How should I dispose of a residential appliance that contains R-22?
There are a number of options for disposing of appliances. If you purchase a new appliance, such as a refrigerator or freezer, your retailer will likely remove the old one. Landfills, scrap yards, and metal recyclers may not accept appliances if they still contain refrigerant, however, they are still responsible for removing or verifying removal of refrigerant before they take custody. In some jurisdictions, the appliance owner may have to pay for recovery of refrigerants prior to disposal, or deliver the used appliance to the scrap yard or landfill. In such instances, the appliance cannot be altered in a way that will release refrigerant into the atmosphere. For example, appliance owners should not cut refrigerant lines or remove compressors in order to have their appliances accepted by a disposal facility. EPA requires the safe disposal of ozone-depleting refrigerants in appliances to ensure that they are removed safely and will not harm the environment. A summary of EPA’s appliance
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