Getting Rid of an Old Fridge or Whitegoods in Melbourne

An old fridge is one of those things that sits in the garage for two years because dealing with it feels harder than ignoring it. It's too heavy to move alone, too big for the car, and you can't put it in a bin.

There's also a legal wrinkle most people don't know about: fridges, freezers and air conditioners have to be degassed by a licensed technician before they can be scrapped. That's federal law, and it's why fridges cost more to dispose of than, say, an old couch.

Here's every option in Melbourne, what each costs, and which one suits you.

First - the legal bit about fridges

Fridges, freezers and air conditioners contain refrigerant gases (HFCs and older HCFCs). They're potent greenhouse gases, and older units contain ozone-depleting substances.

Under the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989, that refrigerant must be recovered by a licensed technician before the appliance is scrapped or recycled. The process is called degassing, and it has to happen before the unit is shredded or crushed.

What this means for you in practice:

• You can't just take a fridge to any scrap yard and expect them to shrug - licensed operators handle degassing as part of the process, and it may affect what (if anything) they pay you
• Dumping a fridge is illegal, and when a dumped unit rusts through, the refrigerant vents straight into the atmosphere
• Anywhere legitimate that takes your fridge will have a degassing arrangement - it's fair to ask how they handle it

Washing machines, dryers and dishwashers don't contain refrigerant, so they're simpler. They're still e-waste under Victorian law, though, which means they can't go in a household bin or to landfill.

All whitegoods are e-waste in Victoria

Worth being clear about, because it catches people out: in Victoria, anything with a plug, battery or power cord is classified as e-waste, and e-waste has been banned from landfill since 1 July 2019.

That covers every whitegood in the house - fridge, freezer, washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, oven, microwave. None of it can go in a bin.

More on the rules: E-waste disposal Melbourne

Your options

1. Retailer take-back when you buy the replacement (often free)

Many retailers will remove your old appliance when they deliver the new one, sometimes free, sometimes for a small fee.

Cost: free to modest. Best for: straight like-for-like replacements. If you're buying a new fridge anyway, ask at the point of sale - this is the single easiest option and people forget to ask.

2. Scrap metal dealers (sometimes free, occasionally pays)

Whitegoods are mostly steel, and scrap yards want steel. Some will collect larger loads; most prefer you bring it in.

Cost: free, or a small payment to you, though degassing costs are typically deducted for fridges and air conditioners. Best for: anyone with a trailer, especially with several appliances at once. Watch for: call ahead. Payment depends on weight and current scrap prices, and a fridge that still holds refrigerant is worth less to them.

3. Council hard waste collection (usually free)

Most Melbourne councils accept whitegoods in booked hard waste collections. Some handle degassing themselves via their own licensed contractor.

Cost: usually free, within your annual allocation. Wait: days to weeks. Watch for: item limits, booking requirements, and rules about what condition items must be in. Some councils won't take fridges at all - check first rather than leaving one on the nature strip.

4. Council transfer station drop-off

Take it yourself to a resource recovery centre. Small degassing fees sometimes apply to fridges and air conditioners.

Best for: people with transport who don't want to wait for a collection date.

5. Junk removal (we collect it)

We come to you, get it out - including from upstairs, down side paths or out of a laundry it barely fits through - and take it to the right recycler, where refrigerant is handled properly.

Our minimum charge is $200 for a job, covering the truck, crew and trip.

Be honest with yourself first: if you're buying a replacement, ask the retailer to take the old one. If you can wait for council collection and have your allocation free, use it. Both are cheaper than us and we'd rather say so.

Where we're genuinely the right call:

• It's stuck upstairs, in a tight laundry, or down a narrow side path
• You don't have a trailer or anyone to help lift it
• You've already used your council collection, or they won't take it
• You need it gone this week
• You've got more than one thing - the old fridge and the washing machine and the pile in the garage. One visit, one fixed price.

What collection costs

Whitegoods sit at the higher end of that range when degassing is involved. With our $200 minimum, a single fridge on its own is rarely the best value - but a fridge plus a few other items usually is.

Full pricing: How much does junk removal cost in Melbourne?

Can you sell or donate it instead?

If it still works, yes - and that's the best outcome.

• Charities will often take working whitegoods, particularly fridges and washing machines, though most require them to be clean, safe and in genuine working order. Call ahead; policies vary and many won't collect.
• Selling a working fridge or washer secondhand is realistic. Even a non-working unit sometimes sells to people after parts.
• Give it away. Working appliances move quickly on local buy-nothing and marketplace groups, usually to someone who'll come and collect it - which solves your lifting problem too.

Not worth trying if: it's leaking, rusted through, has a failed compressor, or has been sitting damp in a garage for years. At that point it's a recycling job.

What happens to your old whitegoods

Whitegoods recycle well, which is why the landfill ban makes sense.

• Refrigerant is recovered by a licensed technician and either reclaimed or destroyed
• Steel and aluminium are shredded and melted down - steel recycles indefinitely without losing quality
• Copper from motors and wiring is recovered, it's valuable
• Plastics and insulation are separated for reprocessing where possible

We take whitegoods to licensed recyclers who handle degassing as part of their process. Across all our jobs, around 80% of what we collect is kept out of landfill.

Frequently asked questions

Got whitegoods to shift? Call 0435 377 111 or send a photo for a free, fixed quote - often same day.

Family-run and based in Oakleigh, servicing all Melbourne suburbs. Rated 5.0 from 105 Google reviews, fully insured, and around 80% of what we collect is kept out of landfill.