How to dispose of a refrigerator
Need to get rid of your old refrigerator or freezer but not sure how? Read our 1-800-GOT-JUNK? guide on how to dispose of a refrigerator for all you need to know.
How to Dispose of a Refrigerator?
Whether you are looking to upgrade your refrigerator to a newer model or just getting rid of one that no longer works, deciding what to do with your large unwanted appliances can be difficult and time-consuming. Finding the right option for disposal or recycling will depend on a variety of factors such as the year your refrigerator/freezer was made, its condition, and the timeframe you have available for removal.
Keep in mind, refrigerators and freezers need to be disposed of or recycled more carefully than other large appliances as they contain chemicals that can be harmful to both humans and the environment. Keep reading to learn a few safe and legal ways to get rid of your old or broken refrigerator or freezer.
Sell your old refrigerator
New appliances can be pricey so if your old refrigerator or freezer is still in working condition, consider making some money off of your unwanted appliance by selling it online. There are countless free and easy-to-use services available online, such as community message boards, social media sites, and classified advertisement websites, that will help you reach potential buyers.
If you prefer face-to-face interactions or don’t want to deal with technology, there is always the traditional yard/garage sale for getting rid of unwanted items.
Donate your old refrigerator
Donating your old working refrigerator/freezer is not only good for the environment but also benefits the community. The best part is, donating appliances is free and tax deductible, so you can feel good and save money at the end of the year. If you cannot find a local donation center, consider donating to a local charity, or thrift store.
If you need help moving your old fridge, here is our guide with expert advice on how to carry heavy furniture or large items safely and easily.
Recycle your refrigerator
Whether or not your refrigerator/freezer can be recycled will depend on the year it was manufactured. According to the EPA, “household refrigerators and freezers manufactured before 1995 typically contain chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) refrigerant, an ozone-depleting substance (ODS) that, if released to the environment, destroys the ozone layer”. Additionally, the EPA found that refrigerators and freezers manufactured before 2005 contain foam insulation with “ODS that contribute to both ozone depletion and climate change”.
Aside from environmental risks, the refrigerants and insulation used in refrigerators and freezers pose a risk to human health. This is not a time to DIY, as all components containing refrigerants and insulation should be properly reclaimed and disposed of by a professional. There are numerous different agencies and independent companies that recycle refrigerators/freezers responsibly including scrap yards, some refrigerator manufacturers, waste management companies, utility companies, and many more.
At 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, we are not only junk removal experts, but we are also time savers. If you want to recycle your old fridge, we can help by moving it out of your home and doing our best to recycle it for you. Check our availability here.
Take the broken refrigerator to the dump
When it comes to refrigerators and freezers, disposal is not as easy as just putting it out to the curb for trash pickup. As we discussed in the previous section, there are many hazardous chemicals used in refrigerators and freezers that need to be disposed of properly. Some waste management companies offer set bulk pick-up dates where they will remove appliances from the curb in front of your home. If your waste management company does not offer this service, consider taking your fridge/freezer directly to a waste management facility that has the resources to properly dispose of a refrigerator on-site., Make sure to call ahead to find out before you go!
Hire a junk removal service
Removing a fridge/freezer from your home can be strenuous and even if you manage to remove it, there is the trouble of transporting something so large and bulky to wherever you need to take it. Junk removal companies, such as 1-800-GOT-JUNK? and our crew of trained professionals will remove your unwanted fridge/freezer, load it onto the truck, and take it to the proper processing facilities.
If your refrigerator is still in working condition, our friendly and professional teams can sometimes take it to a local charity at no extra cost to you. If you have more than one fridge or freezer that needs to be removed, don't worry!, 1-800-GOT-JUNK?’s trucks can fit up to eight, full-sized, stand-up refrigerators!
Concerned about price? 1-800-GOT-JUNK? will come to your home and provide a no-obligation price estimate, so you can rest easy.
Refrigerator Disposal by 1-800-GOT-JUNK?
When it comes to getting rid of old or broken refrigerators/freezers there are several different options you can explore: donate it, recycle it, dispose of it, sell it, or hire a junk removal service. Finding the option best fit for you can be difficult and time-consuming and will depend on things like the condition of the appliance, what year the appliance was manufactured, and the window of time available to get rid of said appliance.
If you are interested in learning more about decluttering or the different services 1-800-GOT-JUNK? offers, check out all the items that we take. If you don’t want to deal with any of the hassle involved in choosing the right option for removing your old refrigerator, our expert team will make getting rid of unwanted large appliances easy. For more information about refrigerator disposal and pick up, visit our refrigerator disposal and pick-up page.
Are you ready to get rid of that old refrigerator?
Frequently asked questions
We price based on how much space your items take up in the back of our truck, broken down into ⅛, ¼, ½, ¾ of a truckload, all the way up to a full truckload. Our trucks hold the equivalent of seven pickup trucks.
Our prices vary based on location and there is a minimum charge for our teams to remove your items, which is different in each location, based on a number of factors, including local disposal and recycling fees.
We offer single item pricing for certain items such as mattresses or TVs, sometimes this will be less than our minimum charge.
For materials that have a heavy cubic weight like dirt, concrete, and gravel, pricing is based on the total volume that the material takes up in the truck, up to a maximum of one foot in height for a full truck.
Watch us load up a truck to see how our standard pricing works!
If you need service weekly, monthly, or quarterly, we offer bulk pricing discounts. This gives you better value compared to common alternatives, such as dumpsters or less professional junk removal services.
Interested? Call our business account team at 1-888-475-3461 to discuss your needs as well as pricing options.
On the day of your appointment with us, our friendly, uniformed truck team members will give you a call or text 25-30 mins before we arrive to let you know we’re on our way.
Whether your business has a single location or multiple locations, we can create a custom junk removal solution that works for you. We can coordinate pickups at multiple locations at a local, regional, and national level. Rather than work with dozens of regional or local companies, let 1-800-GOT-JUNK? handle the jobs across all your locations.
Absolutely! We take large items all the time. As long as it can be lifted and loaded into the truck by two people, we'll be happy to take it away for you!
We work with all types of businesses and can handle any type of job - cleanouts, bulk item removal, general junk removal and even specific items like cardboard or pallets. We can take pretty much anything as long as it's not toxic or hazardous. We can remove your items from wherever they’re located, whether it’s your office, store, site or anywhere else—all you have to do is point!
Yes, we're fully licensed, bonded and insured! We have insurance covering damages to both persons and property for every single booking.
While we don't quite service the entire map, we cover almost every greater metropolitan area across the US, Canada, and Australia. To see if we’re in your neighborhood, you can start a booking by entering your zip code here.
Our customer service center is open 24/7, so we’re here whenever you need us! While operating hours may vary in our franchise locations, we offer same-day and off-hours service, including weekends.
