Recycling refrigerators and freezers

[CathyA]

I really want to get rid of an old fridge and a freezer. I know I need to have the freon removed first. Any ideas where to start to find out this info on who does this and where we can recycle them? I think once the freon is out, we might be able to them to a local metal recycling place. Has anyone gotten rid of one of these old appliances and what was the process?
Thanks.

[SteveinMN]

Recovering refrigerant properly requires specific tools and knowledge. Maybe you could rent the tools at your local A-to-Z rental place, but I think most people would find that cost-prohibitive for a task performed so infrequently.

The company that supplies your electricity and, perhaps, the company that collects your trash could tell you who in your area will accept refrigerators and freezers for recycling. Most times they will even pick them up. Around here there are dozens of guys who are happy to pick up fridges (and other large metal objects) for scrap, but I'm not sure they do much more than puncture the refrigerant line and shove off. Anyway, you should not have to worry about recovering refrigerant.

[frugal-one]

Local electric and gas company in our area PAYS you and picks up old. Worth checking out in your area.

[Radicchio]

Local appliances probably could help you out, as I know many of them in our area will take away your old one when they deliver a new one. I know my locally owned mom & pop (actually brother and brother) appliance store disposes of them properly. I would imagine they would either pick it up and take care of it (for a fee) or know someone who would

[CathyA]

Thanks everyone. These are extra/old ones, so we wouldn't be replacing them. I did call our local utilities because they were offering cash for old ones.......but they had to be in working order. They were encouraging people to replace their old high energy consuming fridge/freezer with a lower energy one. Maybe we'll just take them out in the country and drop them off..........like people do to our property. (Not!!)