How Is Refrigerator Recycling Done?

Recycling an old refrigerator is a great way to keep it from going into landfill and help the environment. The process starts with removing the refrigerant.

Refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioners work by using chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). These ozone-depleting gases must be removed before the recycler can accept them for processing.

Refrigerant

One of the best ways to dispose of old refrigerators is through recycling. This reduces the use of toxic materials that can harm the ozone layer and climate change, the Environmental Protection Agency notes.

Refrigerators contain refrigerant, oil, and other compounds that must be removed before disposal. The EPA recommends that you check with local appliance retailers and service technicians to ensure they will remove all hazardous components.

You should also seek out refrigerant-containing appliances certified by EPA’s Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) partner programs. These companies will be more likely to recycle your appliance instead of re-selling it as an inefficient secondhand unit, according to the DOE.

You can also recycle your old refrigerator through municipal pickup services. Ask your local waste management division to see if they offer these services, and then contact them for more information.

Metal

Refrigerators are a significant source of metal that can be easily recycled, which is good news for the planet. Refrigerator recycling Sussex County NJ prevents many of the materials found in these appliances from being sent to landfills, where they can decompose for years and even decades.

Besides the metals, refrigerators also contain a variety of other valuable components. These include glass, plastics, and polyurethane foam.

All these materials are usually shredded in the recycling process, with magnets and other tools separating them. The resulting materials can then be used to make things like computers, nails, phones, cans, and concrete mixtures.

Foam

Rigid polyurethane foam is an essential material for refrigerator insulation. It provides excellent mechanical resistance and acoustic insulation properties, allowing water vapor to pass through and ensuring good indoor air quality.

However, much waste is generated during manufacturing and applying these materials. Therefore, recycling is an effective option for reducing this amount.

In this way, discarded refrigerator polyurethane recycling can save raw materials and reduce the environmental footprint of appliances. It is also a cost-effective solution for companies that manufacture these types of products.

Foam recycling methods are currently limited primarily to a few approaches, but there is a need for more efficient ways to treat and transform discarded polyurethane foams.

Insulation

While most of us may only see the outsides of refrigerators and freezers, the inner workings are much more complex. It is why they are constantly being improved to boost energy efficiency and reduce environmental impact in these devices’ manufacturing and use phases.

As the industry evolved, refrigerator manufacturers began integrating insulation into their designs. Several insulating materials include cellular glass, closed-cell phenolic, and flexible elastomeric.

The R-value of the insulation is essential because refrigeration products typically trap moisture. Moisture is an excellent thermal conductor and will increase the energy required to cool down the unit.

Today, most fridges contain rigid polyurethane foam, widely regarded as the most effective insulating material. It has helped refrigerator manufacturers meet and exceed energy consumption regulations by the U.S. Department of Energy and is a critical component in many other appliances that consumers use daily.