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(Courtesy of 2008 Annual RAD Report)
Congratulations go to the state of West Virginia. According to the June 21 Waste & Recycling News, the state became the first in the nation to join the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Responsible Appliance Disposal program (RAD). The RAD program seeks to reduce greenhouse gasses and ozone-depleting substances by reclaiming the materials that contribute to them from appliances such as refrigerators, air conditioners and dehumidifiers. The RAD 2008 annual report claims that through the use of best practices to dispose of appliances; it is able to ensure that:
• Refrigerant is recovered and reclaimed or destroyed;
• Insulation foam is recovered and destroyed, or the blowing agent is recovered and reclaimed;
• Metals, plastic, and glass are recycled; and
• Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), mercury, and used oil are recovered and properly disposed of.
The report further states that “certain RAD partners also reduce energy consumption by encouraging appliance owners to permanently retire old, inefficient units. For example, many utility partners offer a monetary reward for the pick-up of old, working refrigerators/freezers.”
The reclamation, recovery and/or destruction of these materials are important as they have a substantial impact on our environment.
Characteristics of Gases Used as Refrigerants and Foam-Blowing Agents in Appliances
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Compound
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Global Warming Potential (GWP)*
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Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP)
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Predominant Use in Appliances
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CO2
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1
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0
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–
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CFC-11
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4,750
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1
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Foam
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CFC-12
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10,890
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1
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Refrigerant
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HCFC-22
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1,810
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0.055
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Refrigerant
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HCFC-141b
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725
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0.11
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Foam
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HFC-134a
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1,300
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0
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Refrigerant
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* GWP calculations for HFCs are based on the 100-year direct GWPs provided in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Second Assessment Report (1995). GWPs for CFCs and HCFCs are based on the 100-year direct GWPs provided in The 2006 Assessment of the Scientific Assessment Panel of the United Nations Environment Programme’s Ozone Secretaria
(reprinted from the RAD 2008 Annual Report)
These numbers are sobering when you consider that a compound like CFC-12 is 10,890 times better at trapping heat than CO2. The 2008 annual report goes on to explain that the materials recovered from 505,956 appliances helped to offset the greenhouse gas equivalent of 229,000 passenger cars being driven for one year and kept 8,700 acres of forest preserved from deforestation.
This report reflects the efforts of only sixteen partners in the RAD program, most of which were municipalities and companies. Imagine what could be reduced if entire states adopted the program. Think of the number of jobs that could be created for recovery and recycling.
You can find the 2007 & 2008 reports at the EPA’s website. Just click here to see them.
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