Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD)
Program: Guidance for Existing and
Prospective Partners
¦j—Responsible Appliance
Disposal Program
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Partners in EPA's Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) program help protect the ozone layer and reduce
emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) by disposing of old, inefficient refrigerated appliances using the best
environmental practices available. By meeting program requirements and going above what is required by law to
remove appliance foam, partners can reduce emissions of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) and GHGs, and will
be publicly recognized for doing so. RAD partners also help keep communities safe by ensuring that hazardous
materials, such as mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and used oil, are not released into the environment.
Joining the program may also serve as a way to document efforts, voluntary commitments, or pledges to reduce
GHG emissions. In addition, partners that actively encourage the removal of old appliances from the electricity
grid (e.g., by providing monetary incentives for old, working appliances) will also reduce energy demand and GHG
emissions associated with electricity generation.
What does proper disposal of
refrigerated appliances entail?
Responsible disposal of refrigerated appliances involves:
•	Proper recovery and reclamation or destruction
of refrigerant
•	Proper recovery and reclamation or destruction
of insulating foam
•	Safe disposal of hazardous waste products,
including PCBs and mercury
•	Proper recycling of used oil
•	Recycling all recoverable, durable materials
including metal, plastic, and glass, to the
extent possible
Refrigerant
Under Section 608 of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments
and the implementing regulations at 40 Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) § 82(f). no refrigerant may be vented
during the disposal of appliances1 (40 CFR § 82.154);
therefore, refrigerant must be recovered at equipment
end-of-life. Refrigerant must be properly recovered using
EPA-certified refrigerant recovery equipment, meaning
that at least 90% of the refrigerant must be recovered if
the compressor is operating, and at least 80% must be
1 See § 82.154 for exceptions.
recovered otherwise; alternatively, the refrigerant can
be evacuated to 4 inches of mercury vacuum (40 CFR
§ 82.156). Refrigerant must either be reclaimed by an
EPA-certified reclaimer (see 40 CFR § 82.164) for reuse,
or destroyed using approved destruction methods (see
40 CFR § 82(a)) in accordance with applicable federal,
state, and local environmental regulations.
Foam
To prevent emissions of the foam blowing agent to
the atmosphere, RAD partners agree to remove the
insulating foam prior to the disposal of the appliance,
either manually or by using an automated system.
Partners then either send the insulating foam to a
destruction facility, or use advanced technology to
mechanically separate the liquid blowing agent for
reclamation or destruction.
Foam Processing Technologies
Manual foam recovery is performed using saws to cut
through appliances and expose the foam insulation,
which is then removed by scraping or "fileting." Once
manually removed, appliance foam is bagged with
the blowing agent intact and sent for destruction at a
waste-to-energy facility. This method is estimated to
Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) Program: Guidance for Existing and Prospective Partners
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achieve a blowing agent recovery efficiency of 85%,
meaning that only 15% of the blowing agent is released
to the environment.
Semi-automated foam recovery is when foam is
manually recovered from an appliance, but is then
processed using automated technologies to recover the
blowing agent from the appliance foam. The automated
technologies capture the foam-blowing agent under
negative pressure and condense it into liquid form, which
is bottled and sent off-site for reclamation or destruction.
This method is estimated to achieve a blowing agent
recovery efficiency of 85%, meaning that only 15% of
the blowing agent is released to the environment.
Fully automated foam recovery and processing uses
automated technologies that both recover and process
appliance foam in one step. These technologies shred
the whole appliance (with foam intact) in fully enclosed
equipment following the removal of refrigerant, used oil,
appliance doors, and interior glass and metal shelving.
This process results in the highest blowing agent recovery
efficiency—estimated at 95%, meaning that only 5% of the
blowing agent is released to the environment.
PCBs
PCBs are regulated by EPA as toxic substances
(40 CFR § 76T). PCBs may cause cancer and liver
damage, and can have negative impacts on the
neurological development of children, the human
reproductive system, the immune system, and the
endocrine system. PCBs are most likely to be found in
a capacitor. If the capacitor does not state "contains
no PCBs" or the capacitor (or refrigerator) was
manufactured before 1979, assume that the capacitor
contains PCBs (see 40 CFR § 761.2 (a)(4) for PCB
concentration assumptions and 40 CFR § 761.3 for
definitions). Storage of PCB capacitors, which are
regulated for disposal, must be for no more than one
year and must be in accordance with 40 CFR § 761.65.
EPA-approved storage and disposal companies can
assist you in properly handling any PCB capacitors
recovered from appliances. To find an EPA-approved
PCB storage or disposal facility near you, visit
https://www.epa.gov/pcbs/disposal-and-storage-
polvchlorinated-biphenvl-pcb-waste.
Mercury
Mercury is regulated by EPA as a toxic substance.
Potential adverse health effects from exposure to
mercury include tremors, headaches, respiratory failure,
reproductive and developmental abnormalities, and
potentially, cancers. Therefore, in accordance with
federal hazardous waste regulations (40 CFR § 273).
mercury waste, such as switches and relays, must
be recovered from appliances prior to disposal or
shredding, sent to a qualified recovery facility that has
appropriate hazardous waste management permits,
and managed in accordance with applicable federal,
state, and local hazardous waste regulations (e.g.,
waste must be properly packaged prior to transport)
(40 CFR § 273). For more information on the regulatory
requirements specific to mercury waste, visit http://
www.epa.gov/mercurv/environmental-laws-applv-
mercurv. For more information on the proper storage
of hazardous waste, visit EPA's Hazardous Waste
webpage. The federal hazardous waste regulations
under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA) can be found at 40 CFR § 260-279.
Used oil
If improperly handled, used oil can leak into
groundwater and major waterways and pollute
drinking water sources. Used oil from appliances
may contain toxic chemicals and heavy metals that
are dangerous to human health. Therefore, used oil
removed from appliances must be properly managed
in accordance with the federal used oil management
standards (40 CFR § 279). or the equivalent state
regulations. Before recycling and disposal, used oil
must be stored in appropriate containers in good
condition and with no visible leaks (40 CFR § 279). Per
the RCRA used oil rebuttable presumption, refrigerant
contaminating the used oil should be recovered. Used
oil removed from refrigerated appliances cannot be
mixed with used oil from other sources (40 CFR § 279).
Where can I find more information?
Visit EPA's RAD Program website at
https://www.epa.gov/rad.
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