Appliance Recycling in Georgia: What Happens to Your Old Refrigerator

Refrigerators Are Not Regular Trash

An old refrigerator contains refrigerant (R-12 in pre-1995 units, R-134a in mid-1990s through 2010s, R-600a in newer units) that is regulated under the EPA Clean Air Act Section 608. Georgia follows federal regulation. The refrigerant must be evacuated by an EPA-certified technician before the appliance can be recycled or landfilled. Just curbing a fridge is technically illegal in Georgia, and many curbside services will not accept them anyway.

The Appliance Recycling Chain in Atlanta

Georgia Power runs a Refrigerator and Freezer Recycling Program that picks up old units for free, pays a $35 rebate, and handles the refrigerant recovery and recycling. That is the cheapest and most environmentally responsible option for working older units. The catch: the unit must be working at pickup (they pay for active refrigerators they take out of service to reduce grid energy load). For broken refrigerators, that program does not apply.

Broken Appliances and Junk Removal

When the fridge is dead, will not run, or has been sitting in the garage for a year, the Georgia Power program does not apply and the unit becomes regular junk-removal work. We pick up, transport to a certified recycler who handles refrigerant evacuation and material recovery. About 90% of a refrigerator's weight is recyclable: the metal cabinet, the steel inner liners, the copper tubing in the cooling system, the aluminum components. The plastic interior parts (drawers, shelves) typically go to landfill.

Other Major Appliances

Washers and dryers: mostly steel, fully recyclable except for the rubber and plastic components. We route to scrap. Stoves and ovens: same, mostly steel. Microwaves: smaller scrap value, but the magnetron contains hazardous components that route through e-waste rather than scrap. Dishwashers: mixed materials, mostly recyclable. Water heaters: tank to scrap, anode rods sometimes recoverable.

Pricing Appliance Removal

Single appliance is typically the $175 minimum. Two or three is still the minimum or the quarter-load ($370) tier. Whole-kitchen replacements (fridge + stove + dishwasher + microwave) typically half-load ($520). See appliance removal service for details. If your appliances are still working and you want to maximize donation, we route to Goodwill and similar partners.

Old Refrigerants and Pre-1995 Units

Pre-1995 refrigerators may contain R-12 (Freon), which is much more strictly regulated than newer refrigerants. We handle these the same, through certified recyclers, but the evacuation fee at the recycler is higher. This rarely affects your removal price since we absorb it in the standard tier, but it is the reason some haulers refuse old appliances.