Some students in Scranton showed Newswatch 16 how they can put those old appliances to good use.

SCRANTON, Pa. — An old saying is ringing true this weekend at Johnson College in Scranton: one man’s trash is another’s treasure, as people by the dozen dropped off old air conditioners and refrigerators. 

Turns out the junk many have had lying around is a great learning tool for the school’s HVAC students.

“It’s helpful for the community and for us,” said Sean Boddhard, Waymart.

This is Johnson’s 2nd annual refrigerant recycling event, and many of the appliances are older than the student working on them.

Logan Nichols is a senior at Johnson College and at Lakeland High School. “Here at Johnson, they have the fast track program, and it allows me to be in high school and come here so I graduate from college before I graduate from high school,” said Nichols.

The students take apart the donated items and safely remove harmful chemicals.

“Right now, I’m hooking up saddle valves to access the system and pulling all the refrigerant out,” said Bosshard.

It’s a skill they have to learn to graduate from the HVAC program.

“It’s a license requirement; no HVAC technician can work on any air conditioning or refrigeration equipment without the EPA 608 certification. And that is 100% regulating the use, install and pulling out of all different types of refrigerants,” said Walter Wood, HVAC Program Director.

It also benefits the environment, the HVAC technicians here say these kinds of appliances should not be thrown out. 

“A lot of refrigerant leaked can cause issues with the atmosphere and things like that. So, what we’re doing is recovering it and making sure it doesn’t end up in the environment,” said Wood.

That’s a lesson anyone can learn, but it is especially valuable to these students. 

“It’s very interesting to learn how everything works, why we’re containing it and disposing of it, why we’re not letting it get back into the environment,” said Nichols.