How to Dispose of a Refrigerator in Meridian, MS

A dead refrigerator is heavy, awkward, and — unlike most junk — legally regulated because of the refrigerant sealed inside it. You cannot just roll it to the curb and expect it gone. This guide explains how to get rid of a fridge or freezer in Meridian the right way, including the refrigerant (freon) rules that trip most people up. When you want it handled without the headache, call or text (601) 202-5059.

Why refrigerators are different

Refrigerators, freezers, window air conditioners, and dehumidifiers contain refrigerant — often still called "freon" — in their sealed cooling systems. Federal Clean Air Act rules require that refrigerant be recovered by a certified technician before the appliance is scrapped or crushed, because venting it into the air is illegal and harmful. This one requirement shapes every disposal option below.

It also means Meridian's curbside program treats fridges specially. The City of Meridian will collect a refrigerator with the weekly bulk pickup only if it has been tagged to certify the refrigerant was removed by authorized personnel. An untagged fridge gets left at the curb because it is not compliant. That surprises a lot of residents.

Option 1: City of Meridian bulk pickup (with a tag)

If you are a city trash customer, you can put a refrigerator out for weekly bulk collection — but first you must arrange to have the refrigerant recovered and the unit tagged accordingly. Contact the city's sanitation contractor, Waste Pro, to ask how to get an appliance tagged before your collection day. Without that tag, the truck will pass it by. Set the tagged unit curbside by 6:00 a.m., away from wires, the meter, and your mailbox.

Option 2: Retailer haul-away with a new purchase

Buying a replacement fridge? Both Lowe's and Home Depot will haul away your old one when they deliver the new appliance, typically for a modest haul-away/recycling fee, on a one-for-one basis (the old unit has to match the type of appliance being delivered). You usually need to empty, defrost, and disconnect the old fridge before the delivery crew arrives. Meridian has a Lowe's at 100 15th Place South; confirm the current haul-away fee and requirements when you order. This is convenient because it happens in the same trip as your delivery.

Option 3: Scrap and recycling

A refrigerator is mostly steel, and scrap-metal yards will take it once the refrigerant has been properly recovered and the unit is certified. Some yards handle the refrigerant recovery themselves; others require it done first. Call ahead so you are not turned away. Recycling keeps a few hundred pounds of steel, copper, aluminum, and plastic out of the landfill.

Option 4: Full-service refrigerator removal

If you are not buying a replacement, cannot arrange the tagging, or simply do not want to move a 250-pound appliance down a hallway and out a door, we handle the whole thing. Our refrigerator removal service includes managing the refrigerant recovery requirement and routing the steel to recycling. You point at the fridge; we do the rest. It is the simplest path when you want it gone today and off your hands entirely.

What about a working fridge you just don't need?

Not every refrigerator headed out the door is broken. If yours still runs — maybe you upgraded, or you are clearing a second unit from the garage — it has options a dead one does not. A clean, working fridge can be donated: the Salvation Army thrift store in Meridian accepts appliances, and other local charities may as well (call first). A working unit can also be sold or handed down. One thing to weigh, though: very old refrigerators are energy hogs, and a decades-old "garage beer fridge" can quietly cost more in electricity each year than it is worth. If it is ancient, recycling the steel is often the smarter move than passing the power bill to someone else.

Where the old fridge ends up

However it leaves, the goal is the same — keep the refrigerant contained and the metal out of the landfill. After a certified technician recovers the refrigerant, a refrigerator is mostly valuable scrap: steel cabinet and shelving, copper in the compressor and coils, aluminum, and plastic. Scrap yards and appliance recyclers reclaim those materials, and retailers who haul away old units route them through the same kind of recovery process. When we take a fridge, we make sure the refrigerant step is handled and the shell goes to recycling rather than straight to Pine Ridge Landfill.

Before the fridge goes

• Empty it completely and pull out any loose shelves or drawers that might shift.
• Defrost a freezer ahead of time and towel out standing water so it does not leak on your floors.
• Tape the doors shut for the move — and if a fridge will sit outside at all, remove the doors entirely so a child or pet cannot get trapped inside. This is a genuine safety issue.
• Never vent the refrigerant yourself. It is illegal and dangerous; leave it to a certified tech.

Ready to make the old fridge disappear the right way? Call or text (601) 202-5059 for an up-front price.

Sources

City of Meridian freon/appliance tagging rule: meridianms.org. EPA refrigerant recovery (Section 608, Clean Air Act): epa.gov. Lowe's appliance haul-away: lowes.com.

Last verified August 2026. Facility names, addresses, hours, and fees change; call ahead to confirm current details before you make a trip.