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West Virginia Joins EPA Program to Help Consumers Safely Dispose of Old Appliances

Release Date: 06/17/2010
Contact Information: Bonnie Smith, 215-814-5543, smith.bonnie@epa.gov

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (June 17, 2010) -- West Virginia is the first state to join forces with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) Program, a nation-wide effort to protect the ozone layer and reduce greenhouse gases by properly disposing old refrigerators, freezers and other appliances. The program will complement the state’s Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program which starts today and offers mail-in rebates to West Virginia consumers who replace older, inefficient appliances with Energy Star-qualified appliances.

“West Virginia is helping consumers make environmentally-responsible choices when it comes to replacing old appliances,” said Shawn M. Garvin, Regional Administrator for EPA’s mid-Atlantic region. “Both programs will lead to lasting benefits by reducing harmful air pollutants and saving consumers money on their energy bills.”

Partners who join EPA’s RAD program agree to recover ozone-depleting chemicals from old refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, and other appliances using best practices that ensure refrigerants and other parts are either reclaimed, recycled or disposed of properly. RAD partners include retailers, municipalities, utilities, manufacturers and universities. West Virginia’s Department of Environmental Protection is the RAD program’s first state affiliate. DEP will promote the program to participating retailers and others throughout the state.

“We support programs that really matter, especially those that result in a cleaner environment,” said West Virginia DEP Secretary Randy Huffman. “We believe in the mission of EPA’s RAD program because it will help West Virginia spur economic growth, create jobs, save energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and protect the ozone layer.”

In 2008, RAD partners prevented emissions of nearly 400,000 pounds of ozone-depleting substances and 1.25 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent greenhouse gases by recovering foam and refrigerants from appliances. The greenhouse gas reductions are equivalent to the annual emissions of 229,000 passenger cars. RAD partners also prevented the release of hazardous materials, and saved landfill space and energy by recycling durable materials.

More information on EPA’s RAD Program: www.epa.gov/ozone/partnerships/rad/
More about the West Virginia Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program: www.dep.wv.gov/wveearp.