Appliance recycler announces abrupt closure of facilities

By Paul Ploumis (ScrapMonster Author)
December 02, 2015 03:41:50 AM
Nationwide appliance recycler Jaco Environmental has announced abrupt closure of its recycling facilities.Appliance recycler announces abrupt closure of facilities
SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Nationwide appliance recycler Jaco Environmental has announced abrupt closure of its recycling facilities. According to newspaper reports, financial burden is cited as the reason for the decision. The surprise decision has impeded fridge-recycling programs across the nation.

Last week, the company laid off 154 employees at its Bothell headquarters and Everett recycling facility. According to a receivership petition filed by the company in King County Superior Court, the company had stated that it doesn’t have adequate resources to fund its operation. A communication from the company on Nov 23rd had confirmed that it has ceased operating with immediate effect. It was further informed that the company is unable to schedule any new appliance pickups or complete the pickups that were previously scheduled.

The decision came as a surprise to many of the utilities that were associated with the company. Some utilities including Seattle City Light have suspended their refrigerator-recycling programs and have started looking for new contractors to run the recycling program. The utility stated that it is unsure as to when an alternative solution could be launched, but noted that all efforts are on to rope in a new contractor so that its customers are not impacted.

Reports also indicate that Jaco has closed the bank account that was used to provide consumers with rebate checks for their old appliances.

Started over twenty years ago in Snohomish County, north of Seattle, Washington, JACO Environmental has grown to become one of the largest recyclers of
household appliances in the United States. Jaco works with public utilities in 28 states to handle their household-appliance recycling programs, picking up old fridges and freezers, then mailing customers rebate checks.