Two old fridge freezers ready for collection
When a new fridge freezer arrives, the old one doesn't always leave with the delivery driver. It gets pushed into a corner or a utility room until there's time to deal with it, and if there's a second spare fridge already waiting, the problem doubles. That was the situation for Rob in Brentwood, Essex, who had two appliances that had reached the end of their working life.
The job
Rob needed two appliances collected:
- A large stainless steel American-style fridge freezer with a built-in water and ice dispenser
- A compact white fridge freezer
Both were inside the property on the ground floor, so there were no stairs to tackle and no dismantling needed. Even so, this isn't a job most people can do alone. An American-style fridge freezer is wide, tall, heavy and awkward to grip, and it has to be moved carefully through doorways and hallways to avoid damaging walls, floors and the appliance's pipework. Neither fridge would fit in a car, and many households don't have a way to transport them at all.
Rather than struggle with a trolley and a borrowed van, Rob requested a no-obligation quote through Rubbish.com and was matched with a local waste carrier. A man-and-van rubbish removal service was ideal: two people to handle the lifting, and a vehicle big enough to take both appliances in one load.
How the collection will go
Our local partner will carefully remove both fridges from inside Rob’s property and load them onto the van. With ground-floor access and no dismantling required, the collection is expected to be completed smoothly in a single visit.
The removal is quoted at £150, saving Rob the hassle of heavy lifting or arranging the disposal of the appliances himself.
Why fridges need careful disposal
Fridges and freezers are classed as hazardous waste, which is why this job was flagged as involving hazardous materials. Their cooling systems contain refrigerant gases, and the insulating foam in their walls can also contain gases that harm the ozone layer or contribute to climate change, particularly in older models.
For that reason, old fridges can't simply go to landfill or be broken up for scrap. They need to go to an authorised treatment facility, where the refrigerants, foam blowing agents and oils are safely removed before the rest of the appliance is processed, as set out in the Environment Agency's guidance for facilities treating waste fridges and freezers. Once that's done, much of a fridge can be recovered, including steel, aluminium, copper and plastics.
That makes choosing the right collector especially important. Householders have a duty of care for their waste, so it's worth checking that whoever takes it away is a registered waste carrier and will send it to the right place.
Getting rid of a fridge freezer in Brentwood?
If you have an old fridge, freezer or other large appliance to clear in Brentwood or the wider CM14 area, a booked collection saves you the lifting and the transport.
A few tips to make it easier:
- Defrost it first. Switch the fridge or freezer off and let it defrost a day or two before collection, so it doesn't leak water during removal.
- Empty it completely. Remove all food, shelves you want to keep and any loose items.
- Clear a path. Moving furniture and rugs out of the way makes it quicker and safer to carry heavy appliances out.
- Mention the size. American-style and double-door models are much larger than standard fridges, so include the type when you ask for a quote.
Rob's collection shows how two bulky, awkward appliances can be cleared quickly and responsibly in one visit.
