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1. Background and Basis of Presentation | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 29, 2018
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] |
Background and Basis of Presentation | Note 1: Background and Basis of Presentation The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Appliance Recycling Centers of America, Inc., a Nevada corporation, and its subsidiaries (collectively the “Company” or “ARCA”). The Company has two operating segments for fiscal year 2018 – Recycling and Technology, and the Company had three operating segments for fiscal year 2017 – Retail, Recycling and Technology. ARCA is in the business of providing turnkey appliance recycling and replacement services for electric utilities and other sponsors of energy efficiency programs. Through our GeoTraq Inc. (“GeoTraq”) subsidiary, we are engaged in the development, design and, ultimately, we expect the sale of cellular transceiver modules, also known as Mobile IoT modules. ARCA’s Recycling segment is comprised of three entities, ARCA Recycling Inc., ARCA Canada Inc., and Customer Connexx, LLC. ARCA Recycling, Inc., a California corporation, is a wholly owned subsidiary that was formed in November 1991 to provide turnkey recycling services for electric utility efficiency programs. ARCA Canada Inc., a Canadian corporation, is a wholly owned subsidiary that was formed in September 2006 to provide turnkey recycling services for electric utility energy efficiency programs. Customer Connexx, LLC, a Nevada limited liability company, is a wholly owned subsidiary formed in October 2016 to provide call center services for electric utility programs. On August 15, 2017, we sold our 50% interest in a joint venture operating under the name ARCA Advanced Processing, LLC (AAP”), which recycles appliances from twelve states in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. AAP was a joint venture that was formed in October 2009 between ARCA and 4301 Operations, LLC (“4301”). Both ARCA and 4301 had a 50% interest in AAP. AAP established a regional processing center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at which the recyclable appliances were processed. AAP commenced operations in February 2010. The financial position and results of operations of AAP had been consolidated in our financial statements since AAP was formed in October 2009 through August 15, 2017, based on our conclusion that AAP was a variable interest entity due to our contribution in excess of 50% of the total equity, subordinated debt and other forms of financial support. We had a controlling financial interest in AAP during the period of October 2009 through August 15, 2017, whereby we provided substantially all of the financial support to fund the operations of AAP. On December 30, 2017, we sold our 100% interest in ApplianceSmart, Inc. ApplianceSmart, Inc., a Minnesota corporation, was a wholly owned subsidiary that was formed through a corporate reorganization in July 2011 to hold our retail business of selling new major household appliances through a chain of Company-owned retail stores under the name ApplianceSmart®. We report on a 52- or 53-week fiscal year. Our 2018 fiscal year (“2018”) ended on December 29, 2018, and our fiscal year (“2017”) ended on December 30, 2017, each fiscal year 52 weeks in length.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for organization, consolidation and basis of presentation of financial statements disclosure. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2122149 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2197479 + Details
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