How to get rid of a refrigerator in Austin, TX

Appliances are accepted in Austin's on-demand bulk collection as long as you remove the doors. Put the fridge in the metal pile and set it out by 5:30 a.m. on your appointment date.

Last checked against the official Austin Resource Recovery (City of Austin) website. See sources.

Cost
No per-pickup fee is listed on the City's page for curbside customers
How
Book an on-demand bulk collection
Key rule
Remove the doors

Option 1: City pickup (On-demand bulk collection)

Who can use it

  • For Austin Resource Recovery residential customers: single-family homes and up to fourplexes in Austin, plus homes in certain Limited Districts.
  • Items will not be collected in an alley, in front of a vacant lot, or in front of a business.

How to book

  1. Book through the Austin Recycles app, online, or by calling Austin 3-1-1 (512-974-2000).
  2. Select every item you will set out. The scheduling system shows which items can be collected.
  3. You get an email confirmation and a reminder before your date.
  4. Appointments cannot be changed. To move a date, cancel the old one (using the same method you booked with) and book again.

Refrigerator rules

  • Remove the doors before setting the fridge out.
  • Put it in the metal and rigid plastics pile, separate from furniture and other non-metal items.
  • The City says it recycles all appliances collected through bulk collection.

Setting it out

  • Put items at the curb by 5:30 a.m. on your appointment date.
  • Sort into separate piles: metal items and rigid plastics (this includes appliances with doors removed), non-metal items, and tires.
  • Keep items 5 feet from carts, mailboxes, fences or walls, water meters, utility boxes, fire hydrants and parked cars. Keep them out from under low tree limbs and power lines.
  • Do not put items in bags, boxes or other containers. Bags are treated as extra trash and may cost extra.

Fees and limits

  • The City's bulk collection page does not list a per-appointment fee for curbside customers. Bags set out with bulk items may be charged as extra trash.

Option 2: Drop it off yourself

  • The Recycle and Reuse Center's list of accepted appliances names air conditioners, stoves, washers, dryers, water heaters and microwaves, but does not name refrigerators. Check the What Do I Do With tool before you go.
  • Recycle and Reuse Center, 2514 Business Center Dr, Austin, TX 78744. Appointment required (Austin Recycles app or online). Free for Austin and Travis County residents. It does not accept furniture or mattresses.

Option 3: Donate or give it away

  • Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore takes working appliances, but not appliances with cooling parts that do not work (like refrigerators that do not cool).

Donation rules are set by each charity and can change. Call before you load up.

What we could not confirm

  • The City's bulk collection page does not say whether you need to have the refrigerant (Freon) removed first. We could not confirm a refrigerant rule for Austin.
  • We could not confirm that the Recycle and Reuse Center accepts refrigerators.
  • We could not find a City of Austin mattress recycling program.

Common questions

Does Austin pick up old refrigerators?
Yes. Appliances (with doors removed) are on the list of accepted bulk items for on-demand bulk collection.
Do I need to remove the Freon first?
The City's bulk collection page does not mention a refrigerant removal requirement. Ask Austin 3-1-1 if you are unsure.
Where does the fridge go after pickup?
The City says it recycles all appliances collected through bulk collection.

Sources

Last checked Oct 21, 2026. We read each page below on that date.

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