PARKERSBURG - Residents and other victims of the May 25 tornado can only estimate how much cleanup and rebuilding will cost when it's all said and done.

John Fellmer, owner of Fellmer Motors Inc. of Cedar Falls, said he realizes not only the costs of removing appliances but also the dangers the hazardous materials used to operate the appliances can cause. Therefore, he said, Fellmer Motors is donating its services, including trucks and employees, to load and haul the appliances to his recycling center.

"We've seen everything from microwaves to water heaters to furnaces to air conditioners to dehumidifiers to refrigerators," he said. "This is overwhelming to us, because there's hundreds of appliances over there (Parkersburg)," Fellmer said. "We can't process them as fast as they're coming in. We'll have to start stockpiling. Right now, we're trying to get everything cleaned up and out of Parkersburg."

Fellmer said a similar offer is available to residents of New Hartford.

"We're telling New Hartford and Parkersburg that they have 60 days (until late July), where we won't charge for picking up or disposing of the appliances," Fellmer said.

The family-owned and operated recycling center started in 1972. Since then, is has expanded from an import-only to a full-line salvage yard. The expansion includes buying and hauling scrap metals. The demanufacturing of the appliances, as in the case in Parkersburg and New Hartford, includes picking them up in the towns, hauling them to the company's 20-acre yard, removing the hazardous materials and parts like freon; polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) capacitors; mercury switch covers and film couplers, and fluorescent products. After the demanufacturing, the appliances - in any condition - are placed into a large baler, the size of a flatbed semi trailer. Fellmer said the 10-12 appliances that create one bale weigh 1,500-1800 pounds. The scrap metal materials then are hauled to Alter Metal Recycling on Airline Highway.

"We have some recovery of our expenses," Fellmer said of the company's work. "We are paid for scrap metal, but we have to pay to dispose of the hazardous materials."

As of Friday morning, Fellmer said there were about 300 appliances to pick up in Parkersburg. However, that number was expected to grow, as others were still being found among the piles of destruction in both Parkersburg and New Hartford. Fellmer said he was pleased that at least 75 percent of the appliances get disposed of properly. However, he said he was "disheartened" by the people who were scrounging for valuables.

"They were looking for anything good, and they really weren't helping the people of Parkersburg," he said. But overall, he said the clean-up crews and volunteers had been cooperative and helpful.

"People in the Midwest here we gotta be pretty proud of," he said.

Contact Bethany Pint at (319) 291-1587 or bethany.pint@wcfcourier.com.