Can You Recycle a Refrigerator?
Yes, you can recycle a refrigerator. Refrigerators are one of the most recycled household appliances in the United States. Many states and local governments have laws in place that require manufacturers to accept and recycle old refrigerators, so recycling your appliance is easier than ever.
Refrigerator Recycling Near Me
See the below map for locations where you can recycle refrigerator.
Can You Make Money Recycling Refrigerators?
In most cases, you won't make any money recycling refrigerators or other large appliances. However, some municipalities have incentive programs that offer rebates or incentives for recycling old refrigerators. Additionally, many scrap metal services will buy old refrigerators for their metal value.
Similarly, see if you can recycle refrigerator filters.
Decommissioning Your Refrigerator
Before you can recycle your refrigerator, it needs to be safely decommisioned. This includes removing all food from the refrigerator and disposing of it properly. Most local governments provide curbside pickup for large appliances like fridges, but you may need to contact a professional removal company to pick up your appliance if it is not working properly.
Similarly, see if you can recycle refrigerator water filters.
Dispose of Fluids Properly
Before transporting or disposing of an old refrigerator, all fluids must first be removed and disposed of correctly. This includes any Freon gas left inside the fridge as well as oil and other lubricants used in the motor or compressor unit. This should only be handled by a trained and certified technician with proper safety equipment, as Freon and other coolants can be hazardous if not handled correctly.
Similarly, see if you can recycle water heaters.
Items to Remove Before Recycling
Before you can recycle an old fridge, there are several items that need to be removed first. These include any light bulbs or glass shelving units inside the fridge as well as any plastic coverings on the outside surface of the fridge. If these items are not removed before disposal they could end up contaminating other materials during recycling processing.
Similarly, see if you can recycle brake rotors.
Advantages of Refrigerator Recycling
Refrigerator recycling has numerous advantages over simply throwing out an old appliance in a landfill where toxic materials like Freon can leak into the ground water table over time contaminating nearby water sources. Recycling also helps reduce waste sent to landfills each year making it a more sustainable option for disposing of unwanted fridges and large appliances overall.
Similarly, see if you can recycle keurig pods.
Benefits to the Environment
The main benefit of recycling refrigerators is its impact on reducing our carbon footprint in general by reducing emissions from manufacturing new products from raw materials instead of reusing existing resources already available within our infrastructure system through recycling programs across various industries today across our communities globally today