Manitoba Hydro’s Power Smart Refrigerator Retirement Program recently saw the 30,000th refrigerator head for retirement and recycling with the collection of a 17-cubic foot Viking refrigerator relinquished by Art and Helen Metz of Winnipeg.
Since the launch of the program in 2011, 30,000 fridges and 7,500 freezers have been retired. The removal of these appliances from the electrical grid has resulted in savings to the province of approximately 50 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity. To put this in perspective, 50 GWh is equivalent to the electricity required to power a town the size of Stonewall for one year.
“Today’s milestone is proof that Manitobans want to be a part of the solution when it comes to energy conservation,” said Drew Caldwell, Minister of Energy for the provincial government. “Power Smart helps customers reduce their energy bills through the wise use of both electricity and natural gas, and the Retire My Fridge program is just one of the many programs that Manitoba Hydro offers to help customers reduce their consumption.”
“The pick-up of our 30,000th fridge is quite an accomplishment. Customer participation in the Refrigerator Retirement Program has repeatedly exceeded our expectations,” said Lloyd Kuczek, Vice-President of Customer Care and Energy Conservation for Manitoba Hydro. “As a result, we were able to increase the incentive from the original $40 offering when it was launched to $50 and extend the program to 2017.”
“Customers with qualifying appliances can have up to three units removed from their home at no charge. We also offer more than curbside pick-up – we’ll move the appliances right out of your basement or garage. Depending on the units retired, you can save up to $100 per year on your residential energy bill.” added Kuczek.
The benefits go beyond reducing the province’s energy consumption. The retirement and subsequent recycling of these appliances has also diverted approximately 3,000 tonnes of metal, plastic and glass from Manitoba’s landfills. To put it in perspective, 3,000 tonnes is the equivalent of approximately 188 full-size school buses or 540 elephants.
“Although fridges and freezers must be in working condition to be eligible for the program, we list options on our website for homeowners who want to dispose of non-working appliances responsibly,” said Kuczek.
Manitoba Hydro has partnered with Jaco EcoSolutions Inc. (JES) to operate the “Retire Your Fridge” program, creating about 20 new green-collar jobs in Manitoba. JES staff pick up the fridges and freezers and take them to their recycling facility in Winnipeg, where refrigerants and lubricating oils are safely removed for disposal, and the units are dismantled. The various metals and insulating materials are separated, then shipped to specialized recyclers for further processing.
Customers can book appointments to retire their fridge or freezer by visiting retiremyfridge.ca or by calling 1-855-5FRIDGE.
