Recycle For Cash: A Second Fridge Is Costly To You And The E

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(NC)—This is not a true statement. You could say something like: "A second, operating fridge could be costing you up to $100 per year on your hydro bill, say energy analysts, and the coolant chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) emitted by the fridge, contribute untold and unnecessary pressure on our planet's ozone shield.

It is further calculated that by removing one fridge from your household, the electricity savings average 1124-kilowatt hours (kWh) per year and 12364-kWh over the life of the fridge. This is a cost saving, according to BC Hydro, of $741.84 per home.

To encourage consumer action on these findings and to underscore a proactive commitment to reduce energy consumption and costs, BC Hydro is offering an incentive to every customer homeowner:

Receive $30 by taking part in the Power Smart Refrigerator Buy-Back Program - an initiative that will pick up your old energy guzzling second refrigerator and dispose of it, free-of-charge in an environmentally friendly manner. The program is in effect from September 2003 to August 2004.

"The buy-back program is a re-launch ...
... of a similar, highly successful initiative that ran province-wide from 1990 to 1999," says Elisha Moreno, spokesperson for BC Hydro Power Smart Communications. "At the peak of that program, an average of 42,000 operating refrigerators were collected yearly, saving 15,000 kilograms of CFCs from the environment. Overall, a total of 160,000 refrigerators were collected and recycled."

In the spring of 2002, a short, three-month campaign in the communities of Courtenay-Comox and Quesnel, brought in more than 500 fridges. Similarly, in the fall of that year, a six-month program on Vancouver Island collected just over 6,000 refrigerators. This time, the BC Hydro goal is to recover and recycle at least 25,000 refrigerators in the first year.

If you would like to participate, here's what to do:

Homeowners should call 604 881-HELP(4357) or 1-866-516-HELP(4357) outside the Lower Mainland and make an appointment to have their second operating fridge picked up by the contracted vendor in their area. Once the fridge is removed and the necessary paperwork is submitted, a $30 "buy-back" incentive will be mailed out, which takes approximately six to eight weeks. The buy-back is limited to two operating fridges per BC Hydro customer. Refrigerators must be between 10-24 cubic feet and in working condition.

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