Who takes refrigerators, freezers, and AC with Freon? (unofficial)

Programs, fees, and which scrap yards recover refrigerant change. Confirm on the official page the morning you go. This page is unofficial and not the county. Not a hauler. Not the EPA. Not Best Buy. Not Home Depot. This is the national Freon appliances explainer — the Montgomery County geo freon page is a different lookup. We do not scrape Earth911, retailer, or utility databases.

Affiliate disclosure: If a haul link below is marked affiliate, MoCo Drop-Off may earn a commission when you book through it. Placeholder only until the owner applies. See disclosure.

Which kind is it?

1. 1

   Buying a new fridge, freezer, or major appliance and want the old one gone?

   Retailer haul-away

   Ask at purchase for haul-away / recycling with delivery. ENERGY STAR: many retailers pick up the old fridge or freezer when you buy a new ENERGY STAR model; ask for assurance it will be properly recycled (not resold as an inefficient used unit). Prefer retailers that partner with EPA’s Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) program when offered. Best Buy: $49.99 for one major appliance (incl. refrigerators/freezers) when they deliver a replacement; Standalone Haul-Away $199.99 for up to 2 large products — no large appliances in-store. Home Depot: haul-away often available with delivery for select appliances; availability and extra charges vary by area — ask when you buy. Empty the old unit before pickup.

2. 2

   Keeping the old fridge but not buying new today?

   Utility / ENERGY STAR program · or municipal scrap

   ENERGY STAR lists four national paths: (1) retailer when buying ENERGY STAR, (2) state energy office or local electric utility recycling programs (some pay cash or bill credits), (3) municipal heavy-trash / appliance pickup, (4) local scrap metal recycler — ask for assurance of proper recycling. Use Earth911 or your county solid-waste page to find local options — link only, no scrape.

3. 3

   Household fridge, freezer, window AC, or dehumidifier (sealed unit)?

   Recover refrigerant · then scrap / recycle

   EPA: these typically enter the waste stream with refrigerant charge intact. The final person in the disposal chain (scrap recycler or landfill) must ensure refrigerant is recovered before final disposal. Do not vent. Prefer a municipal scrap pad, retailer haul-away, utility program, or scrap yard that recovers refrigerant. EPA: individuals recovering refrigerant from small appliances when preparing them for disposal are not required to be Section 608 certified technicians, but recovery equipment must meet EPA standards. For servicing/repair of small appliances, technicians recover 80% or 90% of refrigerant (or evacuate to 4 in. Hg vacuum) per EPA service practice rules.

4. 4

   Central home AC, chiller, or other equipment dismantled on site?

   Recover before disposal · servicing rules

   EPA safe disposal: equipment typically dismantled on-site (examples: central residential air conditioning, chillers, retail food refrigeration, industrial process refrigeration) must have refrigerant recovered under EPA servicing requirements before disposal. Hire a qualified Section 608 technician for service/disposal recovery — do not cut lines or vent.

5. 5

   Thinking of cutting the Freon lines, trash, or bulk without recovery?

   Usually illegal / wrong path

   EPA prohibits intentional venting of ODS refrigerants and non-exempt substitutes during maintenance, service, repair, or disposal. ENERGY STAR: refrigerants, oils, and other compounds must be removed and recovered by federal law before metals are recycled. Bulk trash programs often refuse Freon units or treat ≥51% metal as scrap — check your county. MoCo: Freon → scrap-metal pad, not HHW, not bulk (see geo page).

6. 6

   Montgomery County, MD resident?

   Geo page · Shady Grove scrap-metal pad

   Use freon appliances (geo) or live mocodropoff.com/freon-appliances. How Do I refrigerants: Scrap Metal Drop-off, Recycling Area; hand to attendant; county evacuates on site. Not HHW. Curbside scrap metal (County-provided recycling) also takes fridges/freezers/AC with empty-and-doors rules. This national page does not invent MoCo Sunday gates or pad clocks.

Kind → path (national pattern)

National single posted scrap-yard Freon evacuation fee: not stated — confirm locally. Home Depot national flat haul-away fee: not stated (additional charges may apply; varies by area). Last-checked 14 Sep 2026.

Where to go (program info — not a store list)

Optional haul when drop-off is too far: placeholder only — #AFFILIATE_GOT_JUNK. Not a substitute for refrigerant recovery rules. See disclosure.

Bring this / prep

• Know the kind: sealed household fridge/freezer/window AC vs central AC dismantled on site (different EPA recovery responsibility).
• Empty food and personal items before retailer haul-away (Best Buy / Home Depot checklists).
• Disconnect / unplug as your retailer requires; gas appliances may need professional disconnect (Best Buy note on some markets).
• Ask whether refrigerant will be recovered (ENERGY STAR / RAD assurance language).
• Do not cut refrigerant lines or vent as a DIY shortcut (EPA Section 608).
• MoCo: proof of residency and attendant hand-off live on the geo freon page; curbside fridge doors secured shut or removed.

Not here / caution

• A scraped list of scrap yards, Best Buy stores, Home Depot stores, or utility partners (use locators / ask at purchase).
• Invented national scrap Freon fees, star ratings, or “we tested” claims.
• Assuming HHW takes refrigerators (MoCo and many counties do not — Freon is often scrap metal).
• Assuming every scrap yard recovers refrigerant — ask; final disposer is responsible under EPA.
• Venting Freon or “releasing the charge” before curb set-out.
• Treating this national explainer as the MoCo geo page (different URL: /freon-appliances vs /appliances/freon).
• Meds / sharps pages (YMYL — not this site).

Official sources

• EPA — Stationary Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (Section 608)
• EPA — Stationary Refrigeration Safe Disposal Requirements
• EPA — Prohibition on Venting Refrigerants
• EPA — Stationary Refrigeration Service Practice Requirements (small-appliance 80%/90% recovery)
• EPA — What Local Governments Need to Know About Appliance Disposal (PDF)
• ENERGY STAR — Find a Fridge or Freezer Recycling Program
• Best Buy — TV & Appliances Haul-Away
• Best Buy — Electronics and Appliances Recycling FAQ
• Home Depot Eco Actions — Ultimate Guide to Recycling at Home
• Home Depot — Appliance delivery checklist (PDF)
• Earth911 locator (link only — no scrape)
• MoCo How Do I — refrigerants (geo)
• mocodropoff.com/freon-appliances (live MoCo geo)