Fridge and freezer disposal, explained.
The one item we have to say no to. Why fridges can't go in any skip — ours included — and the routes that get one off your hands in Leeds and Wakefield, usually for nothing.
No — fridges and freezers can't go in any Onyx skip.
This one isn't an Onyx policy, it's the law. The gas in the cooling circuit and the blowing agents in the foam have to be extracted before the unit is shredded, and that can only happen at a licensed WEEE facility — not on a transfer station floor under a tonne of mixed waste. A fridge found in a skip at collection means a refused load or a charge to have it removed, so keep it to one side and use one of the routes below.
A fridge or freezer cannot go in a skip — ours or anyone's. The refrigerant gas and insulation foam inside make them hazardous electrical (WEEE) waste that must be degassed at a licensed plant, so in Leeds and Wakefield the right routes are retailer take-back when your new appliance arrives, a council bulky-waste collection, or a free drop-off at your local household waste recycling centre.
How to get rid of a fridge or freezer.
Four routes that work, in the order we'd try them ourselves. Pick the one that matches how much you have, how far you can carry it, and how soon it needs to be gone.
Retailer take-back
The path of least resistance. When a new appliance is delivered, most retailers will take the old one away under the WEEE regulations — sometimes free, sometimes for a small fee added at checkout. Empty and defrost it the night before and the swap takes them two minutes.
Household waste recycling centre
Every council recycling centre around Leeds and Wakefield has a dedicated WEEE bay that takes domestic fridges and freezers free of charge. The catch is transport — a fridge needs a van, an estate car with the seats down, or a strong friend who owns either.
Council bulky-waste collection
Leeds, Wakefield and Kirklees councils all collect fridges and freezers from the kerbside for a per-item fee. Book online, leave the unit out on the morning, done — the sensible route when you've no transport and no new appliance on the way.
Charity collection
A fridge that still works shouldn't be waste at all. Furniture and appliance reuse charities across West Yorkshire collect working fridges and freezers free, test them, and pass them on to households that need them. Clean it out first and check they take your type.
We don't charge for fridge disposal for the simplest of reasons: we can't take them at all. Budget for a small per-item fee if you use a council collection, and nothing at all for an HWRC drop-off, retailer take-back or charity collection. If you're hiring a skip for the rest of a clear-out, stand the fridge to one side — and ring 0113 539 9836 if you're unsure about anything else in the pile.
Call 0113 539 9836Fridge & freezer disposal, asked and answered.
The same answers you’d get ringing the office on 0113 539 9836— just written down so you don’t have to.
No. Fridges and freezers are prohibited in every skip because the refrigerant gas and insulation foam are classed as hazardous, making them WEEE waste that must be degassed at a licensed facility. This applies to every skip company in the UK, not just Onyx. The gases in the cooling circuit and the foam's blowing agents are potent greenhouse gases if released, so the law requires them to be extracted before the appliance is shredded — something no transfer station can do under a load of mixed waste. The good news is that the proper routes are mostly free: most retailers take your old appliance away when delivering the new one under the WEEE rules; every household waste recycling centre around Leeds and Wakefield has a WEEE bay that accepts domestic fridges from residents at no charge; and Leeds, Wakefield and Kirklees councils all run bulky-waste collections for a small per-item fee.
The cooling circuit and the foam insulation contain gases that damage the ozone layer or act as potent greenhouse gases if released. UK law requires them to be extracted before the appliance is shredded and recycled, which is impossible once a fridge is buried in ten tonnes of mixed skip waste. Keeping fridges out of skips is what makes the recovery process work.
Three free routes: your local household waste recycling centre takes domestic fridges from residents at no charge; most retailers collect your old appliance when delivering a new one under the WEEE rules, free or for a few pounds; and if the fridge still works, a reuse charity will usually collect it free and rehome it. The only route that commonly costs anything is a council bulky-waste collection.
The load can be refused at collection, or we have to charge to extract the fridge and route it to a licensed WEEE processor — either way it costs more than doing it right first time. Our drivers check skips before lifting, so an undeclared fridge doesn't slip through; it just slows your collection down and adds a fee nobody wanted.
Where to go next.
The rules for every other awkward item, plus sizes and prices for when the reading is done.
Skip for everything else?
The fridge takes one of the free routes above — the rest of the clear-out goes in one skip. Prices include VAT, delivery, collection and seven days' hire.