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We pick up your old fridge... And you pick up 30 bucks.
Seattle City Light will pay you to get rid of your old refrigerator or freezer!
Do you have an old refrigerator in the basement or garage that doesn't get much use and takes up space? Old refrigerators or freezers can use three times as much energy as newer ones, significantly running up your electric bill and contributing to global warming.
But you can get rid of them for free and pick up $30 cash by recycling them. We will pick up your old refrigerator or freezer from your home, providing a convenient way to immediately save money on your energy bill.
Seattle City Light is working with JACO Environmental, a leading appliance recycling company that uses a state-of-the-art process to recycle 95% of the materials that make up the old refrigerators and freezers. Watch the recycling process on the Seattle Channel.
To schedule a pick up, visit the JACO Environmental website at www.jacoinc.net and choose the "Rebate Pickup" tab. Or call JACO at 1-877-577-0510.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why recycle my old refrigerator?
- Because it saves you money and is good for the environment. You'll get $30 from Seattle City Light, and save up to $120 annually on your electricity bill *. Over its lifetime an old refrigerator can create up to 10 tons of CO2, a primary contributor to global warming.
Find out just how much electricity your old refrigerator is wasting by using the Refrigerator Retirement Savings Calculator. You might be very surprised.
* Estimate based on appliance consumption of 1,500 kWh per year at $.0793 per kWh.
- How do I know if my unit qualifies?
- You qualify if:
- You are a Seattle City Light Customer
- Your refrigerator or freezer is in working condition.
- It is a secondary unit, not your primary kitchen refrigerator.
- It is between 10 and 27 cubic feet.
- It was manufactured before 1996
- It is clean.
- Unit must be owned by the rebate recipient. Limited to 2 units per residential address.
- Isn't it better to keep using old refrigerators rather than throw them away?
- Refrigerator energy use has improved so dramatically that getting the old ones off the energy grid makes good environmental sense. And our process recycles over 95% of the materials in the refrigerators - almost nothing goes to the landfill.
- What happens to my refrigerator after it is taken away?
- Your fridge will be taken to JACO's Everett facility, where a core sample is drilled to see what type of insulation it contains
- Chemicals and oils will be recycled, including ozone depleting CFCs, mercury switches, and PCBs.
- If the insulating foam contains CFCs, the refrigerator will be sawed into three pieces, the foam removed, and sent to a waste-to-energy facility for processing and destruction
- Metals, plastics, and glass are recycled
- What little remains is sent to a landfill
- Do I have to take my refrigerator out to the curb?
- No. In fact we want to make sure it still works, so keep it in the home and plugged in.
- How much energy will be saved through this program?
- Seattle City Light expects to recycle 4,000 refrigerators and freezers per year, saving 3.1 million kilowatt hours. That's enough energy to power 344 City Light residences completely, and would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1,860 metric tons. That's like taking over 400 Seattle cars off the road!
- How do I get my rebate check?
- Your check will be mailed to you after your refrigerator or freezer has been picked up.
- What if I don't get my electricity from Seattle City Light?
- Customers in Snohomish County can apply for a similar program through the Snohomish County PUD. The rebate is also available for residents receiving electricity from Tacoma Power.
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For more information from Seattle City Light on appliances, please e-mail rescons.scl@seattle.gov or call 206.684.3800.
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Check out how much your old refrigerator is costing you.
Go to the ENERGY STAR savings calculator and enter your utility rate
($.0793 per kWh for most City Light customers).
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