Self-dumping of Appliances Is Hazardous to Your Health
Appliance Hauling in Orange County
Upgrading your appliances? Nice. Adds value to your house and can save you money when you switch to state-of-the art, more energy-efficient items. But, what do you do with the old appliances? You can’t just shove a microwave into a compact curbside trash can. You can’t just leave a refrigerator by that curb either— no, really you can’t without at least removing the door. That’s a law.
In fact, there are many local, state and Federal laws involved in dealing with your appliances when they leave your house to go out into the community. Hazardous components (Freon, foams, etc.) could affect the environment.
That is where OC Junk Hauling comes into the picture. Let us not only haul away your unwanted appliances but also navigate the regulatory roadway to environmentally dispose of/or recycle these items.
Let’s look at an appliance list
- Air Conditioners
- Clothes Dryers
- De-humidifiers
- Dishwashers
- Freezers
- Humidifiers
- Microwaves
- Refrigerators
- Stoves
- Washing Machines
- Water Heaters
- Trash Compactors
The first step is to unplug the items. Thank you. OC Junk Hauling will do the rest. Easy?
EPA, PCB, ODS, GHG and the OC
Now, if you plan to get rid of any of these items yourself, for example taking to a junk yard or landfill, (most standard garbage collecting operations will not collect/transport these items) there is more you would need to do.
Manually dismantle each appliance, which specifically involves removing the hazardous components. That’s all?
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Federal law requires that all refrigerants be recovered prior to dismantling or disposal and that universal waste—including mercury—as well as used oil and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyl) be properly managed and stored.
Otherwise you are guilty (criminally where part of health & safety codes) of releasing PCBs, mercury, and used oils into the environment! Ouch!
For example, that old refrigerator which may look tired on the outside and not cool as well as it used to, is still filled with refrigerants and insulating foams which can emit ozone depleting substances (ODS) and greenhouse gases (GHG).
Specifically, if you have a pre-1990 model, it will usually contain an earlier version of Freon called R-12. This has since been found to be quite toxic and depletes the ozone layer. Modern-day Freon (also known as tetrafluoromethane) comes without ozone depleting substances.
But— and this is important to remember and why OC Junk Hauling stresses letting us do this work for you— that old Freon, the new Freon, and the anytime mercury, etc., are also powerful greenhouse gases (GHGs)! All of those chemicals contribute to negative climate change when sent into the atmosphere.
Environmentally safe removal and recycling begins & ends when you contact us for a free estimate. Just e-mail at info@ocjunkhauling.com. Or give us a call at 949-424-9265.
We offer same-day appointments and can work around most schedules.
Our uniformed professionals will visit your location to provide a speedy, affordable and fair quote. No obligation. If you are satisfied, we can immediately load and haul away your items or schedule a more convenient time for you.
OC Junk Hauling is a family owned & operated business based in Orange County, CA.
