Appliance Recycling: What Happens to Old Appliances and How to Recycle Yours
A typical large appliance is mostly steel, with copper, aluminum, plastics and glass making up the rest. Almost all of it can be recovered — if the appliance ends up at the right facility. Here is what happens during appliance recycling and how to make sure yours gets there.
What is inside an old appliance
| Material | Where it is found | What happens to it |
|---|---|---|
| Steel | Cabinets, drums, frames | Shredded and melted into new steel |
| Copper | Motors, compressors, wiring, tubing | Separated and sold as high-value scrap |
| Aluminum | Condensers, trim, some drums | Recycled into new aluminum |
| Plastics | Liners, panels, parts | Recovered where markets exist, otherwise landfilled |
| Glass | Oven doors, shelves, microwave plates | Usually landfilled; oven glass is not bottle-recyclable |
Materials that need special handling
- Refrigerants in refrigerators, freezers, dehumidifiers and air conditioners must be recovered by certified technicians before shredding. The EPA’s safe disposal requirements explain the rules.
- Foam insulation in older refrigerators can contain ozone-depleting blowing agents. Best-practice recyclers capture these rather than releasing them during shredding.
- Mercury switches were used in some older appliances, such as lid lights in chest freezers.
- Capacitors in very old appliances may contain PCBs and are removed before processing.
- Electronics — control boards and microwaves — are often handled as e-waste.
The recycling process
- Collection by a retailer, utility, municipal program or scrap yard.
- De-manufacturing: refrigerants, oils, capacitors and hazardous components are removed.
- Shredding: the stripped appliance is fed into an industrial shredder.
- Separation: magnets pull out steel, while eddy currents and other methods separate aluminum, copper and plastics.
- Re-melting into new raw materials.
How to make sure your appliance is recycled
- Use a program that explicitly says it recycles, such as a utility recycling program or a municipal recycling center.
- Ask a junk removal company where appliances go — reputable companies take them to scrap processors, not landfills.
- Do not remove compressors or cut refrigerant lines yourself to “help.”
- For smaller appliances and electronics, use an e-waste drop-off. The EPA’s recycling resources are a good starting point.
Reuse comes first
Recycling recovers materials, but reusing a working appliance saves far more energy. If your appliance still works, consider donating or selling it — our guide to donating used appliances covers the options.