by swapping the old for a newer or different product, you move the chain of custody of said item to the retailer, meaning they are now in charge of disposing of it.
Be on the lookout for websites and platforms that allow you to swap your appliance with a company. Note that you ought to ask for a derivative contract between you and the retailer detailing the different aspects of the swap.
Sell Old Appliances for Parts
Amongst the commodities that are the main inputs in your appliances and electronic device are steel, aluminum, and other metals, which hold a reuse value. Instead of having this pile up in landfills due to improper disposal, you could sell these old appliances as parts. The latter will be bought by scrap metal dealers and reused into new material, thus eliminating environmental stress.
Larger equipment like dishwaters and dryers will often fetch more from these scrap yards than smaller appliances. Still, even with the latter, you should get a decent amount which you have the option of donating to a charity of your choosing.
Schedule for Appliance Recycle Pick Up
In some instances, you might simply want to avoid the hassle of dealing with the appliance altogether. In that case, you could schedule an appliance recycle pick-up. Start by searching for a provider offering said appliance recycling pick-up services within your area.
An insider tip would be to check with a local utility company near you to see whether they offer removal services, especially for older energy-guzzling appliances.
Further, you might have the Public Works Department within your local government provide this bulk trash pickup. It is prudent to mention that this might attract a fee that will likely be cheaper than what you would have otherwise paid as disposal fees.
Sign up for EPA RAD Program
Research shows the potential negative outcomes of some appliance recycling approaches. In response, the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established the Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) program.
The program comes in handy as it identifies recycling partners who have done exceptionally well when it comes to recycling. They will often have made a strong commitment to the set guidelines and will go beyond federal laws to dispose of hazardous materials properly.
The Ultimate Appliance Recycling Solution
Junk King is on a mission to help with waste recycling. This includes the proper recycling of appliances, whether large or small. We understand that creating a plan as part of your appliance recycling initiative might be the last thing on your mind. As such, we step in to do the heavy lifting for you.
We have created an appliance recycling model that is environmentally friendly and cost-effective. Our experts work with you to ensure that you save or even make money and ultimately keep hazardous material out of the landfills within your locality. Contact Junk King today and let us take appliance recycling off your shoulder.
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