Fridge and freezer disposal

Old fridge, freezer or American fridge freezer collected and taken to an approved treatment facility for gas and foam recovery. Typical UK prices.

In short: Fridge and freezer disposal means collecting an old cooling appliance and taking it to an approved treatment facility, where the refrigerant gas and insulation foam are captured before the cabinet is recycled. It suits anyone replacing, clearing or abandoning a fridge, freezer or fridge freezer. In the UK a private collection usually costs £40 to £90 per unit.

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Fridges and freezers are the one household appliance that cannot simply be scrapped. The cooling circuit holds refrigerant gas, and the foam in the walls was blown with gases that, in units made before the mid-1990s, include CFCs that damage the ozone layer. Newer models use isobutane, which is flammable. Either way, the unit is classed as hazardous waste and has to be treated in a sealed plant that recovers the gas and foam before anything is shredded.

We collect under-counter fridges, tall fridge freezers, American-style units with water dispensers, chest freezers and drinks fridges. Two people handle anything tall or heavy, the unit is kept upright and the doors taped shut, and it goes to a facility set up to deal with refrigeration equipment. You get a waste transfer note naming where it went, which is your proof that it was disposed of legally.

What is included

Collection from the kitchen, utility room, garage or outbuilding, not just the kerb
Two-person lift for tall, American-style and chest units
Unit kept upright and doors secured to protect the cooling circuit in transit
Disconnection of the water supply on plumbed-in American fridge freezers where an isolating valve is fitted
Delivery to an approved treatment facility for refrigerant and foam recovery
Floor and doorframe protection on the way out
Waste transfer note for your records

Who it is for

Anyone whose new fridge is being delivered without a retailer take-back
Garage or chest freezers that have stopped working
Landlords replacing a failed fridge freezer in a rental property
Kitchen refits where the old integrated fridge is being pulled out
Executors clearing a property after a bereavement
Pubs, cafés and offices getting rid of drinks or under-counter fridges

How much does it cost?

As a guide, a private collection of an under-counter fridge or freezer usually costs £40 to £70, and a tall or American-style fridge freezer £50 to £90, depending on access and location. See our full cost guide.

How it works

Defrost ahead

Switch the unit off at least 24 hours before collection, leave the doors open and mop up the meltwater so nothing leaks on the floors.

Check the water supply

If it is an American-style unit with an ice maker or water dispenser, make sure the isolating valve on the supply pipe can be turned off.

Careful carry-out

The unit is emptied, taped shut and moved upright on a sack truck or by hand, with doors and stair walls protected.

Specialist treatment

It goes to a facility that extracts the gas and processes the foam under controlled conditions, then recovers the steel, copper, aluminium and plastic.

Fridge and freezer disposal: FAQs

Does a fridge have to be working to be collected?

No. Broken, rusty and smelly fridges are collected in the same way as working ones. If the unit still works and is in good condition, a reuse charity may be a better home for it, but most charities need it clean, with all shelves present and no damage to the cooling pipes, and many will not take models more than a few years old.

Why should the fridge stay upright?

Laying a fridge down for disposal is not a disaster, but it raises the chance of a pipe cracking and gas escaping before it reaches the treatment plant. Keeping it upright and secured protects the cooling circuit until the gas can be recovered properly, which is the whole point of specialist treatment.

Can you take a fridge with food still in it?

Please empty it first. Food and liquids leak and smell in transit and can contaminate the recycling stream. Remove any shelves, ice trays or drawers you want to keep, wipe out obvious spills and leave the doors open while it defrosts. A quick wipe also makes the job easier for whoever handles it next.

What about a fridge that has been sitting in a garage for years?

That is very common. Older units are often the ones that most need proper treatment, because pre-1990s models can contain CFC refrigerant and foam. Tell us roughly how old it is, whether it is chest or upright, and whether anything is stacked on or around it, so the right number of people come.