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Nearly half the states in America have implemented landfill bans on large appliances.
So what are you supposed to do with an old refrigerator when it stops working and needs to be replaced? The most sustainable solution is appliance recycling. Here are important points to know about appropriately getting rid of large appliances, which increasingly involve recycling.
Appliance Recycling
Did you know that ten percent of steel recycled in the United States each year comes from large appliances? Steel is also America’s most recycled material. Since you’re not allowed to just dump big junk anywhere, it’s best to work with Junk King, which not only hauls away junk, but works with appliance recycling partners.
How Metal is Recycled?
Metals are commonly mixed with other metals in the industrial world to create alloys. Japan, for example, uses scrap metal to mix with gold, silver and bronze. Aluminum is a strong alloy that can be shaped into countless items that are durable and rust resistant. Eventually aluminum products can be recycled.
The beauty about metal recycling is that it can be done quickly. Aluminum cans, for example, can be recycled and reused a few months after collection. Overall scrap metal recycling significantly helps reduce greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere.
The Problem with Old Refrigerators
One of the reasons why old refrigerators have been banned from many landfills is they contain chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which are a top cause of ozone depletion. Due to stricter regulations starting in 1994, most modern refrigerators don’t use CFCs such as Freon. Junk King can remove any number of these old appliances from homes or businesses through full service junk removal.
Importance of Appliance Recycling
The concept of appliance recycling emerged from the environmental movement as a solution to slow down the acceleration of landfill waste. As the population grows, so do massive piles of waste. Eventually the world will need safer and more sustainable solutions for waste disposal. Perhaps sending waste in space?
Keeping Appliances out of Landfills
One of the top concerns among environmentalists is limiting the junk that ends up in landfills. Even though landfills were originally a solution to remove waste from society, they’ve become heaps of waste containing toxic chemicals that seep back into the environment. Toxic chemicals in landfills can end up polluting ground water.
Landfills have actually been around for over 5,000 years. They represent the oldest form of public waste disposal for non reusable items besides burning unwanted trash. They became common across American cities during the industrial boom of the early 20th century. After years of complaints about landfill odors and toxic waste, the U.S. government passed the Solid Waste Disposal Act of 1965.
Starting in the late seventies the federal government began to ban open landfills. Since 1988 the number of landfills across America has decreased from over 8,000 to around 1,250 or more, according to Statista. Despite this progress, existing landfills still pose threats to the environment, which is why many states have taken action to reduce landfill buildup.
Demand for Scrap Metal
Since many large appliances are made of metal, they’re in demand among junk collectors, recyclers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). So don’t think just because an old appliance doesn’t work that it’s worthless. Anything made of metal can be melted down and formed into something new.
The U.S. scrap metal market in 2021 reached $25 billion, according to Fact.MR. Currently there’s huge demand for scrap metal in the automotive and construction industries. Automotive scrap metal recycling is expected to continue comprising 60 percent of total metal recycling through the 2020s and beyond.
Making Old Products New Again
There are several ways to repurpose junk, starting with assessing its value to either sell online or in a garage sale. If you don’t think you can sell the item, consider giving it away to a charity. Another option if your local jurisdiction allows is to leave a large appliance on your curb with a “free” sign on it.
People who struggle with low income and high cost of living expenses appreciate donations such as large appliances. So when you donate, you’re contributing to environmental, financial and social sustainability at the same time: reusing an old product that becomes a new gift to someone in your community who needs it.
Another way old appliances contribute to sustainable solutions is to dismantle them for using parts that still work in other machines. Some parts can be repurposed in creative ways, like converting a refrigerator into a couch, bed or bookcase. Your old refrigerator might also make a useful table or a big dolly with wheels attached.
Make Appliance Recycling Easy by Hiring Junk Removal Experts
You may contribute to the recycling mission by ordering Junk King appliance removal services to visit your residence or business. We make it easy for you in several ways. First we visit your place to assess the logistics of hauling away your appliances. Then we determine the number of vehicles and hauling specialists the job will require.
Once we remove the items, we begin a new evaluation of what to do with them. Since Junk King is a company that believes in sustainability, we want to make sure we deliver a minimum of junk to landfills. We would rather see any old item reused, repurposed or recycled.
A landfill is a last resort if we can’t donate or convert an appliance into something useful. Over 60 percent of what we collect doesn’t end up in a landfill. We are always looking for innovative ways to repurpose old products.
Reduce Stress
Even though the environment should be an upbeat topic about nature, many times it’s covered by the media with a tone of doom and gloom. When people hear the term “climate change,” it can paint an eerie picture in their minds. People get stressed when they have to figure out on their own how to get rid of various forms of waste safely and legally.
Instead of the environment being an extra thing to worry about, why not think of the positive aspects of contributing to sustainable solutions? You can accomplish this goal by hiring Junk King to handle the most difficult part: hauling heavy appliances. Clearing out heavy equipment is not an easy task for most individuals, whereas we have a team of trained professionals who do it every day.
Conclusion
Each of us can play a role in protecting the environment by keeping as much junk out of landfills as possible. It’s more environmentally responsible to see that old large appliances and other massive items get reused or converted in some way. Contact Junk King appliance recycling services to answer your questions about how we can take old appliances and other unwanted possessions off your hands.
