Media Contact: Karl Walquist, (775) 834-3891

Is your old fridge sitting in the garage burning up kilowatts to chill a couple of cans of soda? Recycle it and pocket $30 from Sierra Pacific Power's Refrigerator Recycling program. The program is offered on a first come, first served basis to the utility's Nevada and California customers while funding lasts. 

To schedule your free pick up, call (877) 289-8260. The freezer or refrigerator must have a capacity of between 10 and 27 cubic feet, be empty at the time of pick up, and should have the electrical cord attached and be in working order.

Over 95 percent of the materials used to manufacture your old refrigerator will be recycled in an environmentally friendly manner that's approved by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. 

The program has been so successful that JACO Environmental , the company that recycles the refrigerators, has constructed a new, technologically advanced recycling facility in the Las Vegas area, said John Hargrove, project manager for energy efficiency and conservation at Sierra Pacific. It's one of only three such facilities in North America.

He said the program offers an environmentally friendly way to dispose of that old fridge that's sitting in the garage and guzzling electricity in order to cool down a few cans of soda.

Refrigerators and freezers that are at least 10 years old use two to three times more energy than newer, more efficient models, Hargrove said, adding that units built prior to 1985 cost $150 to $200 per year more to operate. He noted that customers who purchase highly efficient ENERGY STAR rated refrigerators may also quality for a $25 rebate offered through Sierra Pacific's Appliance Rebate program. 

In 2006, homeowners and small businesses in Nevada and California served by Sierra Pacific recycled 1,303 old refrigerators and freezers and received $39,090 in rebates, Hargrove said. JACO recovered 241,055 pounds of metal and 26,060 pounds of plastic from the appliances recycled last year.