ApplianceSmart®, a Long-Standing ENERGY STAR® Partner, Reaches Milestone as EPA Responsible Appliance Disposal Program Member

MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- ApplianceSmart, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of local Minnesota-based Appliance Recycling Centers of America, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARCI), today announced that the company held a milestone event with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) Program and ENERGY STAR® at its new Eden Prairie retail store in Minnesota on Monday, October 22, 2012.  ApplianceSmart's voluntary participation and status as the first independent retailer in the nation to become a RAD partner exemplifies the company's commitment to providing unrivaled, environmentally conscious service options to customers while lessening the negative impact of appliance disposal on the environment.

Through the program, ApplianceSmart properly recovers ozone-depleting chemicals from old refrigerators, freezers, window air conditioners and dehumidifiers through its free haul-away and recycling services. ApplianceSmart also offers free curbside collection of appliances[1], no purchase necessary, in select Georgia, Ohio and Minnesota locations, furthering its commitment to minimizing the number of appliances that enter landfills and to the RAD program. Local residents may also drop off appliances year-round at ApplianceSmart's twenty locations for proper recycling.

"Through our parent company, ARCA, we have been at the forefront of the appliance industry and have over 36 years of experience in providing innovative, environmentally-sound recycling services through each aspect of our operations," said Bradley Bremer, President of ApplianceSmart, Inc. "Not only do we properly recover ozone-depleting substances, but we use state-of-the art processing equipment that increases the purity of byproducts and decreases the quantity of other materials that generally go to landfills. We seek to offer our customers not only the most affordable appliances, but also unrivaled service options that impact the entire community."

During ApplianceSmart's time as a RAD partner, recycling efforts have avoided emissions of 21,000 pounds of substances that harm the ozone layer and about 32,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. In terms of avoided greenhouse gas emissions, ApplianceSmart has achieved the same climate benefit as keeping more than 6,300 cars off the road annually.  ApplianceSmart has recycled thousands of appliances, keeping nearly 3 million pounds of recyclable materials out of a landfill.

Melissa Fiffer, RAD Program Manager from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency office in Washington, D.C., spoke on behalf of the RAD program. "Retail partners like ApplianceSmart demonstrate a strong commitment to protecting the environment, from their recycling efforts behind the scenes to the educational opportunities they provide their customers," stated Fiffer.

Also in attendance was Rosemarie Stephens-Booker, program manager for ENERGY STAR® Appliances at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency office in Washington, D.C.  Ms. Stephens-Booker spoke of ApplianceSmart's exemplary support of the Energy Star brand, which allows customers to benefit from affordable, efficient, environmentally-conscious products in each of the twenty company-owned stores.

ApplianceSmart and speakers from the event will be in attendance at the ENERGY STAR® Product Partner's Meeting in St. Paul on October 23 and 24, 2012.

About ApplianceSmart, Inc.

Through its ApplianceSmart, Inc. operation, ARCA is one of the nation's leading retailers of special-buy household appliances, primarily those manufactured by Bosch, Electrolux, General Electric, Whirlpool and Samsung. These special-buy appliances, which include close-outs, factory overruns, discontinued and hard-to-find models, typically are not integrated into the manufacturer's normal distribution channel. ApplianceSmart sells these new appliances at a discount to full retail, offers a 100% money-back guarantee and provides warranties on parts and labor. ApplianceSmart is a proud ENERGY STAR® partner and is the first independent retailer in the nation to voluntarily become a member of the EPA's RAD Program. ApplianceSmart currently operates 20 stores: seven in the Minneapolis/St. Paul market; one in the Rochester, Minn., market; one in the St. Cloud, Minn., market; four in the Columbus, Ohio, market; five in the Atlanta market; and two in San Antonio, Texas. 

About RAD

EPA's Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) Program is a voluntary partnership that began in October 2006 to help protect the ozone layer and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Partners recover ozone-depleting chemicals from old refrigerators, freezers, window air conditioners, and dehumidifiers. In 2011, RAD partners properly disposed of nearly 900,000 appliances, helping to prevent emissions of 2.4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent and about 950,000 pounds of ozone-depleting substances. Partners also prevented the release of hazardous materials, and saved landfill space and energy by recycling durable materials. The partnership has 49 partners nationwide including utilities, manufacturers and retailers, as well as state affiliates. More information on the RAD Program is available at http://www.epa.gov/rad.

About ENERGY STAR®

Launched in 1992 by EPA, ENERGY STAR is a market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the ENERGY STAR program. Over the past 20 years, with the help of ENERGY STAR, American families and businesses have saved about $230 billion on utility bills and prevented more than 1.7 billion metric tons of carbon pollution. To date, more than 1.3 million new homes and nearly 18,500 buildings across all 50 states have earned EPA's ENERGY STAR certification. The ENERGY STAR label can be found on more than 65 different kinds of products with more than 5 billion sold over the last 20 years. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT APPLIANCESMART PLEASE CONTACT: Bradley Bremer, President - (952) 930-9000

FOR RECYCLING FOOTAGE OR MEDIA INQUIRES PLEASE CONTACT TIFFANY OLSON, MARKETING AND ADVERTISING MANAGER - (952) 930-1754

[1] In-home collection is available for a fee, see store for details. Texas locations currently offer free haul-away and recycling only with an appliance purchase.

SOURCE ApplianceSmart, Inc.