What do you do with old appliances?
When an old appliance way past its life expectancy breaks, it isn’t usually worth the cost to repair it. So, when it’s time to finally get rid of an old or broken appliance, you will be faced with the frustrating task of how to dispose of it properly.
In this article, we share some of the most eco-friendly ways of disposing of your old appliances.
1. Pay Commercial Rubbish Removal Service
Home appliances, especially the larger, bulkier ones, can’t be thrown away in the same way as tossing out your regular trash and simply leaving them up on the curb for pick-up.
Fortunately, there are plenty of commercial rubbish removal companies that will take care of removing your waste for a fee. However, make sure to browse and find companies that will do it responsibly.
When choosing a hauler, pick the one that will recycle the appliances instead of simply disposing of them in a landfill.
2. Donate Or Resale
Depending on the efficiency and condition of your appliance, it may still be donated or sold. This includes listing it on appliance resale sites or donating it to local thrift stores, local nonprofit organizations, or other locations which accept such donations.
This disposal option can be suitable for small appliances such as microwaves or toasters.
If you choose this option, you want to consider the energy efficiency of your appliance. Using an inefficient gadget once again can have a long-term negative impact. This may include high energy costs, increased emissions, and energy use.
3. Give It To Local Energy Providers
You can also search for appliance recycling services in your local area. Most local energy providers provide pick-up services for old appliances. Sometimes, they even give energy vouchers to those who want to schedule a pick-up.
Or you can also look through recycling programs from your local government. They should have some variation of bulk trash pick-up service, either for a small fee or no cost at all, available to all community members.
Once again, you want to ensure that your appliance would end up somewhere good when choosing a local pickup service. You want to make sure that your appliance will be recycled to the fullest extent possible, and those hazardous byproducts should be handled properly.
Quick Tip: You can get a certificate of sustainable disposal if you’re a business owner.
4. Try Appliance Swapping
Some retailers offer an appliance swap program. If you’re purchasing a new appliance from the same brand and retailer, you may request the pickup of your old unit from the retailer.
If you’re in the market for a new appliance, try browsing products from retailers which specifically offer this kind of service. It helps streamline your waste process and ensure that your old appliance will be properly disposed of and recycled for parts.
5. Sell for Scraps
As with cans and bottles, your old appliances can also be a good source of cash when they break down or stop working.
You can sell your appliances to an individual or a scrap yard that will break them down and sell or recycle any valuable parts from these machines. This option is sometimes known as bounty programs since they pay you for old appliances.
For bounty programs, the value is derived from ferrous metals such as iron, steel, and other working parts that can be recovered upon disposal. These parts can be sold on the recycling market for reuse.
If you choose this method, the other materials found in your appliances such as glass, plastics, and other materials are also extracted and recycled as much as possible when taking the appliance unit apart.
You can check in with your local scrap yards and ask if they’re taking old and bulk appliances. You can also look for information about nearby scrap companies online. Doing so can give you an idea of what scrap recycling centers and scrap yards will pay you for your old appliances.
6. Get Creative
Disposing of your old and broken appliances doesn’t always mean having someone take them out of your home. With a little creativity, you can upcycle your old appliances and turn them into decorative or useful pieces around your home.
For instance, most appliances like an old fridge can be used as storage or transformed into a bookshelf. Microwaves can be transformed into planters while old electric fan covers can be fashioned into decorative light fixtures.
Your imagination is the limit.
Take Away
And there you have it!
Appliances, regardless of their quality and brand, will eventually break down beyond repair and become useless.
Whether you’re looking for a more energy-efficient fridge or your washing machine suddenly stopped mid-wash, consider the above options when it’s finally time to dispose of your old appliances.
