{"id":22954,"date":"2024-08-20T20:59:20","date_gmt":"2024-08-20T20:59:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecocycle.org\/?p=22954"},"modified":"2025-12-15T00:26:03","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T00:26:03","slug":"aug-2024-your-fridge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecocycle.org\/aug-2024-your-fridge\/","title":{"rendered":"How Your Refrigerator Affects the Planet . . . and How Eco-Cycle Can Help!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Remember the headlines years ago about the ozone layer crisis? <\/strong>Scientists identified that the hole in the ozone was primarily caused by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)<\/a>, a group of chemicals commonly found in Freon appliances like refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, and dehumidifiers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The global response to this crisis was fortunately swift. Thanks to the Montreal Protocol, an international treaty signed in 1987<\/a> by every country on the planet, we have restricted the production of nearly 100 ozone-depleting substances, including CFCs, so effectively that the atmosphere is healing the damage done to the ozone layer\u2014but recovering used refrigerants is still essential.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s where the Eco-Cycle\/City of Boulder <\/strong>Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM)<\/a> comes in.<\/strong> Since 2001, it has been a vital resource for recycling unusual items safely and efficiently to protect both the environment and public health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eco-Cycle\u2019s CHaRM Facility Takes on Refrigerant Recycling<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When refrigerators, freezers, air-conditioning units, and dehumidifiers are functioning normally, they are not posing much environmental risk. But when they malfunction or die, it’s important not to chuck them in the landfill and to take them, instead, to a recycler like the Eco-Cycle CHaRM. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the ever-evolving recycling industry, downstream recycling markets (especially for hard-to-recycle materials) can come and go, and the Eco-Cycle CHaRM has faced repeated challenges with disappearing markets for Freon recovery. When the local option for refrigerant processing fell through earlier this year, our operations team was faced with a dilemma\u2014how to continue offering this vital service to the community without a reliable partner to handle the complex and accredited process of Freon removal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rather than abandoning the service, Eco-Cycle brought refrigerant-recovery operations in-house.<\/strong> This decision wasn\u2019t made lightly. It required training and professional certification of CHaRM staff to safely extract refrigerants from appliances dropped off at the facility. The process also demanded significant adjustments to the center\u2019s operations, including additional labor and the necessity of raising the fees for Freon appliance drop-offs<\/a> to cover these new costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As CHaRM navigated these hurdles, the steady stream of refrigerant-containing appliances arriving at the facility showed no signs of slowing. At times, the sheer volume of appliances pushed the center\u2019s storage capacity to its limits. However, through the dedication of our warehouse operations team, we established a system that maximizes labor efficiency while safely recovering both refrigerant chemicals and the scrap metal from dozens of Freon appliances each week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to these efforts, CHaRM not only continues to serve the local community in Boulder County and beyond, but also contributes to a larger environmental mission\u2014keeping harmful refrigerants out of the environment and valuable materials out of the landfill.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more about our Freon appliance recycling processes, and the top three best practices for recycling your Freon appliances<\/a> at the Eco-Cycle CHaRM, in this video starring our two certified-expert staff members, Finn and Avery!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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