Appliance Recycling Centers of America Inc. (ARCA), Minneapolis, has been awarded a two-year contract by Puget Sound Energy (PSE) of Washington to recycle about 12,000 old refrigerators and freezers for PSE residential electric customers from Jan. 4, 2010, through Dec. 2011.
Through the program, PSE customers who turn in operating but energy inefficient secondary refrigerators and freezers are eligible for a $30 incentive for each qualifying appliance, with a maximum of two units per household. The PSE incentive is designed to offset the costs normally incurred when disposing of an old, secondary refrigerator or freezer.
Through the program, PSE and ARCA will continue to prevent more than 95 percent of the recyclable materials in old refrigerators and freezers from entering the waste stream. The collected appliances will be recycled at ARCA’s plant in Kent, Wash.
Edward Cameron, ARCA president and CEO, says, “We are extremely pleased to have the opportunity to provide environmentally sound, turnkey appliance recycling services for PSE’s already successful Refrigerator and Freezer Recycling Program in Washington state. We are excited to support PSE’s efforts to help customers continue to protect the environment and reduce their energy consumption while receiving a $30 incentive for each appliance recycled.”