Appliance removal — how to get rid of an old refrigerator, washer or stove
Two rules decide this one, and they stack. Fifteen of the fifty states we cover keep appliances out of landfills by law: North Carolina, Florida, Oregon, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, Louisiana, Missouri, Massachusetts, Illinois, Vermont and North Dakota ban them, Connecticut requires them to be recycled as scrap metal, South Carolina bans them from its household-trash landfills, and California bans them when the metal can be salvaged. And everywhere in the US, a fridge, freezer or air conditioner contains refrigerant that must be recovered by a certified technician before it can be scrapped. That's why a washer is usually free and a fridge usually isn't.
The state rule comes first
| State | Banned from landfills? | What that means for you |
|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | Yes — banned | White goods are on the statutory ban list. Counties run scrap-metal and white-goods programs, usually free. |
| Florida | Yes — banned | White goods may not go in any landfill — FAC 62-701.300(8)(a)4. See Florida's full list. |
| Georgia | No state ban | White goods are not on Georgia's landfill prohibition list (EPD Rule 391-3-4-.04). The state bans lead-acid batteries, whole tires and yard trimmings from municipal landfills. Appliances go to scrap instead: Athens-Clarke and Augusta take them free at the landfill metal area, and Chatham County drop-off centers take them at no extra charge. |
| Texas | No statewide ban | City policy decides. Most large Texas cities take white goods as scrap metal, often free. |
| Ohio | No state ban | White goods are not on Ohio's landfill prohibition list (OAC 3745-535-620). The federal refrigerant rule still applies, so anything holding Freon needs certified recovery first — and in practice most Ohio landfills refuse refrigerant-bearing appliances outright, sending them to a county drop-off or a scrap dealer instead. |
| Tennessee | No state ban | White goods are not on Tennessee's landfill prohibition list (TDEC Rule 0400-11-01-.04), so local policy decides. Knox County's convenience centers refuse anything with refrigerant, sending fridges to the City of Knoxville transfer station or a scrap dealer, while Clarksville's Bi-County landfill takes Freon appliances for $10 each. |
| Virginia | No state ban | Appliances aren't banned from Virginia landfills, and construction-debris landfills may take white goods (9VAC20-81-110). Refrigerant still has to be recovered. SPSA's transfer stations take appliances only with a freon-free certification sticker; its Regional Landfill in Suffolk takes them without one. Prince William County takes residents' appliances free. |
| South Carolina | Yes — from household-trash landfills (S.C. Code § 44-96-200) | No one may put white goods in trash headed for a municipal solid waste landfill, and those landfills may not accept them; stores that sell appliances must post how to dispose of old ones. Refrigerant still has to be recovered. Spartanburg County takes appliances at five of its recycling centers, Richland County takes household appliances at its Caughman Road drop-off, and Lexington County charges for Freon appliances at Edmund Landfill. |
| Arizona | No state ban | Arizona doesn't ban appliances from landfills, but the refrigerant still has to be recovered, and cities charge for it: $25 per unit at the Glendale landfill, $20 at Tucson's Los Reales and $15 at Chandler's collection center. Phoenix residents can drop off one refrigerant appliance a year at a City transfer station. |
| California | Yes, when the metal can be salvaged — Public Resources Code § 42170 | A California landfill can't accept a major appliance for disposal when salvaging its metal is feasible, and refrigerant and other hazardous parts must come out first (Health and Safety Code § 25212). Dumps take them for recycling instead: Sacramento County's North Area Recovery Station takes 1–2 a day free, and Kern County's Bena Landfill takes residents' appliances free. San Diego's Miramar Landfill doesn't take them at all. |
| Washington | No state ban | Washington doesn't ban appliances from landfills, but the refrigerant has to come out, and dumps charge for it: $30 per refrigerant appliance at King County's and Spokane County's transfer stations, $34 an appliance in Seattle (fridges emptied, doors removed) and $20 plus weight for Tacoma residents. |
| Oregon | Yes — large home appliances (ORS 459.247) | Oregon bars large home appliances from disposal sites, but sites may collect them for recycling. Metro takes metal appliances free and charges $30 for anything built to hold coolant; Marion County charges $5, or $25 if it was built for refrigerant; Klamath County takes fridges only after the refrigerant is out and the door is off, for $6. |
| Colorado | No state ban | Appliances aren't on Colorado's list of materials prohibited from landfills, but the freon has to come out first, and that costs money: Larimer County charges $36 for an appliance with freon ($20 without), Chaffee County $50 ($15 without), and Summit County's SCRAP takes appliances free once a certified technician has removed the freon and you bring the paperwork. |
| Maryland | No state ban | Maryland doesn't ban appliances from landfills, but the refrigerant has to come out first. County fees vary: Harford County charges $10 for a freon appliance and takes other appliances free, Cecil County takes appliances free, and Carroll County bills non-recyclable appliances as bulky waste at $75 a ton. |
| Wisconsin | Yes — major appliances (Wis. Stat. 287.07(1m)) | Wisconsin bans major appliances from landfills, so they go to a separate recycling pile at the gate; a microwave can be landfilled once its capacitor is removed. Expect a fee: Outagamie County charges $20 an appliance, Winnebago County $15 with Freon or $5 without, and Oneida County $35 for fridges and freezers or $10 for stoves, washers and dryers. |
| Minnesota | Yes — major appliances (Minn. Stat. 115A.9561) | Minnesota bans major appliances from the trash and from landfills, and every county must give households a way to recycle them. Expect a small fee: Itasca County charges $6, Becker County $8, Carlton County $10, Rice and Hennepin counties $15, and Steele County $20. |
| Alabama | No — not listed in ADEM's landfill rules | Alabama doesn't ban appliances from landfills, and several cities pick them up at the curb: Huntsville's and Dothan's weekly trash collection both take appliances. The Coffee County Landfill accepts them at its regular rate ($22 a ton, $5 minimum), and Calhoun County takes them free on its four free landfill days. |
| Utah | No: no state appliance ban | Utah landfills take appliances, but anything with Freon costs extra: $15 at the Davis Landfill, $20 at the Salt Lake Valley and Trans-Jordan landfills, $25 in Box Elder County, $30 in Logan and $38.64 in Washington County. Washington County residents can also schedule a free bulky-item pickup through Republic Services. |
| Iowa | Handled separately at Iowa landfills | Appliances carry their own fee at Iowa landfills: $10 in Linn County, $12.50 in Iowa City, $12.75 in Sioux City, $15 in Boone County, $20 in Dubuque and $22 at Metro Park East near Des Moines. Iowa City won't landfill them at all; they go to its recycling program. |
| Kansas | Handled separately at Kansas landfills | Appliances that still hold refrigerant cost extra: $15 more in Riley County, $20 in Butler County, $25 in Leavenworth County, $30 untagged in Ellis County, at least $40.33 in Emporia and $50 at Wichita's Brooks Landfill. Butler County takes appliances without refrigerant free, and Reno County takes appliances free from county residents. |
| Idaho | No state ban | Appliances that still hold refrigerant carry a fee: $10 at the Twin Falls area stations, $15 to $20 in Bonneville County, $20 at Pickles Butte and in Bannock County, $25.75 at the Ada County Landfill and $54 in Valley County. |
| Connecticut | Yes: appliances count as scrap metal, which must be recycled (Conn. Gen. Stat. 22a-241b) | Town transfer stations take appliances for recycling: $10 in Guilford, $10 in Norwalk and $12 in Stamford for a Freon unit, $15 in Waterford and Westport and $22 in Wallingford. |
| New York | No state ban | Refrigerant appliances carry a fee: $10 at the Broome County Landfill, $15 at Orange and Sullivan county stations and $16 in Colonie. Steuben County takes appliances free as scrap metal. |
| New Hampshire | No state ban | Refrigerant appliances carry a town fee: $10 in Amherst, $15 in Bedford, Goffstown, Hooksett, Manchester and Merrimack, and $20 in Derry. Nashua takes metal and appliances free. |
| Maine | No state ban | Refrigerant appliances carry a town fee: $18 in Belfast, $20 in Standish and $65 in Waterboro; Falmouth takes two $5 disposal tickets. |
| Montana | No state ban | Refrigerant units carry a fee: $10 in Lincoln County, $15 for Helena cash customers, $32 at Logan Landfill and $47.35 in Billings. |
| New Mexico | No state ban | Refrigerant appliances carry a fee: $8 at the Sandoval County Landfill, $10 at Santa Fe's BuRRT, $37.12 for refrigerant removal in Las Cruces. Albuquerque picks them up free for city trash customers. |
| Oklahoma | No state ban | Refrigerant has to come out first: the Tulsa Indoor Dump charges $15 once the Freon is removed, Edmond wants a technician's tag and form, and Stillwater takes metal appliances free with a utility bill. |
| New Jersey | No state ban | Refrigerant appliances cost extra: $9 in Salem County, $14 in Cape May County, $16 at the Atlantic County Utilities Authority; Sussex County charges 15 cents a pound plus $10. |
| Nebraska | Yes: discarded household appliances can't be buried (Neb. Rev. Stat. 13-2039) | Landfills take them for recycling for a fee: $5 in Beatrice, $8.25 in Lincoln, $10 at the Sarpy County Transfer Station, $12 in Hastings with Freon. |
| Nevada | No state ban | Appliances with refrigerant are $25 in Carson City and $25 for a refrigerator at the Douglas County transfer station; Nye County takes residents' own appliances free. |
| Indiana | No state ban, but the refrigerant must be removed first | Bartholomew County takes refrigerant appliances for $20 in its recycling area; Elkhart and Daviess counties want proof the refrigerant was removed, and Lawrence County's transfer station takes stoves, washers, dryers and water heaters. |
| Arkansas | No state ban | Garland County takes unmixed appliances free; Legacy Landfill in Jonesboro wants the compressor removed first, and Fort Smith's landfill won't take appliances containing Freon. Little Rock and Fort Smith pick appliances up on scheduled bulky pickups. |
| Michigan | No state ban | Refrigerant appliances cost $20 in Kent County, $25 for a refrigerator in Oceana County and $40 at Smiths Creek; Midland charges $15 for appliances. |
| Kentucky | No state ban | Louisville's Waste Reduction Center takes up to 4 Freon appliances free from residents; Daviess County charges $20 per compressor to remove Freon, and Hardin County's landfill needs it removed and stamped first. |
| Pennsylvania | No state ban | Centre County takes appliances free from residents; refrigerant appliances are $22 at Chester County's Lanchester Landfill and $24 at the Lycoming County Landfill, and LCSWMA charges $15 for one under 200 pounds. |
| Louisiana | Yes: white goods must go to a collection or recycling facility, not a landfill (R.S. 30:2421) | Calcasieu Parish's convenience centers and Jefferson Parish's drop-off sites take them free from residents (doors off), and so does East Baton Rouge's North Landfill; Shreveport's landfill won't take them. |
| West Virginia | No state ban | Jefferson County charges $20 for a refrigerator, freezer or air conditioner; Raleigh County charges $17.40 to remove the Freon and wants a technician's certificate on free days. |
| Missouri | Yes: major appliances are banned from landfills (RSMo 260.250) | Columbia picks them up curbside for $21.50 to $29; St. Peters takes appliances with Freon at Recycle City for $20 on top of the trash fee. |
| Massachusetts | Yes: white goods (large appliances) are banned from disposal (MassDEP waste ban) | Worcester takes them for $5 each; Barnstable charges $10 to $15 and Falmouth $20. |
| Mississippi | No state ban | County rubbish sites take them: free at Jackson County's Seaman Road Landfill (motor removed) and DeSoto County's pits; Hancock County refuses refrigerators. |
| Illinois | Yes: white goods are banned from landfills (since 1994) unless the Freon, mercury switches and PCB parts are removed | Rock Island County picks up 4 a year free per household; the Knox County Landfill charges $10. |
| Vermont | Yes: large appliances have been banned from the trash since 1991 | Stowe charges $5 ($12 with refrigerant); the Addison County district charges $15 for a refrigerator and nothing for a washer or dryer. |
| Rhode Island | No state ban | Resource Recovery takes appliances without Freon free and charges $12 with Freon; town stations charge $15 to $50. |
| Delaware | No state ban | DSWA landfills and transfer stations take appliances and remove refrigerants on site, at $80 a ton. |
| South Dakota | No state ban | Landfills take appliances; refrigerant units cost extra: $12.50 in Aberdeen, $20 in Brookings, $50 in Belle Fourche. |
| North Dakota | Yes, major appliances (NDCC 23.1-08-08) | Landfills set appliances aside for recycling: Freon units $7 in Minot, $20 in Bismarck; Fargo doesn't take Freon appliances. |
| Wyoming | No state ban | Landfills charge for refrigeration units: $30 in Laramie, $45 in Campbell County, a $57.50 Freon fee in Cheyenne. |
| Alaska | No state ban | Boroughs charge for refrigerant removal: $57 total in Anchorage, $40 in Mat-Su; doors off and emptied first. |
| Hawaii | No state ban | Counties collect appliances separately: free at Big Island stations that take them, free at Kauaʻi sites and Puhi Metals for residents. |
Sources: NC G.S. 130A-309.10; Florida Administrative Code 62-701.300; Georgia EPD Rule 391-3-4-.04 and O.C.G.A. §§ 12-8-28, 12-8-40.1, 12-8-40.2; Texas 30 TAC 330.15; Ohio OAC 3745-535-620; Tennessee TDEC Rule 0400-11-01-.04; S.C. Code § 44-96-200; Arizona Revised Statutes Title 49, Chapter 4; Revised Code of Washington chapter 70A.205; ORS 459.247; CDPHE, materials prohibited from landfill disposal; Wis. Stat. § 287.07; Minn. Stat. § 115A.9561; ADEM Admin. Code r. 335-13-4-.21; California Public Resources Code § 42170 and Health and Safety Code § 25212; US EPA Section 608; Conn. Gen. Stat. § 22a-241b; CT DEEP, Recycling... It's the Law!. Verified September 2026.
Find a landfill or drop-off near you
Enter your city or ZIP for the nearest disposal sites. Appliance fees and coolant rules vary by facility — call ahead before you haul.
The Freon rule: why a fridge is different from a couch
Refrigerators, freezers, window air conditioners and dehumidifiers contain refrigerant — Freon and its modern replacements. Under federal law (the Clean Air Act, EPA Section 608), that refrigerant has to be recovered by a certified technician before the appliance is scrapped, landfilled or crushed. Letting it vent into the air is illegal, and the federal penalties run into the tens of thousands of dollars.
That's why a transfer station or bulky-pickup crew will look for a tag — a small certification attached to the unit stating a qualified technician evacuated the coolant. No tag, no drop-off. It catches people off guard because a stove or washing machine has none of these rules; you can hand those off as plain scrap metal.
Getting the coolant pulled runs roughly $50–$100 if you hire an HVAC tech for just that. But you can usually avoid paying for it separately — the free options below fold it into the deal.
Free and cheap ways to skip the fee
- Retailer haul-away. When Lowe's, Best Buy or Home Depot deliver a new appliance, they'll usually haul the old one away — often free or for a small fee — and they handle the refrigerant recovery as part of it. Arrange it when you buy, not after.
- Scrap-metal yards. Washers, dryers, stoves, dishwashers and water heaters are mostly steel. Many scrap yards take them free or pay you a few dollars by weight. Fridges and freezers are accepted too, but the coolant usually has to be recovered first — some recyclers do it on site.
- Utility pickup programs. Some electric utilities run appliance-recycling or energy-efficiency programs that collect a working old fridge or freezer, sometimes with a rebate. Availability comes and goes — check your provider's current offers.
- City bulky pickup. Most cities collect large appliances from the curb on a schedule you already pay for. It's slow (often a set week or by appointment) but cheap. For coolant units, the crew will still want the evacuation tag.
If none of that fits your timeline — you're mid-move, mid-renovation, or clearing out several at once — a junk-removal service loads and hauls everything in one trip, refrigerant units included, and prices the whole load together.
Common questions
Do I have to remove the Freon before getting rid of a fridge?
Yes. Federal law (EPA Section 608) requires a certified technician to recover the refrigerant from any fridge, freezer or air conditioner before it's scrapped or landfilled. Many facilities and bulky-pickup crews won't take the unit without a tag showing it was done. Venting refrigerant yourself is illegal and carries steep federal penalties.
How much does it cost to get rid of an old refrigerator?
It ranges from free to about $50. Many cities take appliances inside a free bulky allowance or at a free metal area. Where a refrigerant unit is charged separately, the fee varies widely: $5 at the Cobb County Transfer Station in Marietta, $50.40 at DeKalb County's Seminole Road landfill. On top of that, budget $50–$100 if you need an HVAC tech to recover the refrigerant, unless a retailer, scrap yard or utility program handles it for you.
Will a scrap yard take my old appliance for free?
Often yes. Washers, dryers, stoves and dishwashers are mostly steel and have scrap value, so many yards accept them free or pay a few dollars. Refrigerators, freezers and AC units are also welcome, but the refrigerant usually has to be professionally recovered first — some scrap recyclers offer that service on site.
Can I just leave an old washer or fridge at the curb?
Only during your city's scheduled bulky-waste pickup. Setting one out any other time is illegal dumping and carries a fine in most cities. For anything with refrigerant, the pickup crew will usually still require the certified evacuation tag before they load it.