NJ utility customers can get paid to recycle certain appliances

🔵JCP&L is looking for four types of appliances from customers

🔵They'll get paid to have them recycled

🔵Appliances must be working

If you’re in the market for a new home appliance like a refrigerator or a freezer, but you’re not sure what to do with it, consider recycling it.

The Recycling Program in NJ

The JCP&L Recycling Appliance Program is an all-year program, specifically geared toward JCP&L customers.

The utility is looking for New Jersey customers who want to unload their refrigerator or freezer. They will get $50 for each of those they recycle and $25 when they recycle an air conditioner or a dehumidifier, said Chris Hoenig, JCP&L spokesman.

JCP&L will accept two refrigerators or freezers and up to three air conditioners or dehumidifiers from each customer each year. So, they can earn up to $175 every year, Hoenig explained.

The Rules

This is very important. All refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, and dehumidifiers must be working for them to be accepted and recycled by JCP&L, Hoenig said.
Also, all refrigerators and freezers must be between 10 and 30 cubic feet.

Residents must own the appliances themselves, and they must be JCP&L customers.

How Does the Program Work?

It’s very simple. Customers who want to get rid of any of these four types of appliances can go to the JCP&L website, go to the energy savings program, and schedule a pickup day and time. Hoenig said customers don’t have to go anywhere. The vendors will come to them.

While onsite, JCP&L will test the appliance to make sure it is working, and then they will take it on the spot. Customers will receive their check about four weeks later, he said.

Keep in mind, this is not an appliance replacement program. Once the appliance is picked up, the New Jersey resident is responsible for getting a new refrigerator, freezer, AC unit, or dehumidifier.

The Recycling

Once the appliance is picked up, it’s all about the responsibility of recycling these appliances and making sure they are not resold, thus harming the ozone layer, Hoenig said.

“These older appliances, especially, were made with components like the inflating foam that can deplete the ozone layer. The refrigerants themselves are ozone-depleting.

They contain oil. Older ones have PCBs. Our vendors ensure that all of these materials are handled safely, reduces the harmful emissions, and at the end of the day, this also reduces the draw on the electric grid,” Hoenig said.

25% of disposed refrigerators and freezers are re-sold on secondary markets. Hoenig calls them “power vampires.” They draw far more electricity than these newer Energy Star-rated appliances.

So, not only do customers get money for recycling these appliances, but by replacing old, inefficient appliances with an Energy Star-related model, they will save money on their electric bill, as well.

Hoenig said an energy star-related appliance can save a resident about $100 a year in energy costs.

The Statistics

While Hoenig does not have New Jersey numbers, he said JCP&L appliance recycling vendors have collected more than 8.3 million refrigerators nationwide since 2007, nearly one million stand-alone freezers, more than 100,000 air conditioning units, and 50,000 dehumidifiers.

“To put this in perspective, each refrigerator recycled saves the same amount of energy as switching 35 incandescent bulbs over to LEDs. For every 100 refrigerators recycled, that’s the same amount of energy as charging nearly 12 million cell phones,” Hoenig said.

He added that for every 1000 refrigerators recycled, that’s enough energy saved to power 110 homes for a year.

“So, we’re talking about having saved enough power since 2007 to power nearly a million homes for a year just in the refrigerators. That’s basically the entire JCP&L customer base for a full year,” Hoenig said.

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