When your AC gives up the ghost and sputters to a stop, you have a decision to make: what to do with it now. Many facilities accept old AC units and break them down into recyclable parts to make new ACs or other appliances. Here are some reasons to recycle your air conditioner:
1. It's the Law
In most cases, it isn't even legal to throw away your old AC unit. For refrigeration, most air conditioners contain HCFC (hydrochlorofluorocarbon), which is a dangerous substance that is harmful to the environment; it depletes the ozone layer, and so it must be carefully and professionally disposed of.
2. Easier Than a Trip to the Dump
Even if it is legal for you to dump your AC, landfills tend to be far outside of town, whereas recycling facilities are usually easy to get to. Some dumps don't accept bulky items like AC units, and you may have to call around to find one that will take your old air conditioner. So, recycling is usually the easier option. Some recycling facilities even offer pickup options to save you a trip.
3. Protect Wildlife
Dumping your AC can harm wildlife. Old, rusted, metal parts are a hazard to little paws, and of course, the HCFC that your AC likely contains is a toxic substance that could poison little critters. When you choose a recycling service, you can help protect wildlife from hazardous waste.
4. Help People
Some AC units might still work (or can be fixed up to work), and some AC recycling services will donate working AC units to people in need. When you decide to recycle your old unit, you could be helping someone who might not be able to afford a new AC.
5. Save the Environment
Recycling your AC protects the environment, especially if your unit uses HCFC for refrigeration. Landfills are scars on the landscape, and it can take hundreds of years for most garbage to disintegrate, and even when it does disintegrate, it leaves the earth imbued with chemicals and toxins that could make it inhospitable for plants and animals for many years to come. When your AC is recycled, not only do you lessen the waste making its way to landfills, but you also contribute metal and parts so that less metal will need to be mined and refined. Less mining means a smaller environmental footprint and a healthier world all around.
To learn more, contact an AC recycling company.
Share14 September 2020
Nobody likes a dirty beach or foul-smelling pool water, but unfortunately, pollution can make it hard to enjoy nature. However, this downside of loose trash blowing around doesn't always prompt people to take things like recycling seriously--even though the practice is relatively simple. My blog will teach you how to make recycling a part of your everyday life, so that you don't have to sacrifice your own comforts to protect the world. For example, do you have any idea how many different ways you might be able to reuse those boring plastic shopping sacks? My blog will teach you the skills you need to protect the environment.