How do I get rid of an old refrigerator in Virginia?

An old refrigerator leaves a Virginia home one of four ways: with the crew delivering your new one, through a utility turn-in program, on a scheduled pickup from whoever collects your trash, or in a truck to a county drop-off site. It usually cannot go out with the weekly trash: because of the refrigerant inside, most localities want it on its own appointment, at a drop-off site, or with its own fee.

Start with the store or your utility

If a new refrigerator is on the way, haul-away is usually the least work, since the old one leaves as the new one comes in. ENERGY STAR says many appliance retailers will pick up and recycle your old refrigerator when you buy a new one.^[5] The EPA also notes that some retailers pick up and dispose of the old appliance when they deliver a new one, some take drop-offs at no charge, and a few give small vouchers or discounts in return.^[1] IKEA, for example, charges $30 to remove an appliance when you buy a similar product in a store with in-home delivery, in select markets, and does not offer it on online orders.^[6] That is the price we saw when we checked on October 27, 2026. Will the store take my old appliance when I buy a new one covers what to ask before you order.

No new purchase? The EPA's advice is to check first with your electric utility, since some run rebate or bounty programs that take old refrigerators, and to confirm your unit meets the program's rules, which can include working condition, a minimum age or a minimum size.^[1]

Use your locality's pickup or drop-off

Find out who collects your trash: your county, city or town, an HOA contract, or a private company you pay. Rules for refrigerators differ a lot from place to place.

• Fairfax County. In Fairfax County, county collection customers get five free special collections per fiscal year, July 1 to June 30, and refrigerators and freezers are scheduled as a "Freon" pickup, separate from bulk and metal items.^[7] About 90 percent of Fairfax County residents and businesses get trash service from a private company and should call that company instead.^[7]
• Chesapeake. Chesapeake collects appliances as bulk household items on request, and asks residents to remove the doors from refrigerators and freezers before setting them out.^[10]
• Chesterfield County. With fees that took effect July 1, 2026, Chesterfield County's two convenience centers charge $15 per item for refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners and dehumidifiers, and ask that refrigerators and freezers come in with all food waste removed.^[8] The centers serve county residents, so bring identification or proof of Chesterfield County residency.^[8]
• Montgomery County. When we checked on October 27, 2026, the Montgomery Regional Solid Waste Authority took appliances at its facility and charged a $19 Freon removal fee for any appliance not certified as Freon-free.^[9]
• Roanoke Valley. Residents of Roanoke, Salem, Roanoke County and Vinton can bring household waste, appliances included, to the Roanoke Valley Resource Authority's Salem and Tinker Creek transfer stations at no charge under its residential disposal policy.^[11]
• Everywhere else. Look up your locality's bulk, special or appliance pickup page, or call your hauler. If a truck has already left your refrigerator behind, why the trash company won't take bulky items explains the usual reasons.

Should you sell or donate it?

A newer, clean refrigerator that works well can find a second home. An old one is a different case. The EPA says almost all of a refrigerator's materials can be recycled, including the metal cabinet, the refrigerant and oil in the compressor, and the blowing agent in the foam insulation.^[1] It also advises against reselling old units, because refrigerators near the end of their life use a lot of electricity.^[1] ENERGY STAR puts the gap at about 20 percent: on average, an old refrigerator uses that much more energy than a model that has earned the ENERGY STAR.^[5] The same logic applies to keeping it running as a garage or basement spare.

Get it ready to go

Empty it a day or two ahead. Take out every scrap of food, the ice bin and loose shelves, then unplug it and prop the doors open so the freezer can defrost onto towels. If it has an ice maker or water dispenser, close the shut-off valve on the small water line feeding it, usually behind the unit or under the kitchen sink.

Then deal with the doors. Virginia law makes it unlawful to discard, abandon or leave a refrigerator or other airtight container with more than two cubic feet of interior space anywhere without first removing the doors or hinges.^[3] The rule does not apply to a refrigerator still in use, or one crated, strapped or locked so a child cannot get into it.^[3] A violation is a Class 3 misdemeanor, which carries a fine of up to $500.^[3][4] On most models the doors usually lift off once the top hinge cover and its screws come off. If it is going straight onto a delivery truck, ratchet straps around the cabinet are often enough.

Moving it is a two-person job. An appliance hand truck with a strap does most of the work, and a moving blanket on door frames and stair edges saves the paint.

Why the refrigerant matters

Older refrigerators and freezers were made with CFC and HCFC refrigerants and foam, which destroy the ozone layer if released, and older units may also hold mercury switches, contaminated oils or PCBs.^[1] Federal rules put the duty to recover the refrigerant on the final person in the disposal chain, such as the scrap recycler or landfill.^[2] If the refrigerant was already taken out, that final disposer needs a signed statement with the name and address of whoever recovered it and the date, and the EPA does not accept a sticker as proof.^[2]

So never cut the lines to "empty" it yourself, and be wary of a scrap buyer who offers to. The EPA lists venting refrigerant and dumping appliances among the illegal practices that still happen, and warns that appliances left at the curb may be landfilled or otherwise disposed of unsafely.^[1] If you hire someone, ask where the refrigerator is going.

Never dump it

Virginia law makes it unlawful to dump trash on public property, including a highway right-of-way, or on private property without the owner's written consent.^[12] A conviction is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 12 months in jail and a fine of $500 to $2,500.^[12] That includes leaving a refrigerator beside someone else's dumpster or at the edge of the road with a "free" sign.

Stop and call a pro if

• The refrigerator is built into the cabinetry, with trim panels or a custom front that has to come off to free it.
• The ice maker valve will not close, drips, or the water line is brittle or corroded.
• It will not clear a stair turn, a tight doorway or a deck step without taking off a railing or a door.
• You smell a sharp chemical odor or see oily residue around the tubing at the back, a sign the sealed system has leaked.
• You have a second refrigerator, a chest freezer or a load of other junk going too. See how much appliance removal costs in Virginia and how much junk removal costs in Virginia.

Getting it hauled through Loclis

Browse more junk removal and moving answers, see appliance and mattress removal businesses, or find junk removal and moving businesses around Blacksburg. To have the refrigerator carried out and taken away, describe the job on Loclis and compare quotes.