Home › By item › Air conditioner › Aurora
A public resource guide
Free air conditioner removal in Aurora, CO
Every free and paid way to get rid of a air conditioner in Aurora, verified October 2026.
Checked against City of Aurora
Home › By item › Air conditioner › Aurora
A public resource guide
Every free and paid way to get rid of a air conditioner in Aurora, verified October 2026.
Checked against City of Aurora
0
city trash or bulky service; every home contracts a licensed hauler
Your hauler
schedules bulky pickups for a fee that varies by company
Cleanup events
city-organized neighborhood events a few times a year
Every route for a air conditioner in Aurora, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full Aurora guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in Aurora, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
Aurora bulky item disposal: air conditioners
Your hauler, for a feeYour hauler (refrigerant fee) or a scrap yard that handles refrigerant.
Who qualifies: Aurora has no city trash collection. Every home, HOA, or building arranges service with one of the city's licensed private haulers, and bulky pickups are arranged with that hauler for a fee.
How to schedule: Call your hauler (Republic, Waste Connections, Waste Management, HBS, Mountain High, and others) to schedule a bulky pickup; fees vary. Self-haul to the Denver Arapahoe Disposal Site for a fee, or use the city's periodic neighborhood cleanup events. The 2021 free large-item pickup was a one-time program.
Limits: Set by your hauler. City cleanup events have their own rules and run a few times a year.
Set-out: Only on a date your hauler confirms; Aurora code requires trash to be contained and out of street view otherwise.
Freemoval (free pickups through partner organizations)
FreeFreemoval funds free junk removal and cleanouts for households referred by trusted partner organizations, such as nonprofits, housing programs, and senior services. Families don’t apply directly. A partner submits the request and vouches for the need.
Status in Aurora: Not yet available. Freemoval currently serves metro Atlanta and plans to expand nationwide.
How it works where it operates: One free pickup per household, covering air conditioners, furniture, appliances, and bulk household items within standard LoadUp marketplace service. Funded by LoadUp customer round-ups and direct contributions, spent at standard LoadUp rates.
If you run a nonprofit or housing program in Aurora: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.
Aurora, Colorado is the 51st-largest U.S. city and one of the few major cities where the city itself does not provide trash or recycling collection. Aurora requires all residences to have weekly trash service, but residents choose from the city’s licensed private haulers list. Aurora Water does run a citywide HHW pickup program through Waste Management’s At Your Door service: year-round curbside HHW pickup for $10 for Aurora residents (discounted from the $20 standard rate). Pedal Point LifeCycle Solutions partners with the city for electronics recycling events with rotating 2026 dates. Trash containers must be screened from street view per city code. This guide covers every disposal option for City of Aurora residents.
The Aurora rule for air conditioners: Your hauler (refrigerant fee) or a scrap yard that handles refrigerant.
Program basics: Set by your hauler. City cleanup events have their own rules and run a few times a year. Only on a date your hauler confirms; Aurora code requires trash to be contained and out of street view otherwise.
What the city will not take: Nothing is collected free citywide. Electronics are banned from Colorado landfills.
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: City of Aurora: Trash and Recycling (private hauler system). Programs change; confirm fees and limits before you go.
Hazardous and regulated components in Aurora. Aurora Water funds an unusually convenient HHW program: year-round curbside pickup of household hazardous waste at $10 for Aurora residents. The contractor is Waste Management under the At Your Door brand.
Why air conditioners are different from ordinary bulk. The refrigerant is the whole story. Older units use R-22, which was phased out of production in 2020; newer ones use R-410A, which is itself being phased down under the AIM Act. Both are potent greenhouse gases and both must be captured, which is why landfills refuse ACs and why some cities charge a small refrigerant recovery fee.
Three mistakes that get air conditioners left at the curb:
Paid options matter when the unit is a heavy central condenser with no contractor involved, or when the city only offers a drop-off you cannot get to.
HVAC technician refrigerant recovery
$50 to $150An EPA-certified technician can recover the refrigerant from a window unit or condenser at your home and tag it. After that, the unit is ordinary scrap metal and any recycler or bulk program will take it.
Worth it for central condensers that need to be moved by a general hauler rather than an HVAC company.
LoadUp paid air conditioner pickup
$80+For Aurora households needing in-home pickup, items beyond your hauler’s bulk policy, or service when crew labor is needed (heavy items, multiple-piece sets), LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Denver metro for upfront-priced pickup.
What’s included: Loading, hauling, and licensed disposal of your air conditioner. No prep needed beyond pointing out what goes.
Pricing: Starts around $80 for a single item; full-truck pickups range from $300 to $600 depending on volume.
If you can pay for a pickup, your booking helps fund free pickups for someone else. Every paid LoadUp customer can opt in to round up at checkout, and 100% of round-ups go directly to Freemoval’s subsidized jobs.
Book air conditioner pickup in Aurora with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside Aurora proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete Aurora junk removal guide (every item type, city services, hazardous waste, and how to report dumping) and the national air conditioner disposal guide with rules for all 117 cities we cover.
Other free removal guides for Aurora: mattress, couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring.
Does Aurora pick up air conditioners for free?
Your hauler or a scrap yard.
How much does paid air conditioner removal cost in Aurora?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single air conditioner pickup in Aurora starts around $80 to $100 with upfront pricing, and full-truck loads run $300 to $600 depending on volume. For Aurora households needing in-home pickup, items beyond your hauler’s bulk policy, or service when crew labor is needed (heavy items, multiple-piece sets), LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Denver metro for upfront-priced pickup.
Can I throw a window air conditioner in the trash?
No. Air conditioners contain refrigerant regulated under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act, and landfills and transfer stations refuse them. Use a city appliance pickup, a scrap recycler with recovery equipment, or a retailer or utility takeback.
Do I have to remove the refrigerant myself?
You cannot legally do it without EPA certification. City programs, scrap yards with recovery equipment, and HVAC technicians handle it. Your job is to deliver the unit intact with the lines uncut.
Is there a fee to dispose of an air conditioner?
Many cities collect ACs free with appliance pickup. Some charge $10 to $30 for refrigerant recovery, and a few require drop-off at a solid waste facility. Scrap yards are usually free. HVAC technicians charge $50 to $150 for on-site recovery.
What about portable air conditioners on wheels?
Same rules. Portable units contain refrigerant and go through the same appliance channels as window units. Drain the condensate tank before moving it.
Is this Aurora page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full Aurora guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.