Since 2009, DTE’s Appliance Recycling program has provided customers with an easy, no-cost solution to lower their home energy use and help the environment at the same time by recycling customers’ old appliances. This Earth Month, we hosted our first drop-off event of the season, collecting 971 appliances to be recycled responsibly through DTE and Goodwill’s Green Works. These in-person events allow our electric and combo customers to drop off large appliances, such as refrigerators and freezers, to receive an increased rebate of $100. Customers can also drop off small appliances, such as a small fridge, air conditioner, or dehumidifier, to receive an additional $30. The events are an extension of the in-home pick-up program. At drop-off events, customers are able to recycle additional appliances and receive higher rebates.
By recycling old appliances, we can keep the appliances out of landfills and reduce our carbon footprint. Experts estimate that all recycling between 2020 and 2050 could reduce emissions by 6.02 gigatons of carbon dioxide – the equivalent of removing more than one billion cars off the street for one year.
Once collected, the appliances are dismantled and recycled in an environmentally responsible manner through our partner, Goodwill’s Greenworks. Located in Detroit, Goodwill’s Greenworks is Michigan’s largest industrial recycling facility, breaking down nearly 70,000 appliances each year. Using the raw material marketplace, the facility breaks down materials including household appliances, cable wiring, oil filters, etc. and distributes them for reuse. Goodwill’s Greenworks uses ‘clean room’ processing, a controlled parameter for the use of approved materials and specifically designed equipment to help break down and process these environmentally sensitive materials.
Our Appliance Recycling program has recycled nearly 472,000 appliances since its launch, saving customers more than 428,575 MWh, the equivalent of more than 39,000 homes’ energy use for one year. To schedule an appliance recycling home pick-up or learn more about our upcoming drop-off events, visit dteeenrgy.com/recycle or call 866-796-0512. To learn about all our residential energy efficiency programs, visit dteenergy.com/saveenergy.