Old refrigerator?

March 20, 2005 2:10 PM

How do I dispose of an old dorm-style cube fridge that has died a horrible death and is not worth repairing?

I know I can't just leave it out on the curb, because it has freon in it and freon is a hazmat. I also live in an apartment, and know for a fact that our disposal company says "No hazmats, nothing hazardous, nothing big, just NO." Where would you take a refrigator to get rid of it?
I'm south of Portland, Oregon. Google turns up nothing.

posted by SpecialK to home & garden (7 comments total)

SpecialK...I'm very sorry to hear about the untimely death of your fridge. But I applaud your desire to find a responsible way to dispose of it!

Here are the listings for refridgerator recycling centers in Portland.
posted by jeanmari at 2:45 PM on March 20, 2005

1-800-GOT-JUNK too, but Metro should have good options like jeanmari points out.
posted by pwb503 at 3:51 PM on March 20, 2005

Many trash companies, even if they won't pickup larger appliances on a regular basis, will have scheduled pickups for things like this. Mine, I can call a number and schedule a date for it to be picked up; normally you have to pay something and they give you a sticker to put on the appliance, but they also give out a few coupons a year for a free pickup. There are also a few days a year where they make a special appliance pickup run - you still need the sticker, but no need for an appointment.
posted by advil at 4:07 PM on March 20, 2005

jeanmari - Wrong portland, unfortunately. ;)

I have an email into the Oregon DEQ. The problem is that my apartment community's garbage hauler flat-out refuses to haul anything that could potentially be a hazmat, so I can't get stickers or go through any other programs through them to dispose of it.
posted by SpecialK at 5:09 PM on March 20, 2005

The Metro South Transfer Station will take it for a small fee (found through Oregon Earth 911).
posted by caddis at 6:35 PM on March 20, 2005

You'll find that many appliance sales+repair shops are interested in broken refrigerators, both for the coolant (which they recycle) and for the parts (which they also, well, recycle). Call around, you'll find one that will probably even come pick it up.
posted by maniactown at 7:23 PM on March 20, 2005

Portland Freecycle might turn up someone who would like to tinker with it, or salvage materials, etc.
posted by cairnish at 9:58 AM on March 21, 2005