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| Overview: | Although appliances comprise only a small portion of the municipal waste disposed in landfills, they do have a market value. According to the Steel Recycling Institute (SRI), the steel that is used in appliances consists of a minimum of 25 percent recycled steel, with the internal steel parts containing anywhere between 25-100 percent recycled steel. According to SRI, steel recycling saves on an annual basis the equivalent energy that is required to power an estimated 18 million households electrically. All appliances are recyclable, including refrigerators, washers, dryers, air conditioners, water heaters, and de-humidifiers.
Appliance recyclers specialize in recovering all hazardous materials and wastes prior to recycling the appliance as scrap metal. For a small fee, appliance recyclers will pick up the appliance, transport it to their recycling facility and conduct a multi-stage recycling program to recover all hazardous materials and wastes. The following table presents the typical hazardous materials and wastes recovered from appliances and their ultimate disposition.
Appliance recycling should only be conducted by fully licensed recyclers. As of 1997, 21 states have regulations restricting the disposal of appliances in municipal landfills. California, New Jersey, and Massachusetts have strict regulations regarding appliance disposal. Check with your state representative to determine the regulations in your area.
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| Compliance Benefit: | Appliance recycling will help facilities meet the requirements under Executive Order 13101 requiring executive agencies (e.g., DOD) to incorporate waste prevention and recycling in their daily operations.
The compliance benefits listed here are only meant to be used as a general guideline and are not meant to be strictly interpreted. Actual compliance benefits will vary depending on the factors involved, e.g. the amount of workload involved.
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| Materials Compatibility: | N/A |
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| Safety and Health: | Appliance recycling should only be conducted by trained professionals in a licensed recycling facility. CFC recovery must be conducted in facilities equipped for proper CFC recovery and in accordance with Clean Air Act requirements. Gas operated appliances should not be recycled due to potential explosion hazards.
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| Economic Analysis: | Appliance recycling should only be conducted by trained licensed recycling contractors. Recycling costs vary and are dependent upon the quantity of appliances recycled and the region. Utility supported recycling programs are currently conducted in California and New York. These programs are free and in some cases include cash incentives. These programs typically require that the recycled appliance is in good working order and is currently serving as a second (spare) appliance in the household.
Average recycling fees for a medium scale (50-100 units per year) recycling program range from $0 to $25 per appliance. Assumptions:
Annual Operating Cost Comparison for Diversion and Disposal for Appliance Recycling
Economic Analysis Summary
Capital Cost for Diversion Equipment/Process: $0 Payback Period for Investment in Equipment/Process: Immediate Click Here to view an Active Spreadsheet for this Economic Analysis and Enter Your Own Values.
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| Approving Authority: | Approval is controlled locally and should be implemented only after engineering approval has been granted. Major claimant approval is not required.
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