What is The Great Refrigerator Roundup Program?

Cornerstone Hydro Electric Concepts (CHEC) Utilities, with support from the Ontario Power Authority, is making it simple for Ontarians to do their part to conserve energy. The Great Refrigerator Roundup is a program designed to remove older, inefficient fridges and freezers from the electricity system and fully decommission them in an environmentally friendly manner.

Generally, these older secondary fridges and freezers, located in basements or garages, are plugged in but rarely used. These older units typically use two to three times more electricity than new appliances.

How do I know if my appliance will qualify for the program?

Your refrigerator or freezer must be:

• Between 10-27 cubic feet
• Located in a single dwelling home, townhouse, duplex, triplex or four-plex
• In working condition at time of pick up (plug in 24 hours prior to pick up)
• 15 years of age or older

You may also include for pickup during the same appointment any old window air conditioners or dehumidifiers, they must be:

• In working order
• 10 years of age or older
• Window air conditioners must be removed from the window prior to pick up and placed near a power source.

When did the program start?

The program was rolled out across the province of Ontario June 18th, 2007. It is an ongoing program that will be available for the foreseeable future.

You can check the Ontario Power Authority’s website at http://www.everykilowattcounts.com or call 1-877-797-9473 for more information.

Why would I want to participate in this program?

Ø By having your old inefficient refrigerator or freezer removed from your home, you will be saving money by eliminating a major home electricity user.

Ø You will be helping the environment by reducing the impact of electricity generation and by having the fridge, freezer or window air conditioner decommissioned in an environmentally responsible way.

Ø There are no hassles, a professional contractor will remove the fridge/freezer or window air conditioner from your home and take it away for you for proper decommissioning.

I have an older fridge or freezer and I want to get rid of it immediately, what do I do?

Simply unplug the unit so that you are not consuming any additional electricity, book your appliance pick up time by calling 1-877-797-9473 and then wait for the pick up to occur.

How do I sign up?

You have several options:

1. You can book on-line by visiting the Ontario Power Authority’s website at (http://www.everykilowattcounts.com/). It will provide you with specific program launch dates in your area of the province and will allow you to sign up for a pick up time on line.

2. You may also book an appointment by calling the Ontario Power Authority’s Customer Contact Centre at 1-877-797-9473

What is being done with the appliances that are taken away?

The appliances are being decommissioned and dismantled so that the components can be recycled in an environmentally responsible way. Only a bare minimum of material will reach landfill sites. Particular attention is being paid to the chemicals used in fridges that are significant atmospheric pollutants and responsible for ozone depletion. These are being contained and destroyed.

What’s so bad about older fridges or freezers?

These technologies have changed tremendously over the past 20 years. A typical fridge built in 1986 uses 1,500 kWh, costing $180 per year while a new Energy Star® rated fridge will use approximately one third less energy.

Does it make sense to replace my older fridge or freezer with a new one?

It may, because newer fridges (Freezers or window air conditioners) cost so much less to operate than an older unit. For example, replacing a 20-year-old 18 cubic feet refrigerator with a new Energy Star® qualified refrigerator will result in an annual energy cost savings of about $130. At this rate, the savings will pay for the cost of the new refrigerator in 5 to 7 years.

If you’re planning to buy a new refrigerator or freezer please consider these Energy Efficiency Tips:

Choose the right size!

The larger the appliance the more electricity it will use so consider the number of people that will be using the appliance.

• One or two people – 340L or 12 cubic feet

• Three or four people – 395 to 480L or 14 to 17 cubic feet

Configuration Counts

Top freezer models are the most efficient, followed by bottom freezers, with side-by-side models being the least efficient.

Look for the ENERGY STAR®

ENERGY STAR® symbol is a simple way for you to identify products that are among the most energy-efficient on the market. Find out more about qualified ENERGY STAR® products at www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca/energystar.

Look for a low EnerGuide rating

The EnerGuide label is a tool to help you make an energy-wise choice when buying a new appliance. It shows how much energy appliances consume in a year of normal service. When shopping for a new appliance look for a low EnerGuide rating. Find out about EnerGuide at: www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca/energystar.

Refrigeration Tips:

• Don’t overfill the refrigerator – this blocks air circulation.
• A full freezer will perform better than an empty one.
• Clean your refrigerator’s coils (in the back) and air intake grill (below the doors) every 3 months.
• Allow hot foods to cool before putting them in the refrigerator.
• Keep refrigerators and freezers out of direct sunlight, and allow at least 5 cm all around the unit.