Recover
Recycle
Reclaim
Responsible Appliance
Disposal Program
&RAD.
2007
Annual Report
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Recover Recycle Reclaim
EPA's Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD)
Program is a voluntary partnership program
that began in October 2006 to help protect
the ozone layer and reduce emissions of
greenhouse gases. The RAD Program
recognizes partners that ensure the disposal
of refrigerant-containing appliances using the
best environmental practices available. The
RAD Program invites utilities, municipalities,
retailers, manufacturers, universities, and other
qualifying organizations to become partners.
1 2007 Annual Report

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Overview
Through the RAD Program, partners reduce
emissions of ozone-depleting substances (ODS)
and greenhouse gases (GHGs) by recovering
appliance foam and refrigerant. They also prevent
the release of hazardous materials, as well as
save landfill space and energy by recycling durable
materials instead of landfilling them (eliminating
the need to produce virgin materials). RAD
partners achieve these benefits by using best
practices to dispose of appliances; nameiy, they
ensure that:
•	Refrigerant is recovered and reclaimed or destroyed;
•	Insulation foam is recovered and destroyed, or the blowing
agent is recovered and reclaimed;
•	Metals, plastic, and glass are recycled; and
•	Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), mercury, and used oil are
recovered and properly disposed.
In addition, certain RAD partners also reduce energy consumption
by encouraging appliance owners to permanently retire old,
inefficient units. For example, many utility partners offer a
monetary reward for the pick-up of old, working refrigerators/
freezers.
The inaugural RAD Program results presented in this annual report
are for calendar year 2007.

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2007 Annual Report
The Need for the
RAD Program
it is estimated that 8 million
refrigerators/freezers, 4 million
air-conditioning units, and
1 million dehumidifiers were
disposed of in the United
States in 2007.
Because these appliances contain ozone-
depleting substances, greenhouse gases,
hazardous substances, and recyclable
materials, their proper disposal is critical
for environmental and human health.
Federal law requires that (1) all refrigerant
be recovered prior to dismantling or
disposing of appliances, and (2) universal
waste (e.g., mercury), used oil, and
PCBs be properly managed and stored.
However, the laws do not require the
recovery of appliance foam, which
represents a significant source of ODS
and GHG emissions.

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RAD Partners
Nine partners reported their accomplishments for
the RAD Program from January 1, 2007 through
December 31, 2007:
1.	Austin Energy (TX)
2.	Fort Collins Utilities (CO)
3.	Nevada Power/Sierra Pacific Power (NV)
4.	Pacific Gas and Electric (CA)
5.	PacifiCorp (CA, ID, OR, UT, WA, WY)
6.	Sacramento Municipal Utility District (CA)
7.	San Diego Gas and Electric (CA)
8.	Snohomish Public Utility District (WA)
9.	Southern California Edison (CA)
In total, there are 13.5 million households served
by the responsible appliance disposal programs
of these nine partners, representing approximately
12% of U.S. households.
Results
In 2007, the RAD Program's
nine utility partners collected
and processed a total of
176,163 refrigerant-containing
appliances, including:
•	166,557 refrigerators/freezers;
•	9,316 stand-alone freezers; and
•	290 air-conditioning units.
By disposing of these units using the best
available practices, RAD partners have helped
protect the stratospheric ozone layer, reduce
GHG emissions, reduce energy use, and
increase recycling. The benefits of these
practices are described in the following pages.
The RAD Program provides us with an
opportunity to partner with the EPA in
an effort we both believe in.
-Tom Schober, Southern California Edison ARP
Program Manager
2007 Annual Report 4

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Recover Recycle Reclaim
Refrigerants and Foam Blowing Agents Reclaimed
or Destroyed by RAD Partners in 2007
100,000
80,000
60,000
40,000
20,000
88,588
57,753
5,515
CFC-12 HFC-134a HCFC-22
Refrigerant
CFC-11
HCFC-141b
Foam Blowing
Agent
Emissions of Ozone-Depleting Substances
Avoided by RAD Partners in 2007





Refrigerant 1

Recovery 1
I Foam
39%
I Recovery

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Significant ozone benefits are
realized through the recovery of
foam, as old refrigerators/freezers
contain nearly twice as much ODS
in insulating foam as in refrigerant.
5 2007 Annual Report
Stratospheric
Ozone Benefits
RAD partners not only reduce
emissions of ozone-depleting
substances by recovering
and reclaiming or destroying
refrigerant, but they recover
and reclaim or destroy foam
blowing agents, which also
deplete the ozone layer.
Partners recover foam from appliances
manually or by using an automated
system, and then reclaim or destroy
the blowing agent. Foam destruction is
typically performed using municipal solid
waste incinerators (e.g., waste to energy
facilities) or rotary kiln incinerators. On
average, partners recovered 0.37 lbs. of
refrigerant and 0.58 lbs. of foam blowing
agent from each refrigerator/freezer.
Across all equipment types, RAD partners
recovered a total of 57,921 lbs. of CFC
and HCFC refrigerant, and 96,983 lbs. of
CFC and HCFC foam blowing agent. By
avoiding the release of this refrigerant and
foam blowing agent into the environment,
an estimated 66 ODP-weighted metric
tons were avoided during 2007.

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Characteristics of Gases Used as Refrigerants and Foam
Blowing Agents in Appliances
Compound
GWPa
ODP°
Atmospheric
Lifetime13
Predominant
Use in
Appliances
o
o
1
0
5-200
NA
CFC-11
4,750
1
45
Foam
CFC-12
10,890
1
100
Refrigerant
HCFC-22
1,810
0.055
11.9
Refrigerant
HCFC-141b
725
0.11
9.3
Foam
HFC-134a
1,300
0
13.8
Refrigerant
a GWP = Global warming potential; the ratio of heat trapped by one unit mass of a gas to that of one
unit mass of carbon dioxide. Calculations for HFCs are based on the 100-year GWPs provided in the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Second Assessment Report: Climate Change 1995.
Calculations for ODS (CFCs and HCFCs) are based on the 100-year GWPs provided in The 2006
Assessment of the Scientific Assessment Panel of the United Nations Environment Programme's
Ozone Secretariat.
b Atmospheric lifetimes are based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Third Assessment
Report: Climate Change 2001.
c ODP = Ozone depletion potential; the ratio of the impact on stratospheric ozone of a chemical compared
to the impact of a similar mass of CFC-11 are based on the United Nations Environment Programme's
Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (2000).
NA = Not applicable.
Appliance Components Recovered by RAD Partners, 2007
Appliance Component
Amount
Recovered (lbs.)
Refrigerant Reclaimed or Destroyed
63,436
Foam Blowing Agent Reclaimed or Destroyed
96,983
Ferrous Metals Recycled
23,249,800
Other Durable Materials Recycled
Non-ferrous Metals
563,564
Plastic
2,969,960
Glass
392,329
Rubber
158,812
Climate Benefits
CFCs, HCFCs, and HFCs
contained in appliances are all
potent greenhouse gases.
In fact, these compounds have global
warming potentials (GWPs) up to
10,890—meaning that they are up to
10,890 times more effective at trapping
heat than carbon dioxide (C02) on an equal
mass basis. Therefore, recovering these
compounds, even in small quantities, can
result in significant climate benefits. In
addition, the recycling of durable materials
from appliances prevents indirect GHG
emissions associated with the generation of
electricity, which would have otherwise been
needed to produce virgin materials.
During 2007, RAD partners achieved the
reduction of 500,571 metric tons of carbon
dioxide equivalent (MtC02eq), which is
equivalent to 91,680 passenger car emissions
for one year. Of this, 56.8% can be attributed
to reclaiming or destroying refrigerant, 38.6%
to reclaiming or destroying foam blowing
agents, and 4.6% to recycling durable
materials.
2007 Annual Report 6

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Recover Recycle Reclaim
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Avoided by
Responsible Appliance Disposal
Ferrous Metal
Recycling
Other Durable
Materials Recycling
Foam
Recovery
38.6%
Refrigerant
Recovery
56.8%
RAD partners disposed of 176,163 appliances in 2007
this resulted in 500,571 MtC02eq* greenhouse gas
emissions reductions, equivalent to:
3,491 acres of
forest preserved
from clearcutting
91,680 passenger
car emissions from
one year
Source: EPA's Greenhouse Gas Equivalency Calculator.
Available at www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-resources/calculator.html.
* This does not include GHG emission reductions associated with early appliance retirement.
7 2007 Annual Report
Energy Savings
For utilities, appliance recycling
programs can be an important
component of a successful
Demand Side Management
program.
Replacing old, inefficient refrigerators/
freezers reduces the amount of electricity
needed to power the appliances and,
therefore, the amount of indirect GHG
emissions released. In 2007, RAD
utility partners reduced energy use by
over 1.7 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) by
collecting old refrigerators/freezers, stand-
alone freezers, and air-conditioners. These
energy savings are estimated to have
saved consumers $146 million.
Replacing an inefficient, 20-year-old refrigerator with
one that has earned the government's ENERGY STAR®
label will save a household roughly 700 kWh/year or
more—or upwards of $50/year. *
If a secondary refrigerator (e.g., in a basement or
garage) is removed and not replaced, households can
save about 1,200 kWh/year, or more than $100/year. *
Actual energy and costs savings will vary by equipment model and region.
These estimates are conservative and are based on national averages (www.
energystar.gov).

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Other Environmental Benefits
In 2007, RAD partners further protected the
environment by keeping recyclable materials out
of landfills and ensuring the proper handling of
hazardous waste, as shown below:
27,334,465 pounds of materials prevented from being landfilled;
222,029 pounds of used oil recycled or properly disposed;
1,387 pounds PCB-containing capacitors properly disposed; and
110 pounds mercury-containing components properly disposed.
Metal, Plastic, and Glass
Casing/Refrigerator Shell
159 lbs. Metal
75 lbs. Plastic
10 lbs. Glass
CFC-11
Foam Insulation
1.0 lbs.

Used Oil
(May be contaminated)
0.47 lbs.
Mercury Switch
0.003 lbs.
'
CFC-12
Refrigerant
0.5 lbs.
~T
PCBs
(Capacitor)
Small Quantities
If improperly handled, used oil can leak into groundwater and major
waterways and pollute drinking water sources. In addition to used oil,
appliances may contain toxic chemicals and heavy metals—namely
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from capacitors and mercury
from thermostatic switches. PCBs are regulated by EPA as toxic
substances; they 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. Mercury is toxic and causes a variety of adverse health
effects, including tremors, headaches, respiratory failure, reproductive
and developmental abnormalities, and potentially, cancers.
2007 Annual Report 8

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EPA honored firms that help collect and recycle appliances
as part of the agency's Responsible Appliance Disposal
Program launch in Long Beach, CA, on October 27, 2006.
Pictured here (from left to right) are: Wayne Nastri, U.S. EPA
Region 9 Administrator; Garth Williams, Snohomish Public
Utility District; Gene Rodrigues, Southern California Edison;
Mark Gaines, San Diego Gas and Electric; and Jim Parks,
Sacramento Municipal Utility District.
9 2007 Annual Report
Partner Recognition
In return for their efforts,
RAD partners receive public
recognition and technical
support from the U.S. EPA.
For example, on October 27, 2006, EPA
held a launch event to induct the first
seven partners into the RAD Program and
issued press releases publicizing the start
of the program. All partners are listed on
the RAD website along with links to each
partner's website. Partners are also given
the opportunity to provide case studies of
their programs to showcase on the RAD
website.

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Maximizing RAD Benefits:
The Opportunity Is Now!
Of all refrigerant-containing appliances, those that contain
CFC refrigerant and/or foam pose the greatest threats to
the stratospheric ozone layer and climate.
Therefore, it is critical that efforts to properly dispose of appliances be
undertaken today, before the full stock of CFC appliances is retired, and the
opportunity to avoid harmful emissions is lost.
Ensuring the proper disposal of older appliances through the RAD Program
is a priority, but the importance of the program will continue for years to
come. Even new units being produced today contain high-GWP refrigerants
and foam blowing agents that will lead to increased concentrations of
greenhouse gases if they are not properly handled at end of life.
Additional Information
For additional information, contact:
2007 AnnTfa-l Report 10
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Stratospheric Protection Division
U.S. EPA (6205J)
200 Pennsylvania Avenue
NW Washington, DC 20460
Tel: 1-800-296-1996
www.epa.gov/ozone

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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Stratospheric Protection Division (6205J)
EPA-430-R-08-012
www.epa.gov
August 2008
Recycled/Recyclable—Printed on paper that contains at least 50% post consumer fiber.

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