Sears, EPA Help with Appliance Recycling

Sears and the Environmental Protection Agency have announced that the retailer will be working with the EPA to offer recycling services for refrigerators and freezers. Sears is joining the EPA's Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) program, an effort to properly and safely take care of appliances that contain chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) which destroy ozone and trap greenhouse gases in our atmosphere.

EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson stated in the release, "When consumers buy new fridges and freezers from Sears, they can rest assured that the ozone-depleting chemicals in their old appliances will be disposed of properly." Mark Good, the general manager of Sears Home Services, the division of the company that will be in charge of the recycling program, made a similar statement. "Sears Home Services is excited about being the first retailer to partner with the EPA in its Responsible Appliance Disposal Program." He continued by explaining that Sears led the industry in developing energy-efficient appliances so the recycling program was a "natural extension of that."

The RAD program will ensure that refrigerants and other chemicals involved in the foam that insulates refrigerators and freezers will be recovered in a safe manner that will prevent CFCs and HFCs from escaping and damaging the environment. Additionally, the RAD program will also recycle or dispose of other substances that may be harmful if released, such as mercury, oil, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). PCBs are known carcinogens that do not break down naturally in the environment.

The RAD program is just one of several partnerships between the EPA and retailers and manufacturers to protect the ozone layer. Another program is the GreenChill Program, which is a partnership with the supermarket industry to adopt new advanced refrigeration technologies. The goals of the GreenChill program are much the same as the RAD program, in that CFCs, HFCs and greenhouse gases may be mitigated through safer handling and more responsible stewardship. CFCs can break down the ozone molecule, which in turn allows more ultraviolet radiation to reach the Earth. The increased UV rays increase the incidence of skin cancer, as well as harming crops and marine life.

The EPA estimates that over ten million refrigerators and freezers are disposed of every year. The RAD partnership hopes to take care of at least one million of those. In addition to refrigerators and freezers, window air-conditioning units and dehumidifiers also contain ozone-depleting substances (ODS). The EPA is inviting other businesses to join the RAD program, offering assistance in recycling technologies as well as recognition for the effort.

Source: Environmental Protection Agency