Mililani Man Wins Conservation Award
Sometimes innovation is simply a matter of finding new ways to tackle old problems.
Allen Evans did just that, and for his efforts the Mililani resident became the first recipient of the Hawaii Energy Conservation Award. The award is given to individuals or organizations that have shown leadership and innovation in energy conservation that make a positive impact on the state.
“Our inaugural Hawaii Energy Conservation Award has gone to a true hero,” stated Ray Starling, Hawaii Energy program manager. “Allen developed a recycling service, the first of its kind in Hawaii, which breaks refrigeration devices down to the bare components including oil, scrap metals, refrigerant and other containments. Prior to Allen’s service, older refrigerators and freezers in Hawaii were either disposed of improperly or sent to the garage or lanai to continue draining electricity.”
Evans, the president of Refrigerant Recycling Inc., a Kapolei-based company, helped Hawaii Energy create and fine-tune its recycling channels for the “Trade-up for Cool Cash” offer. The success of the program led to the residential “Bounty” offer last year.
The Trade-Up offer is available to electric utility customers who receive a $125 rebate when they purchase a new ENERGY STAR refrigerator and recycle their old, working one.The goal of the Bounty program is to eliminate a homeowner’s secondary old, inefficient-but-working appliance.
Oahu households that participate in the program get $25 for turning in their old refrigerators and freezers. Refrigerant Recycling will pick up and recycle the old appliances at no cost to the owner.
To date, the Bounty and Trade-Up programs have recycled approximately 9,500 refrigerators and freezers while netting 300 tons of metals, 8,300 pounds of refrigerant and 9,500 quarts of oil.
