Can You Put a Fridge or Freezer in a Skip?
No, and it is one of the few items where there is no grey area at all. Fridges, freezers, wine coolers and anything else with a cooling circuit have to be kept out of the skip entirely.
Two separate sets of rules catch them. They are electrical appliances, which puts them under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment regulations. They also contain refrigerant gases, which have to be drawn off under controlled conditions before the carcass can be broken up. A skip is not a controlled condition.
What actually goes wrong
The problem is what happens after collection. A skip load gets tipped and sorted, and anything in it is liable to be crushed. Crush a fridge and the refrigerant escapes, which is precisely what the regulations exist to stop. Older units are the worst offenders, because the gases used before the phase-outs were considerably more damaging than what is in a modern appliance.
From your side, the practical consequence is simpler: if a fridge is spotted in a skip, that load can be refused. You then have the cost of dealing with the appliance anyway, plus whatever the rejected load costs you.
The rest of the electrical list
Fridges get asked about most, but the same rule catches anything with a plug or a battery:
- Televisions, monitors and anything with a screen
- Washing machines, tumble dryers and dishwashers
- Ovens, hobs, microwaves and small kitchen appliances
- Computers, printers and networking kit
- Power tools, and anything with a rechargeable battery in it
Our guide to what can and cannot go in a skip has the full picture, including the non-electrical exclusions people trip over.
Getting rid of one properly
There are three routes, and which suits depends on whether the appliance is being replaced.
- Retailer takeback. If you are buying a replacement, the shop is generally obliged to take the old one. This is the easiest option and it is worth asking at the point of sale rather than after delivery.
- Household waste recycling centre. Doncaster's sites take refrigeration equipment and route it correctly. Check what the current arrangements are before you set off, since booking requirements change.
- Specialist collection. If you cannot move it yourself, a licensed collection will take it and process it to the WEEE standard.
Clearing a kitchen?
This comes up constantly on kitchen jobs, because the appliances come out on the same day as everything else and it is tempting to treat them as one pile. They are not. Units, worktops, tiles and flooring go in the skip. The fridge, the oven, the washing machine and the dishwasher come out separately.
Plan it that way from the start and it costs you nothing. Discover it on collection day and it costs you a rejected load. If you are unsure about a particular item, ring us on 01302 490 249 before it goes in, or send us the details and we will tell you which route it needs.