How do we keep our food fresh?

Using your fridge tends to be something people quickly glance over, so carefully researching options and comparing refrigerators is not necessarily what firms expect consumers to do. Sustainability in the fridge world is therefore actually driven by the companies that produce the appliances meeting standards, rather than explicit consumer demand for more efficient ways to keep food fresh.

Approximately nine million refrigerators are disposed of annually in the U.S., and only a fraction has the insulating foam in their walls and doors recycled. While 90 percent of used refrigerators in the U.S. are shredded for their metal, the remaining foam and other materials are typically crushed — releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere — and sent to a landfill.

In the regular consumption process, companies and consumers often only consider the first five steps: recognition of need or want, information search, evaluation of alternatives, purchase and usage. The last step however, post-use, was previously not considered. With consumers being bombarded with messaging such as “newer is better”, there is more onus on producers to extend responsibility of disposing their products.

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What comes to mind is GE Appliances and their product recycling initiative for clean air and water called RAD: Responsible Appliance Disposal. As the first and only appliance manufacturer to address this situation, GE uses the RAD Way for refrigerators that includes four processes. Fridges are picked-up and sent to an Appliance Recycling Centers of America. Refrigerants and recoverable components are removed which will reduce 85% of refrigerator landfill waste. The greenhouse gases from the foam are captured in a sealed system. Approximately 95% of the insulating foam is recovered, compressed and can be used as fuel. Finally the remaining metals, compressed foam pellets, and plastics are separated for recycling.

With companies and consumers becoming more aware of their products’ life cycles, energy-efficiency and sustainable sourcing are more important during product selection. For LOHAS, Conventionals, and Drifters, sustainable choices such as GE and Energy Star certified products make sense. Of course, there have been allegations against the credibility of Energy Star as merely a greenwashing tool for companies. And with so many options touting sustainability, it is harder for the everyday consumer to make a safe choice, let alone a truly green one.