Is it worth it - monetarily wise - to try to recycle an old refrigerator?

Question

I have two - one is a standard one that is about 10 year old and dead as a door nail. It is metal on the outside and obviously has metal motor parts and other metal parts too.

I also have a dead two-door stainless steel refrig that tenants killed by damaging the inside and cutting many of the wires and freon connections on the back. It is not covered for this kind of damage under the extended warranty or under any other insurance I have.

What do you think? Should I rent a truck and haul them to the local recycling center or call someone to just take them away as scrap for them to get the scrap $$$???

Answer 1

Renting the truck will cost you more than you will get paid for the refrigerators.  Call the local waste hauler and ask them about disposing your fridges.  You can also call scrap dealers, but I don't know any that have pick up service.

Answer 2

Here locally scrap steel is 7 cents per pound. The compressor is worth 20 cents a lb, copper is $2.60 lb for #1 and $2.30 lb for #2 and aluminum is 65 cent a lb, electric motors are 20 cents a lb. Stainless steel is 85 cents a lb. As you break it down open the freezer section and rip out the plastic wall in the back you will find a small fan and motor and a aluminum rad. pull the wires also and strip the cover off the wires. The compressor motor and more copper will be underneath. all told the regular fridge is worth roughly $20-$25 broke down here locally and the stainless steel one is worth roughly $80. When you break it down you will need the remove the inner panel and insulation from the stainless steel panels to get paid clean price otherwise they will pay you what is called breakage price which is 20 cents per lb. Total is $100 to $105 for the 2 fridges here at our local price.

Answer 3

It sure is worth it to me. Not only are you getting a little extra money you're keeping it out of our landfills. They'll recycle it and use the metal for something else. We did this our self and got some extra $$$.  

Answer 4

the price of renting a truck would surely offset any profit from you trying to do the good deed--I would let someone take it for scrap.

Especially since you would need the extra rental insurance for any scrapes and scratches in the bed from moving them! Good luck!!

Answer 5

If you purchase an energy star appliance you may have to have them take the old appliance to receive ther rebate.

You can also check with www.earth911.org to see if you can get someone to pick it up for less than truck rental.

Answer 6

Your fridge will experience the same ultimate fate either way. If you know of a service that actually picks up and pays you for scrap, that's a huge bonus for you! Go for it. If you drive out to get a truck, do the delivery, and drive back to return the truck, then you are actually being less green than letting a truck that's already driving around pick it up.

Answer 7

If you r doing this your self , strip the inside of the frig, out you will get more $$$ for it , so I hear. Ether way U go good luck.

Answer 8

this is a thought to recycle old refridgerators,we made a worm farm out of one and if you fish its a dandy money saving bait crop.and if you get alot of worms they sell easily.the other thing we used one for is compost holder.and ive even heard of them being used to smoke meat

you can find the directions for all 3 projects online.

Answer 9

Living in an area that has (SCE) Southern Califoria Electric for your utility company?  They will pick up your old fridge and send you a check for $50. That's how I got rid of my last fridge. Good luck.

Answer 10

In my area, the scrap yards will pay you $20 for a refrigerator, $10 for a washer or dryer.  Call a friend with a pickup and go get that $40.

Answer 11

If you are looking at it from a money earning perspective, it's probably not worth it for you to rent the truck, pay for the gas, load 'em up, and then drive the refrigerators to the recycling center. Even if you are paid scrap prices (in our town it's 2¢ a pound for metal), you will also be dinked a hazardous waste surcharge for dealing with the freon. It's really quite possible that you may lose money in the deal.

However, this isn't to say that the refrigerators shouldn't be recycled. I would advertise them in the paper (U haul refrigerators for scrap), or on freecycle.com.