If you have an old fridge or freezer to get rid of, you will need to hold on to it a little longer.
Because of a national shortage of recycling sites that handle these appliances, Ealing Council has temporarily paused its fridge and freezer collections.
Greenford Road reuse and recycling centre is also unable to accept them because they have no more room to store them until the issue is resolved.
Why has this happened?
Fridges and freezers need specialist treatment because they contain gases and materials that must be removed and recycled safely.
This year’s heatwaves have caused more appliances to break down, increasing demand for recycling services. At the same time, 3 recycling facilities in the UK have closed because of a fire, bankruptcy or a change of use.
As a result, councils are facing a nationwide shortage of places that can recycle old fridges and freezers. That means they currently have nowhere to send them, so collections through bulky waste collections have been suspended, and household recycling centres are unable to accept them.
What to do with your fridge or freezer
Residents are advised to keep their unwanted fridge or freezer safely at home, within the boundary of their property, until collections restart and Greenford Road reuse and recycling centre can accept them again.
Do not leave fridges or freezers on the pavement. They could be treated as fly-tipping and you could be fined.
Because this is an issue across the country, residents should not take fridges or freezers to any other household recycling centre as they will also be unable to accept them.
What you can do instead
If you are buying a replacement appliance, you can ask the retailer if it can take away your old fridge or freezer as part of a take-back scheme.
If you pay someone to remove an appliance, remember to make sure they are a licensed waste carrier and ask for a receipt. You can check for companies with the correct legal paperwork. This helps protect you if the item is later found to have been disposed of illegally.
Keeping residents updated
Councillor Dominic Moffitt, the council’s cabinet member for climate action, said: “I know this will be frustrating news for residents who need to get rid of old fridges and freezers.
“This is a national problem affecting councils and recycling centres across the country, caused by a shortage of facilities that can process these appliances.
“We are closely monitoring the situation and will restart collections as soon as recycling facilities become available again.”
For the latest information, visit the council’s bulky waste collections webpage, or Greenford Road reuse and recycling centre webpage.
