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As much as we’d like it, the fact is that refrigerators don’t last forever. However, a quality household refrigerator unit today has an average lifespan of 13 years. And the average lifespan of freezers and compact refrigerators are 11 years and 9 years, respectively.
So, if it’s been more than a decade since you brought your beloved side-by-side fridge home, it may be time to start seriously considering a replacement and an upgrade.
Or you may find yourself already looking at a sparkling new unit in your kitchen now that came with all kinds of cool, new features like a water and ice dispenser and smart functions like programs that keep track of your refrigerated grocery item stock.
Either way, you will still need to take of the proper removal and disposal of your old appliance. And you are far from alone in that…
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), around nine million refrigerators are thrown out in the United States every year. And around 90 percent of those refrigerators will be diverted into some type of recycling program.
That’s great news for the environment and good news for the economy, as well. However, still means that as many as 900,000 refrigerator-freezer units still end up in landfills annually.
And the truth is that we can do so much better than that!
Old Refrigerators Don’t Need to Become Landfill Material
Most of us have heard of a chemical known as Freon™. And many remember the day when most all household refrigerators used Freon as a refrigerant.
However, today, modern residential and commercial refrigerators usually use a refrigerant called HFC-134a (1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane). Unlike Freon™, it does not deplete the ozone layer. In fact, HFC-134a is considered to be largely environmentally friendly and suitable for working.
The production of Freon™ was banned in 1996, and the EPA banned Freon™ (also known as HCFC-22 and R-22) for use in new refrigeration systems back in 2010 after classifying it as an ozone-depleting substance. As a result, it is no longer used in new refrigerator.
While the absence of Freon™ today makes most used refrigerators manufactured after 2010, however, there are still some older models that do use Freon™, and these will need to be properly disposed of when they reach the end of their lifespan, which statistically speaking will pretty much all of them that are still running.
More Than Simply ‘Disposal’
Old refrigerators – no matter how old – all pose a significant danger to landfills.
For one, they take up a significant amount of limited landfill space. Household refrigerators run between two to three cubic yards in terms of volume size. And because many old fridges used Freon™, which eventually leaks, that means toxic substances leaching into the groundwater and even making their way into waste streams and the atmosphere.
Because the refrigerants in older machines can cause serious damage to the ozone layer. Refrigerators, along with freezers and air conditioners, are classified as hazardous waste and cannot simply be thrown away.
As we’ve pointed out, if these appliances are improperly disposed of, used oil from refrigerated appliances can result in the release of dissolved refrigerant and groundwater contamination.
Just how toxic are these substances? It’s been determined that short-term exposure to used oil from old refrigerators can cause skin, eye, and respiratory irritation. And long-term exposure can cause cancer and damage to the liver, brain, immune system, and reproductive system.
A Better Solution for Old Refrigerator Removal and Disposal
Obviously, if your old refrigerator is in good working condition and seems to have a few years of service life left in it, disposing of it should be along the lines of selling, gifting, or donating it.
Working appliances in reasonable condition can still fetch hundreds of dollars from buyers looking for a quick replacement of their own, or an additional unit to put out in a garage or on a back porch, for example.
Aside from possibly selling your beloved old fridge, you could consider giving it to a friend, family member, co-worker, or even a neighbor in need.
If no one you know wants to take that old unit off your hands, donating a working refrigerator is a great way to solve your disposal problem while bringing a much-needed household appliance into someone else’s home.
The challenge with any of these disposal options is the delivery.
Whenever possible, it is always much easier to require that the recipient or buyer come and pick up the old refrigerator themselves. Few household items are as bulky, heavy, and difficult to move as a full-size refrigerator!
A full-size residential refrigerator, for example, weighs between 100 and 400 pounds, with an average weight of 250 pounds.
This type of transport and hauling requires a small trailer or pickup truck at the very least, which is part of the challenge. Not everyone owns either of these, so a suitable form of transportation has to be secured. Then there is the question of muscle power: who’s going to move, lift, and load this thing? And remember that it has to be unloaded when you arrive at your disposal destination!
The good news is that you don’t have to worry about any of this when you call the pros at Junk King Vancouver for your old refrigerator removal and disposal.
Our crews are well-equipped and trained to remove, load, and haul away any and every type of residential and commercial junk item conceivable. We have the resources the expertise to take your old refrigerator quickly, safely, and efficiently.
And we do it affordably, as well.
Junk King Vancouver: Your Best Choice for Large Recycling and Junk Removal Needs
One benefit of having a professional firm like Junk King remove your residential or commercial cardboard recycling and other trash is that we make it easy on you. Typically, we can often arrange to have it taken away the same day you call.
Junk King Vancouver is proud to be a part of North America’s greenest residential junk removal service.
Our company pioneered the practice of recycling-based junk removal back in 2005 and we’ve been going greener ever since. For example, we routinely sort every load for recyclable metals, e-waste, household goods, textiles, furniture, and appliances, in our recycling warehouses. And for cardboard, of course!
But “being green” also means donating, repurposing, and reusing everything from clothing, toys, baby furniture and strollers, to used office furniture and equipment.
And many of our partners have trucks that run on biodiesel, which is a fuel made from environmentally safe, non-petroleum, renewable resources. The team here at Junk King Vancouver is committed to doing all we can to help keep our city and our planet clean, green and beautiful for the generations to come.
Our team specializes in residential and commercial trash and junk removal and we can usually be at your home or place of work the same day, so give us a call! Our expert and professional crews are fully insured and well-trained, and you can trust them to get rid of your unwanted items in an efficient and courteous fashion.
Need to get rid of your bulk cardboard recycling waste? We make it easy for you!
If you have questions about what we can do for you, just give us a call at 1-888-888-JUNK (5865).
