When you’re ready to upgrade your appliances to more energy-efficient models, there are multiple options for disposing of your old ones. What do you do with your old appliances when you’re remodeling your kitchen? Do you donate them to a charity for someone else to use? Do you sell them on Craigslist and hope that someone who can give them a new life will come along? Regardless of which approach is right for you, there are important factors that need to be considered when disposing of large appliances like refrigerators, washers and dryers. We’ll help determine whether it makes more sense to hire a dumpster rental service or choose a different appliance disposal option.
Why You Should Avoid Throwing Away Appliances
A lot of people don’t realize that there are multiple ways to dispose of appliances that have reached their end-of-life cycle. One option is to throw them away in a landfill, but you will eventually pay for it since electrical appliances like televisions, microwave ovens and dishwashers are considered hazardous waste and need special disposal if thrown away in regular trash bins or dumpsters. Another option is to recycle old appliances by contacting your local government office, however they will only accept some electronics. Also, these electronic recycling companies might charge you a fee for disposing of your old appliances as well.
Dumpster Rentals
You can have dumpsters delivered directly to your home or office. This can make getting rid of bulky items very convenient—instead of arranging a pickup at a landfill yourself, you can arrange for a truck driver to do it all for you. However, dumpsters are large and take up space in front of your house. If you’re planning on disposing of several appliances, they are worth it; if not, there are other options available.
Drop Off Recycling Centers
While these centers can be convenient, they’re not always environmentally friendly. The materials recycled by a center may have been sitting in a landfill for years, only now it will take up space at a recycling center instead. Drop-off centers also can’t screen for hazardous materials like lead paint, mercury and cadmium that require special treatment before being recycled into new products. Even when you do everything correctly (clean out your machine and bring it to a drop-off location), there’s no guarantee your appliance will actually be recycled properly; some recyclers charge high fees or refuse to recycle certain items because they don’t have enough demand from manufacturers who need specific materials for their products—which means your old fridge might end up in a landfill anyway!
Local Refurbishment Shops
Instead of trashing your old appliances, find a refurbishment shop in your area that will give them new life. Most shops are willing to let you bring in old appliances and ask you only for a small fee or donation when they’re able to sell it on their own, which allows you to reduce waste while providing much-needed support for local businesses! Do some research online or ask around before heading out with your appliances; most shops tend to keep regular hours and many run under charitable organizations, so finding one near you shouldn’t be too difficult.
Give it Away on Freecycle or Craigslist
If you can’t see yourself ever using an old item again, giving it away for free may be your best option for disposal. Sites like Freecycle and Craigslist make it easy to find a new home for just about anything from furniture to appliances, electronics, and more. Just because you don’t have a use for something doesn’t mean someone else doesn’t! Search through these sites and get your stuff in good hands—for free.
Retailers Replace Old Appliances
Once appliances reach a certain age, they start costing you more money than they save you—and then there’s also all that wasted energy! In many cases, it makes sense to replace your old appliances with newer models rather than trying to repair them. Some manufacturers have recycle programs that even pay you for your old appliance and those are great options if they’re available in your area! If not, many retailers do offer removal service for your old appliances when you purchase new ones through them