Frequently Asked Questions
What is the The Great Refrigerator Roundup Program?
Burlington Hydro, with support from the Ontario Power Authority, is making it simple for Ontarians to do their part to conserve energy and ease the strain on the electricity system by designing a program that offers to pick up older refrigerators and freezers as well as window air conditioners and small bar fridges from residents of Ontario, and fully decommission them in an environmentally friendly manner.
The Great Refrigerator Roundup is a program designed to remove older, inefficient fridges and freezers from the electricity system. 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.
Why would I want to participate in this program?
There are many great reasons to participate in this program.
By having your old inefficient refrigerator or freezer removed from your
home, you will:
- save between $120-$150 per year on your electricity bill by eliminating
a major home electricity user.
- 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.
- be free of hassles – a professional contractor will remove
the fridge/freezer, window air conditioner and/or dehumidifier from
your home and take it away for you for proper decommissioning.
- help ensure that old appliances are not resold and put back into
the market wasting more energy.
I have an older fridge, freezer or window air conditioner and I want to get rid of it immediately, what do I do?
I would like to suggest to you that you 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. By doing this, you will ensure that your appliance is
taken away and decommissioned in the most environmentally friendly way
possible.
How do I know if my appliance qualifies?
To qualify, you must have at least one appliance as shown in the “primary
appliance” category below:
A primary appliance is defined as a full-size refrigerator or freezer
that is:
- save between $120-$150 per year on your electricity bill by eliminating
a major home electricity user.
- in working condition at the time of pickup.
- 15 years or older.
- located in a single-dwelling home, a townhouse or a duplex, triplex
or four-plex building.
*Note: Ammonia-based refrigerators are not eligible for pick up
If you have at least one “primary appliance,” then we will
also pick up any other appliances shown on the secondary appliance list
at the same time.
A secondary appliance is defined as a window air conditioner or dehumidifier
and must be:
- in working condition at the time of pick up.
- 10 years or older.
- window air conditioners must be removed from the window prior to
pick up and located near a power source.
Your refrigerator or freezer must be 15 years or older, it must be
located in a single dwelling home, a townhouse or a duplex, triplex
or four-plex building. It must be in working condition at the time
of pickup, and must be between 10 and 27 cubic feet.
You may also include for pick up during the same appointment, any
old window air conditioners, room dehumidifiers and/or a smaller sized
refrigerator or freezer that is smaller than 10 cubic feet, and in
working condition
While customers will be required to provide this information at the
time of scheduling a an appointment, the pick up service providers
will be required to verify that the eligibility requirements have been
met.
How do I sign up?
Visit the Ontario Power Authority’s website at www.everykilowattcounts.com and it will provide you with more information pertaining to launch dates as they become available in your area. You have several options:
- You can book on-line by visiting the Ontario Power Authority’s website at (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
- You may also book an appointment by calling the Ontario Power Authority’s Customer Contact Centre at 1-877-797-9473
Why are multi-residential buildings not included in the program?
For this program,
only refrigerators, freezers, window air conditioners, or room dehumidifiers
located in single dwelling homes, townhouses, or smaller multi-plexes
are eligible. Ownership
and removal issues in larger buildings prevent us from picking them
up at this time.
What’s
so bad about older fridges, freezers, window air conditioners or
room dehumidifiers?
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, freezer, window air conditioner
or room dehumidifier with a new one?
It may, because newer
fridges (Freezers, window air conditioners, or room dehumidifiers)
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.
What
incentive is being provided to remove the older fridge, freezer,
air conditioner and room dehumidifier?
We are pleased to be offering this program to residents since it provides free pick up by staff who will remove it from your home, environmentally safe disposal of the CFCs and electricity savings for you of about $150 by removing that old refrigerator. To hire someone to take it out of your home and dispose of it can cost up to $90 and if you were to remove this fridge yourself and place it on the curb, and there is frequently a charge of about $30 from the municipality.
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.
Why is this initiative happening?
Ontario’s electricity use is growing. Population growth and increases in use of electrical devices will cause increasing demand. This demand can be met by building more generating stations, but that is expensive and has environmental implications. An alternative way to allow for growth is to help Ontarians use electricity as efficiently as possible; using only the electricity they need and, where possible, avoiding using it at times when the peak demand for electricity is highest. This saves Ontarians money and reduces impact on the environment.
What is the Ontario Power Authority?
This is an organization set up by the Ontario provincial government to Plan the Ontario Power System, Develop Generation, Develop the Electricity Sector and encourage electricity conservation.
Terms and Conditions
Primary appliance: Full-sized refrigerators and full-sized freezers must
be:
- between 10-27 cubic feet.
- in working condition (plugged in 24 hrs prior to pick up).
- 15 years of age or older.
Secondary appliance: Window air conditioners and room dehumidifiers must
be:
- in working condition.
- 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.
