Home › By item › Air conditioner › Spokane
A public resource guide
Every free and paid way to get rid of a air conditioner in Spokane, verified October 2026.
Checked against City of Spokane Solid Waste
$0
free bulky pickups; large items are collected for an extra fee by 311 request
$24.93
minimum 2026 trash rate at the Waste to Energy Facility, up to 320 pounds, plus a $2.68 fee
Free
household hazardous waste and recyclables drop-off at the Waste to Energy Facility, 7 days a week
Charged as trash
Waste to Energy Facility Recycling and Disposal Site, charged as trash
Every route for a air conditioner in Spokane, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full Spokane guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in Spokane, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
Spokane bulky item disposal: air conditioners
City pickup or drop-off, fees applyThe WTE facility accepts refrigerant appliances charged as trash; county stations add $30.
Who qualifies: City of Spokane Solid Waste Collection customers. Spokane has no free bulky program; large items are collected for an extra fee by request, or self-hauled to the city's Waste to Energy Facility.
How to schedule: Call 311 (509-755-2489) before your collection day to arrange a paid large item pickup, or set bundled extra material under 4 feet next to your cart for a per-item fee. Self-haul to the Waste to Energy Facility at 2900 S. Geiger Blvd, open 7 days 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., for $24.93 minimum (up to 320 pounds) plus a $2.68 transaction fee in 2026. Since March 2026 city residents can request a $30 Disposal Pass for the facility.
Limits: Fees apply to everything bulky. Extra material next to the cart must be bundled and under 4 feet. The county transfer stations add $30 per refrigerant appliance.
Set-out: Only on a date arranged through 311, next to your cart. Loose bulky items at the curb otherwise are not collected.
Waste to Energy Facility Recycling and Disposal Site: air conditioners
Charged as trashRefrigerant handled.
Where: 2900 S. Geiger Blvd, Spokane, WA 99224
How it works: Open 7 days, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Trash $152.60 per ton with a $24.93 minimum for up to 320 pounds, plus $2.68 per vehicle. Appliances are accepted and recycled but charged as trash. Up to 6 tires per visit. Household hazardous waste and recyclables are free. Loads must be covered.
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 Spokane: 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 Spokane: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.
Spokane, Washington operates city-run municipal solid waste collection with a fee-based Load Truck service for bulk item pickup that requires a call to 311 in advance to send the right truck. The city also offers food and yard waste collection, weekly March through November and monthly in winter, one of the more year-round organics programs in the Pacific Northwest. A new 2026 appliance refrigerant fee of $30 applies at transfer stations. This guide covers every option for City of Spokane residents.
The Spokane rule for air conditioners: The WTE facility accepts refrigerant appliances charged as trash; county stations add $30.
Program basics: Fees apply to everything bulky. Extra material next to the cart must be bundled and under 4 feet. The county transfer stations add $30 per refrigerant appliance. Only on a date arranged through 311, next to your cart. Loose bulky items at the curb otherwise are not collected.
What the city will not take: Nothing is collected free. Household hazardous waste and recyclables are free to drop off at the Waste to Energy Facility.
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: City of Spokane Solid Waste Services: Residential Services, City of Spokane Solid Waste Services: Disposal locations and 2026 rates, Spokane County: Disposal and Transfer Stations (refrigerant fee). Programs change; confirm fees and limits before you go.
Hazardous and regulated components in Spokane. Spokane’s Waste to Energy Facility accepts self-haul trash and yard waste 7 days a week (fees apply). Recyclables and household hazardous waste are free at all City and County facilities.
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 Spokane households who need same-day or in-home pickup, need crew labor, or want faster service than city programs allow, LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Spokane area.
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 Spokane with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside Spokane proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete Spokane 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 Spokane: mattress, couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring.
Does Spokane pick up air conditioners for free?
WTE facility by weight.
How much does paid air conditioner removal cost in Spokane?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single air conditioner pickup in Spokane starts around $80 to $100 with upfront pricing, and full-truck loads run $300 to $600 depending on volume. For Spokane households who need same-day or in-home pickup, need crew labor, or want faster service than city programs allow, LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Spokane area.
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 Spokane page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full Spokane guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.