Somerset Council and its recycling site operator, Biffa have extended the 1-appliance-per-household limit for fridges, freezers and other cooling appliances at Somerset’s 16 recycling centres throughout September.
This limitation has been caused by a continuing national shortage of UK reprocessing capacity.
Residents are asked to hold off bringing appliances to recycling centres, if they can be safely stored, to help ease pressure until reprocessing capacity increases again.
Due to restrictions at many recycling centres across the country, proof of Somerset residency will continue to be required when bringing these appliances to a recycling site.
Alternative options for recycling appliances include:
- Using retailer take-back schemes as the preferred route where available, particularly when buying a replacement appliance
- Delaying disposal of fridges and freezers for a short period where it is practical and safe to do so
- If appliances are still usable, considering reuse options, including offering them on sites like Freegle or Facebook Marketplace, or donating them to local charities if they are accepted for resale
The temporary limit applies to household users only. Recycling sites will not be accepting:
- Appliances from commercial site users
- Commercial standard appliances
- Appliances containing ammonia
The position will be kept under review and it will continue through the month of September, with potential to extend, if national reprocessing capacity remains limited.
Appliances such as fridges, freezers and air-conditioning units need specialist treatment because they contain refrigerants and other materials that must be handled carefully.
The shortage is likely to have been caused by a fire and other unplanned outages at specialist treatment facilities, alongside increased volumes during warmer weather as more appliances are replaced or fail.
More information about how to pass on items can be found via the Council’s Pass it on and furniture reuse page.
