What to Do With an Old Refrigerator in Wisconsin
Updated
Short answer
Two rules, not one
The landfill ban covers every major appliance (Wis. Stat. s. 287.07). The refrigerant rule is the extra one for fridges, freezers, AC units and dehumidifiers: anyone who salvages, dismantles or transports them, from scrap dealers to waste haulers, registers with the DNR each year, and refrigerant is recovered with approved equipment by a certified person (Wis. Admin. Code NR 488).
Your options in Rock County
- Janesville landfill appliance area: $15, doors removed (city page).
- City of Beloit: $20, prepaid and scheduled with public works.
- Village of Clinton: out with the second-Thursday bulk pickup after a call to GFL.
- Brodhead: the city sends refrigerators to the Green County Landfill.
- Hired removal: Fixr $100 to $200 for a refrigerator; Angi $60 to $250 for a major appliance.
Take the doors off
Janesville asks for doors to be removed before drop-off. It is also the safe thing to do with any fridge waiting in a garage or at the curb, where a child could climb in.
Quick answers
How do I dispose of a refrigerator in Janesville, WI?
Take it to the appliance area at the Janesville Sanitary Landfill for $15 with the doors removed, or hire a hauler. It cannot go in regular trash.
What is NR 488?
Wisconsin's administrative rule requiring anyone who salvages, dismantles or transports refrigeration equipment to register with the DNR annually and use certified refrigerant recovery.
Rather not haul it yourself?
Tell us what needs to go and where. A local crew sorts the recycling, donation and landfill streams for you and replies with a price first.