Congratulations. You’ve decided to upgrade to the latest and greatest in refrigeration technology. Perhaps your old refrigeration unit has just up and died. Or as John Cleese of Monty Python fame once described a dead parrot: ‘Its metabolic processes are now history! ‘He’s off the twig! ‘He’s kicked the bucket, ‘he’s shuffled off ‘this mortal coil, rung down the curtain and joined the bleedin’ choir invisible!! THIS IS AN EX-PARROT!!”. Once you’re determined that your refrigeration unit has indeed rung down the curtain and joined the Choir Invisible, the question then becomes “What do you do with your “ex refrigerator”?

The overarching theme of refrigeration unit disposal is Responsibility. In the US, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets forth the regulations relating to the responsible disposal of refrigeration equipment. The good news is that unless you’re the final person in the disposal chain, you’re not beholden to those regulations. But if you want to be a good steward of this planet, it’s helpful to know what’s expected and use reputable service providers.

Refrigeration that is dismantled on-site before must have refrigerant recovered in accordance with EPA’s requirements for servicing prior to their disposal. For the nerds in the group, that information can be found here: https://www.epa.gov/section608/stationary-refrigeration-service-practice-requirements. So if the service person says something like “here goes nothing”, you might want to reconsider your service provider.

Equipment that enters the waste stream with its refrigerant charge intact are subject to special safe disposal requirements (abbreviated version):

• If the final person in the disposal chain accepts an appliance that no longer holds a refrigerant charge, that person is responsible for maintaining a signed statement from the person who dropped off the appliance.
• Individuals recovering refrigerant from small appliances, MVACs, and MVAC-like air conditioners, when preparing them for disposal, are not required to be certified technicians. However, the equipment used to recover refrigerant from appliances prior to their final disposal must meet the same performance standards as refrigerant recovery equipment used for servicing.

In short: Even though chefs, restaurant GM’s etc. are remarkably resourceful, let professionals do the removal. That way, from a regulatory standpoint, you’re off the hook.

So enjoy that new Smart Refrigerator. Just make sure you give your old unit a proper burial.

Mathew Mandeltort
Co-Founder
ChefWorthy
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