Swing into Spring Cleaning with Cash Reward for Recycling Energy Guzzling Second Refrigerators

NEW YORK STATE (04/09/2012)(readMedia)-- Want to spruce up your basement or garage? Why not eliminate that second fridge or freezer that's taking up space and wasting energy? National Grid not only makes it simple, they pay customers who choose to get rid of the extra appliances.

National Grid pays a $30 reward for having old, energy-guzzling refrigerators and freezers picked up for recycling. The haul away service is provided for free, and customers who take part in the program can save as much as $150 a year in future energy costs.

Typically, the units are kept as extra cold storage in garages or basements. But what many people don't realize is that older refrigerators and freezers require as much as four times more electricity to run than newer models built to higher energy efficiency standards.

"The National Grid appliance recycling program benefits customers and our community. Our customers not only save money and energy, but help the environment by preserving natural resources," said National Grid Energy Efficiency Manager Jim Stapleton.

To schedule a free pickup with National Grid, customers can call 1-877-691-0021, or visit https://www1.nationalgridus.com/FridgeRecycleUNY-NY-RES. Customers will receive a check for $30 within four to six weeks after the collection of the appliance.

Refrigerators and freezers to be recycled must be in working order with an inside measurement of 10 cubic feet or more.

National appliance recycler JACO Environmental transports old refrigerators and freezers to a de-manufacturing facility where toxins, such as mercury and oils that poison the environment, are safely removed from the units. During the process JACO converts 95 percent of each appliance into recyclable metals, glass and plastics. Foam insulation is safely incinerated to generate electricity, returning back to the grid some of the energy the old appliances wasted over the years.

Since 2001, federal standards require new refrigerators and freezers to consume much less energy. Current models use about 450 kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually compared to older units that can use, on average, 1,500 kWh per year.

The refrigerator buy-back program is funded through the New York State Public Service Commission's Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard collected through New York State utility bills.

National Grid (LSE: NG; NYSE:NGG) is an electricity and gas company that connects consumers to energy sources through its networks. The company is at the heart of one of the greatest challenges facing our society - to create new, sustainable energy solutions for the future and developing an energy system that underpins economic prosperity in the 21st century. National Grid holds a vital position at the center of the energy system and it 'joins everything up'.

In the northeast US, we connect more than seven million gas and electric customers to vital energy sources, essential for our modern lifestyles. In Great Britain, we run the gas and electricity systems that our society is built on, delivering gas and electricity across the country.

National Grid delivers electricity to approximately 3.3 million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island. It manages the electricity network on Long Island under an agreement with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), and owns over 4,000 megawatts of contracted electricity generation, providing power to over one million LIPA customers. It is the largest distributor of natural gas in northeastern U.S., serving approximately 3.4 million customers in New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.

For more information please visit our website: www.nationalgridus.com

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