The Massachusetts State Energy-Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, commonly called Cash for Appliances, launched April 22 and ran out of rebates within two hours.

The mail-in rebate program was designed to help residents replace older appliances with new Energy Star qualified appliances.

Rebates were available on the following appliances:

• Dishwashers - $250
• Refrigerators - $200
• Clothes washers - $175
• Freezers - $50

Each Massachusetts household is eligible for one rebate per product category, for a total of up to four rebates.

The state is requiring that all older appliances be recycled. For refrigerators and freezers, residents must purchase the appliances at participating retailers that will recycle them and provide proof of recycling for consumers to submit in order to get the rebate.

The program is one of 56 State Energy-Efficient Appliance Rebate Programs, popularly known as Cash for Appliances, that are being set up in the United States and six U.S. territories with the help of federal stimulus money.

Massachusetts received about $6.2 million of the nearly $300 million available nationwide for the program from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

For more information on Cash for Appliances, visit the Mass Save Web site.