EXHIBIT 99


[LOGO]       APPLIANCE RECYCLING CENTERS OF AMERICA, INC.
                   7400 EXCELSIOR BOULEVARD, MINNEAPOLIS MN 55426 (952) 930-9000


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                     Edward R. (Jack) Cameron (952) 930-9000
                                     Richard G. Cinquina, Equity Market Partners
                                     (612) 338-0810

                          ARCA JOINS MARTA COOPERATIVE

APRIL 10, 2002--MINNEAPOLIS, MN--Appliance Recycling Centers of America, Inc.
(OTC BB: ARCI) today announced that its ApplianceSmart operation has joined the
MARTA Cooperative, a national purchasing cooperative serving 110 household
appliance retailers.

Edward R. (Jack) Cameron, president and chief executive officer, said, "MARTA's
national buying power will enable ApplianceSmart to get the best pricing on new
appliances within all of the lines we currently carry, including Maytag,
Whirlpool and Frigidaire. Although our core business involves special-buy
appliances, ApplianceSmart carries a limited number of new appliances to round
out our consumer offerings and to balance our inventory. We believe membership
in MARTA is the best way to optimize the profitability of this segment of
ApplianceSmart's business."


About ARCA

Through its ApplianceSmart (www.ApplianceSmart.com) operation, ARCA is one of
the nation's leading retailers of special-buy household appliances, primarily
those manufactured by Whirlpool Corporation. These special-buy appliances, which
include close-outs, factory overruns and scratch-and-dent units, typically are
not integrated into the manufacturer's normal distribution channel.
ApplianceSmart sells these virtually new appliances at a discount to full
retail, offers a 100% money-back guarantee and provides warranties on parts and
labor. As of April 2002, ApplianceSmart was operating 10 factory outlets: four
in the Minneapolis/St. Paul market; three in Columbus, Ohio, market; two in the
Dayton, Ohio, market; and one in Los Angeles. ARCA is also one of the largest
recyclers of major household appliances for the energy conservation programs of
electric utilities.

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Visit our web site at www.arcainc.com.