Recycling Your Old Refrigerator Saves More Than You Think

When time comes to replace your good old refrigerator, a new shiny and energy-efficient stainless steel model proudly enters your kitchen. What would you do with your old refrigerator? If you are like most other people, who simply can't say good-bye, then the old refrigerator moves to a garage. Would you still use it? Yes, why not. It has some dents and scratches, but it can keep beer cold. Let's connect it to the power outlet.

The very same moment, when you bravely reconnected your old refrigerator to the electric power source, you started losing money. Why? The answer is very simple. Refrigerators and freezers are among the biggest energy users in your household. For example, if you are an owner of an upright refrigerator built in 1990-1992 with 19.0-21.4 cubic feet capacity, your refrigerator consumes about 1,475 kWh every year. A similar size model built between 2000 and 2008 uses only 803 kWh. And an ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerator needs only 685 kWh. If you convert kWh into dollars (with national average electricity rate $0.111/kWh) you would find out that your old refrigerator costs you about $440 more every year than the ENERGY STAR qualified model.

You can easily perform your own calculation for your refrigerator style, size, and age by using Refrigerator Retirement Savings Calculator on ENERGY STAR web-site. It is hard to say how many people in Illinois used this calculator between June 2008 and May 2009, but during that period of time the Ameren Illinois Utilities (AIU) picked up 3,848 old refrigerators and freezers as a part of the Act on Energy Program. According to the CADMUS Group (evaluator of the Act on Energy Program) recycling of all those appliances equals to an annual energy savings of more than three million kWh.

Also the CADMUS Group surveyed participants of the mentioned above refrigerators and freezers recycling program. They found out that not everybody was looking for energy savings. 48% of participants took part in this program because of free pick-up offer, and 28% were attracted by cash incentive (the AIU paid $35 for appliance). Whatever means more to you, energy savings, cash back or free pick-up, today is a good time to check with your power company. Similar recycling programs are offered to the customers all around the country. Take a good look at your old refrigerator. Do you still want to keep it in the garage?

1. ENERGY STAR. Refrigerator Retirement Savings Calculator

2. Act on Energy. Annual Report