The cooling system is not a scrap project
A refrigerator or freezer contains refrigerant in a sealed system. A certified technician must recover that refrigerant. Do not cut the lines, do not vent the gas, and do not remove the compressor to sell it while the system is still charged. Many scrap yards and appliance programs either recover refrigerant on site or require a tag showing it was recovered. Ask before you move the appliance. A transfer station may have a separate area for refrigerant appliances and may refuse one with cut tubing. Food in the box is a separate problem. Empty it and wipe spills so you are not hauling rotten food.
Doors, shelves, and the latch
Take out loose shelves and drawers and pack them so they do not smash, or ask whether the site wants them left inside. Tape the doors closed so a door cannot swing into traffic or trap a child during the ride. If the doors must come off for safety while the unit sits at the curb waiting for a scheduled pickup, follow the hauler's instruction and keep the doors with the unit if they are needed for recycling. A fridge is heavy. Use a dolly and a helper. Protect floors. The cord can be taped to the back. You do not need to cut it off.
Say refrigerator at the gate
Declare the appliance and say whether it is a refrigerator, a freezer, or a combination. Mention if refrigerant has been recovered. Read the posted fee sheet or ask how refrigerant appliances are listed. The attendant will point you to a bay. Set the unit down. Do not tip it onto its front if you can avoid it, and do not drop it. If the site refuses units that still hold a charge, take it to the certified technician or the yard that offered recovery. Do not leave it in a field.
Before you go
- Empty the food and do not cut or vent the refrigerant lines.
- Ask a yard, utility program, or the site how refrigerant recovery is handled.
- Dolly the unit with the doors taped and loose shelves secured.
- Declare it at the gate and unload it where refrigerant appliances go.
Cutting the compressor free with the charge still in the lines.
Questions people ask
What about a dorm fridge?
The same rule applies. Small refrigerators contain refrigerant too. Ask the program. Do not put one in a dumpster.
Can the shelves go in recycling?
Glass and plastic shelves are often accepted only with the appliance. Ask. Do not put tempered glass in a bottle bin unless the program says that product is allowed.
Search Dumpmapper by ZIP code or city, then call the site before you load the truck. Hours and accepted materials change.