How to dispose of a refrigerator or freezer
Start with your city: most cities take refrigerator or freezer through bulk trash. Choose your city below to jump to its rules, or read the options that apply anywhere.
Your city’s rules for refrigerator or freezer
| Hazardous? | Sometimes. Contains refrigerant (ODS/HFC) that must be recovered; older units may contain mercury, PCBs, contaminated oils. (epa.gov) |
|---|
Ways to get rid of a refrigerator or freezer
City bulk pickup
Municipal bulky-item collection or haul to transfer station/landfill. (epa.gov, checked October 30, 2026)
Utility program
Check your electric utility for a rebate/bounty turn-in program. (epa.gov, checked October 30, 2026)
Retailer take-back
Retailer haul-away with delivery of a new unit, or drop-off. (epa.gov, checked October 30, 2026)
Scrap metal recycler
Scrap metal recyclers (final disposer must ensure refrigerant recovery). (epa.gov, checked October 30, 2026)
Rules to know
- Under Clean Air Act Section 608 (40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F), the final person in the disposal chain must ensure refrigerant is recovered. (epa.gov)
- If the appliance arrives already evacuated, the final disposer must keep a signed statement naming who recovered the refrigerant and when; stickers are not accepted as verification. (epa.gov)
- Municipalities may require refrigerant removal by a professional before pickup. (epa.gov)
- Hazardous components must be removed before disposal. (epa.gov)
State programs and laws
| State | Program or law | Source |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | Large appliances (refrigerators, washers/dryers) and air conditioners: Fort Totten Transfer Station or 311 bulk trash appointment. | dpw.dc.gov |
| Florida | White goods (major appliances) may not be disposed of in landfills (s. 403.708(12)(d), F.S.). | leg.state.fl.us |
| Illinois | White goods (refrigerators, freezers, ranges, water heaters, AC units, etc.) with mercury switches, CFC refrigerant and PCB components not removed are banned from landfills (since July 1, 1994). | epa.illinois.gov |
| Massachusetts | Large appliances are banned from disposal. | recyclesmartma.org |
| Minnesota | Major appliances may not be put in the trash or landfilled; they must be recycled or reused, and each county must give households an opportunity to recycle them. | revisor.mn.gov |
| Missouri | Major appliances (refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers, stoves, ovens, dishwashers, water heaters, etc.) are banned from landfills; microwaves were removed from the list in 2002. | dnr.mo.gov |
| Nebraska | Household appliances (washers, dryers, water heaters, AC units, refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, ovens, stoves, etc.) are banned from landfills; use appliance recyclers or landfills that separate them for recycling. | dwee.nebraska.gov |
| North Carolina | White goods (large appliances) are banned from landfill disposal. | deq.nc.gov |
| South Carolina | White goods (major appliances) may not be included with municipal solid waste for landfill disposal, and MSW landfills may not accept them (SC Code 44-96-200). | scstatehouse.gov |
| South Dakota | White goods (large appliances) may not be landfilled. | danr.sd.gov |
| Wisconsin | Major appliances are banned from landfill disposal. | dnr.wisconsin.gov |
Cautions
Related guides
All disposal guidesChecked October 30, 2026 against federal, state and program pages. Local rules come first: your city’s page shows its own pickup and drop-off rules.