AEP Ohio’s Refrigerator Recycling program offers $60 until August 31

GAHANNA, Ohio, Aug. 18, 2014 — Parents about to become empty nesters with a son or daughter leaving for college can save and make money by parting ways with an extra refrigerator or freezer. AEP Ohio makes it easy and rewarding to responsibly dispose of these now unnecessary appliances through its refrigerator recycling program.

Older refrigerators and freezers often end up in garages or basements after being replaced by newer models in the kitchen. Older appliances can use up to three times more energy than most people realize. For example, refrigerators and freezers manufactured before 1990 can use three times more electricity than newer models.

AEP Ohio’s Appliance Recycling program allows Ohio customers to schedule a free pickup at their own convenience and receive $60 for each appliance limited to two appliances. After August 31, the incentive value will be $50.

Customers can recycle two refrigerators or freezers and two room air conditioning units per household.  Refrigerators and freezers being picked up must be plugged in and working when the collection crew arrives and must have an inside dimension of 10 to 30 cubic feet.  Most standard size refrigerators and freezers meet this size requirement.

AEP Ohio works with JACO Environmental, which takes the appliance apart and recycles the pieces through a process that turns 95 percent of each unit into repurposed raw materials for new products. The appliance recycling process also safely extracts toxic substances such as mercury, oils and foam insulation to ensure they don’t become environmental hazards.  This prevents the release of ozone-depleting substances and of powerful greenhouse gases contained in the cooling circuits and foam insulation.

To schedule a free pickup call 877.545.4112 or visit AEPOhio.com/WasteLess. Information is also available at many appliance retailers. No purchase is necessary to participate in the appliance recycling program.                                       

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AEP Ohio provides electricity to nearly 1.5 million customers of major AEP subsidiary Ohio Power Company in Ohio. AEP Ohio is based in Gahanna, Ohio, and is a unit of American Electric Power. News and information about AEP Ohio can be found at AEPOhio.com.

American Electric Power is one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, delivering electricity to more than 5 million customers in 11 states. AEP ranks among the nation’s largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 38,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S. AEP also owns the nation’s largest electricity transmission system, a more than 40,000-mile network that includes more 765-kilovolt extra-high voltage transmission lines than all other U.S. transmission systems combined. AEP’s transmission system directly or indirectly serves about 10 percent of the electricity demand in the Eastern Interconnection, the interconnected transmission system that covers 38 eastern and central U.S. states and eastern Canada, and approximately 11 percent of the electricity demand in ERCOT, the transmission system that covers much of Texas. AEP’s utility units operate as AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana and east and north Texas). AEP’s headquarters are in Columbus, Ohio. News releases and other information about AEP can be found at AEP.com

MEDIA CONTACT:
AEP Ohio                                                                                                                                     
Fay White
1-866-641-1151 or 614-883-7999
aepohiomediarelations@aep.com