An old refrigerator is heavier than most furniture, and the refrigerant sealed inside it makes it a regulated item, not ordinary junk. The good news: in the City of Los Angeles, the city will haul it away for free. The rest of this guide covers the rules outside LA, where a fridge can and can't go, and what to do before pickup day.
Why a fridge needs special handling
California law puts refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, washers, dryers and water heaters in one category: major appliances.[1] Several parts of a fridge count as "materials that require special handling": the refrigerant, capacitors that may contain PCBs, the compressor oil, and any mercury switches.[2]
Those materials have to be removed before the appliance is crushed, shredded or disposed of, and they can't go into a solid waste facility.[3] Only a state-certified appliance recycler may remove them. The one exception is refrigerant, which an EPA-certified appliance technician may also recover.[4]
Federal rules add another layer. When a household fridge or freezer enters the waste stream with its refrigerant still inside, the last stop in the chain, such as the scrap yard or landfill, must make sure it gets recovered.[5] If the refrigerant was already removed, that last stop has to keep a signed statement saying who recovered it and when; a sticker isn't enough.[5] That's why some yards ask questions before they'll take a fridge.
The EPA also notes that older refrigerators and freezers may contain ozone-depleting refrigerants and foam, plus mercury, contaminated oils and PCBs.[6] Don't cut lines or tip one over and drain it.
Free fridge pickup in the City of LA
LA Sanitation runs a metal appliance pickup separate from its general bulky service. It collects refrigerators and freezers, washers and dryers, dishwashers, air conditioners, and water heaters at no extra cost for homes with LASAN curbside service.[7]
- Request it at least one business day before your trash day, through MyLA311 or 1-800-773-2489.[7],[8]
- Name the fridge on the request. Crews can collect only what's on that day's work order, so every item needs to be listed.[7]
- Take the doors off before it goes to the curb. LASAN requires it for refrigerators and freezers.[7]
LASAN's curbside program doesn't cover commercial appliances,[8] so a restaurant-style reach-in or a business's display cooler needs another route.
Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena
Burbank takes refrigerators and freezers at the curb, but each one carries a $12.14 special handling fee (in effect since July 1, 2025) billed to the Burbank Water and Power account.[9] Only the account holder can book it. Doors must come off, and the fridge goes out no earlier than the night before trash day.[9] The City says metal appliances it collects are recycled.[9]
Glendale lists refrigerators and small freezers on its bulky pickup list and describes appliance pickup as free for residents.[10],[11] Glendale needs three business days' notice, submitted through its online request form or the Recycle Coach app.[10]
Pasadena is different: its City bulky pickup does not take refrigerators or air conditioners at all.[12] The Rose Bowl e-waste events don't take air conditioners either.[13] Pasadena residents need a retailer haul-away, an appliance recycler, or a hauler.
The free one-day household hazardous waste events run by LA County and the Sanitation Districts also turn away white goods such as refrigerators, stoves and washers.[14]
A note on air conditioners
Window and portable AC units follow the same refrigerant rules as a fridge.[1],[4] LASAN's appliance pickup takes them in LA.[7] In Glendale, the City picks up AC units from single-family homes as a bulky item, but neither the HHW facility nor the Recycling Center takes the unit itself; the HHW facility only accepts bottled Freon, up to 5 gallons.[15] Central AC is dismantled on site, and its refrigerant must be recovered under EPA servicing rules before disposal.[5]
Every option, side by side
| Option | Cost to you | Lead time | Effort |
|---|---|---|---|
| LASAN appliance pickup (LA) | Free[7] | Next trash day, 1 business day's notice | Doors off, fridge to the curb |
| Burbank bulky pickup | $12.14 per fridge[9] | 1–2 business days' notice | Doors off, fridge to the curb |
| Glendale bulky pickup | Free[10] | 3 business days' notice | Fridge to the curb |
| Retailer haul-away with a new fridge | Set by the store | Delivery day | Store crew carries it |
| Donation (newer, working units only) | Free drop-off; Habitat pickup $50[16] | Varies | Disconnected and clean |
| Scrap yard | Varies by yard | Yard hours | Truck, dolly, two people |
| Sunshine Canyon Landfill | $115 per appliance plus the load minimum[17] | Business hours | Truck, dolly, two people |
| Junk removal crew | Priced by the job | Often same or next day | None |
Utility programs and retailer haul-away
The EPA's advice is to check with your electric utility for an appliance turn-in program first, then your city, and it notes a city may require the refrigerant to be removed by a professional before pickup.[6] Some utilities have offered fridge turn-in programs in the past, but we couldn't confirm any that's running in the LA area today, so we don't name one here. Check with your utility directly.
The EPA also warns that appliances left at the curb without a scheduled pickup may be landfilled or handled unsafely, and it recommends booking collection through public works, a retailer, a utility program or a recycler.[6] If you're buying a new fridge, ask the store whether it hauls the old one away and what it charges. There's no state take-back law for fridges like there is for mattresses.
Scrap yards and the landfill
If you have a truck, a scrap yard is an option. SA Recycling has two yards in Sun Valley, at 8250 Tujunga Ave. and 9754 San Fernando Rd., both open weekdays from 7 a.m. and Saturday mornings.[18],[19] They take large appliances,[18] and anyone selling scrap there has to show a government photo ID.[18] Call first and ask how they handle a fridge with refrigerant still in it.
Sunshine Canyon Landfill in Sylmar takes drop-offs during business hours without an appointment.[20] Its posted rates charge $115 per appliance, and every load pays a one-ton minimum.[17] For a single fridge, that's a lot of money compared with a free city pickup.
Donating a working fridge
A fridge has to be fairly new and fully working to find a second home:
- Goodwill Southern California doesn't accept refrigerators or freezers.[21]
- Habitat LA ReStores take working appliances less than 8 years old, already uninstalled and disconnected.[16] Drop-off is free, and a pickup costs $50 from a ground floor, garage or curb.[16],[22]
- The Salvation Army takes working appliances that aren't built in, but not ones with mechanical problems.[23]
- Out of the Closet won't take built-in appliances or any appliance over 3 years old.[24]
- Pickup Please doesn't take refrigerators or freezers.[25]
If the fridge still runs but is older than those limits, selling it cheaply or giving it away to someone who'll pick it up is usually more realistic than a charity.
Mini fridges, wine fridges and chest freezers
Size doesn't change the rules. A dorm fridge, wine cooler or chest freezer is still a refrigerator or freezer under state law,[1] so it can't go in a trash bin. Book it through your city's appliance or bulky pickup the same way you would a full-size unit, and take the lid or door off a chest freezer before it goes out.
Fridge prep, a day or two ahead
- Book the pickup (or confirm the store's haul-away) and name the fridge or freezer on the request.
- Empty it completely, including the door shelves and crisper drawers.
- Unplug it the day before so the freezer can defrost; lay towels down for the meltwater.
- Shut off and disconnect the water line to the ice maker, and cap it.
- Tape drawers and shelves in place so nothing slides out on the way down.
- Remove the doors before it goes to the curb, and put them next to the cabinet.
- Use an appliance dolly with a strap; never lay a heavy fridge on its side on stairs.
- Keep kids away from it once it's outside.
When to call a hauler
The LASAN pickup is hard to beat if you're in the City of LA and can get the fridge to the curb. A hauler makes sense when:
- you're in Pasadena, where City pickup won't take it;
- it's a big French-door or side-by-side unit on an upper floor or behind a narrow kitchen doorway;
- you can't wait for the next trash day, like when an old one died and the new one arrives tomorrow;
- there's a second fridge in the garage and a chest freezer going too;
- it's a commercial unit the city won't collect.
Top notch and professional. They came and took my fridge out in a few minutes. Definitely recommend.
Legacy Junk Removal is a family-run crew based on Victory Blvd in North Hollywood that works across the Valley plus Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena. We take all appliances, including fridges, freezers, stoves, washers and dryers. Same-day service most days when you reach us by early afternoon; next-morning slots are common. Send photos of the fridge and the route out of the house and we'll text back a price. See our appliance removal page for more.