When AO collects your old fridge, it is taken to AO’s specialist recycling facility, where it is safely broken down so that materials can be recovered and used to make other products, including new appliances.
AO has invested more than £20 million in its recycling operation and recycles around one million appliances every year.
From collection to recycling, watch how AO makes it easier to dispose of old electrical appliances responsibly:
Where does my old fridge go after AO collects it?
Old fridges collected by AO are taken to the company’s own specialist recycling plant.
This means the appliance is handled by AO from collection through to recycling, rather than being passed to an unknown third party.
AO opened its own recycling plant because electrical appliances are not always recycled properly, even when people try to dispose of them responsibly.
Hundreds of thousands of electrical appliances, including fridges, cookers and washing machines, are dumped illegally in the UK every year. Choosing a collection service that can explain where an appliance will go helps reduce the risk of it being handled or disposed of incorrectly.
How does AO recycle an old fridge?
At AO’s recycling plant, old fridges are safely broken down so that their materials can be recovered.
Some of those recovered materials can then be used to make other products and even new appliances.
Fridges need to be handled by specialist recycling facilities. They are large, complex electrical appliances and contain materials that must be managed safely during the recycling process.
By operating its own recycling plant, AO controls the journey of an appliance after collection and can make sure it is processed through the correct recycling operation.
Can parts of an old fridge be used again?
The materials recovered when an old fridge is broken down can be used to make other products, including new appliances.
This means recycling is not simply about removing an unwanted fridge from someone’s home. It is also about retaining useful materials and putting them back into use.
Recycling appliances properly can help reduce illegal dumping and limit the need to use new raw materials in manufacturing.
How can I be sure my fridge is recycled properly?
One of the most important questions to ask when arranging an appliance collection is where the product will go after it leaves your home.
An appliance being taken away does not, by itself, guarantee that it will be recycled properly.
AO has invested more than £20 million to own and control its recycling process in-house. Around one million appliances are recycled through AO’s operation each year.
This gives AO visibility over what happens to the appliance from the point of collection through to processing at its recycling plant.
Does AO collect fridges for recycling?
Yes. AO offers two ways to have an old fridge, freezer or fridge freezer collected for recycling.
Collect & Recycle
AO’s Collect & Recycle service can be booked even if you are not buying a new appliance from AO.
The standalone service starts from £30 per item. Customers choose an available collection date and AO collects the unwanted appliance from their home.
In some areas, next-day collection may be available. Customers can also leave the appliance outside in a safe and accessible place, meaning they do not necessarily need to be at home when it is collected.
Find out more about AO’s Collect & Recycle service.
Remove & Recycle
If you are purchasing a new appliance from AO, Remove & Recycle allows you to have the old appliance taken away when the replacement is delivered.
The service can be added when placing your order. It may also be added to an existing order by contacting AO before the relevant cut-off time ahead of delivery.
Find out more about AO’s Remove & Recycle service.
Is fridge removal included with AO Membership?
AO Membership includes Remove & Recycle when a member purchases an eligible new large appliance.
This means AO will unpack the new appliance, remove the packaging and take the old appliance away for recycling as part of the membership benefit.
This applies when AO is delivering a new eligible appliance. It is different from the standalone Collect & Recycle service for people who are not buying a replacement appliance from AO.
What should I do before my fridge is collected?
Before AO collects your old fridge, freezer or fridge freezer, make sure it is:
- Empty of all food and other contents
- Fully defrosted
- Free from water
- Reasonably clean
- Disconnected from the relevant household supplies
If you are leaving the appliance outside, place it somewhere safe and accessible for the collection team.
Checking the requirements for your chosen service before collection will help avoid delays or the appliance being unable to be taken away.
Why does responsible fridge recycling matter?
Once an old appliance has been taken away, it can be easy to assume that it will automatically be recycled.
However, electrical appliances can be illegally dumped or handled through recycling routes that do not process them properly.
Using a collection service with its own specialist recycling operation provides greater clarity about where the appliance will go and what will happen to it.
AO’s recycling operation was created to make it easier for customers to dispose of old appliances responsibly, with collection and recycling managed as part of the same process.