New article: Earth Day: Pledge to dispose of your old appliances the right way read more at here http://www.spinonews.com/index.php/technology/item/3350-earth-day-pledge-to-dispose-of-your-old-appliances-the-right-way

It’s a law of nature that nothing is going to sustain forever, even our appliances. May be some may last 10, 15, 20 years but ultimately it will give out or maybe you want to go for a change or upgrade. Whatever the case, you own some responsibility towards nature and environment and need to go for a proper disposal of your old appliance

Trade or Recycle It

The best and the most convenient way these days is to swap your old stuff through your supplier. Many retailers like Lowe’s, Home Depot, Sears or Best Buy etc. offer you to take away your old appliances when they deliver you the new one, usually at no extra cost. For some types of appliances they'll use a third party to recycle it, especially for items containing refrigerants.

But even if you are not buying any new appliance, retailers offer a take away service for a charge. Recycling of old appliances is the best option to gain environmental benefits.

Turn It in to Your Utility Company

Another option is to turn in your old appliances for new through your utility company. Many utility companies run incentive programs like cash rebates or utility account credits to encourage. They generally recycle or sell those appliances themselves. 

Trash It

Many a times, depending upon the area you live in, it may be left on sidewalk for trash collection, but you may have to schedule an appointment and pay a fee for this.

Hazards

Most of the appliances contain some or the other hazardous material like fridges or freezers sold before 1995 contained CFC gases and air conditioners and dehumidifiers contained HCFC. These chemicals deplete the ozone layer, contributing to global warming. The foam on fridges made before 2005 also contained these chemicals, and the fridge circuits and oil can also be contaminated.

Mercury is another hazardous component, though it is a safety component for appliances but it poses a threat to ground water which is bad for environment.

 

Older appliances used to have PCB in their circuits which were banned by the EPA in 1979. If your appliances were made before 1979, avoid handling any internal components, as PCBs have been linked to cancer and other health problems in both humans and animals.