Home › By item › Refrigerator › Atlanta
A public resource guide
Free refrigerator removal in Atlanta, GA
CHaRM also takes them for $15 to $20 by appointment.
Checked against ATL311
Home › By item › Refrigerator › Atlanta
A public resource guide
CHaRM also takes them for $15 to $20 by appointment.
Checked against ATL311
12
free scheduled bulk pickups per household each year
8 cu yd
maximum per pickup, about a small room of furniture
7 p.m.
earliest set-out, the night before your collection day
$15 to $20
CHaRM Atlanta, $15 to $20 each
Every route for a refrigerator in Atlanta, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full Atlanta guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in Atlanta, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
City of Atlanta scheduled bulk collection: refrigerators
FreeRefrigerators are white goods, which the city collects through scheduled bulk pickup. Empty and defrost it, tape or remove the door for safety, and keep it upright at the curb.
Who qualifies: Single-family homes with City of Atlanta sanitation service. Apartment and condo residents are served by their building's private hauler.
How to schedule: Schedule through the Solid Waste Services Collection Tool on atlantaga.gov, by messaging @ATL311 on social media, or by calling 404-546-0311. Pickup happens on your regular weekly collection day.
Limits: 12 free scheduled collections per household per year, up to 8 cubic yards each (about a small room of furniture). A 13th collection costs $336.38.
Set-out: Items go at the curb in front of the property, clear of power lines, branches, mailboxes, and cars. Set out no earlier than 7 p.m. the night before pickup. An early set-out can draw a citation. Cancel by 3 p.m. the day before if plans change.
CHaRM Atlanta (Live Thrive): refrigerators
$15 to $20 eachCHaRM lists refrigerators, wine coolers, and dehumidifiers among the large appliances it takes.
Where: 1110 Hill St SE, Atlanta, GA 30315
How it works: Appointment required, booked at livethrive.org. No cash; cards, Venmo, and Apple Pay only. A second location, CHaRM DeKalb, is at 1225 Columbia Dr in Decatur.
Donation pickup in Atlanta (usable refrigerators)
FreeDonation programs are the right fit for items in usable condition. Most accept: clean upholstered furniture without significant tears or stains, working appliances less than 10 years old, mattresses in good condition (some programs have stricter mattress rules), kitchenware, lamps, and most home goods.
Items donation programs typically don’t accept: damaged or stained furniture, mattresses with bedbug history or significant wear, appliances that don’t work, particle-board furniture in poor condition, cribs (federal safety regulations have changed), and exercise equipment that requires reassembly.
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.
Where: Launched in metro Atlanta in 2026 and onboarding its first partner organizations.
How to access: Ask a caseworker, housing counselor, or nonprofit you already work with to submit a request, or use the Get help page to be connected.
What’s covered: One free pickup per household. Refrigerators, furniture, appliances, and bulk household items within standard LoadUp marketplace service.
How it’s funded: LoadUp customer round-ups and direct contributions, spent at standard LoadUp rates. The household pays nothing.
If you’re reading this, you probably need to get rid of something in Atlanta and you’re looking for the cheapest legitimate way to do it. This page covers every option, in order from free to paid, with what each one actually accepts and how to access it.
The Atlanta rule for refrigerators: Refrigerators are white goods, which the city collects through scheduled bulk pickup. Empty and defrost it, tape or remove the door for safety, and keep it upright at the curb.
Program basics: 12 free scheduled collections per household per year, up to 8 cubic yards each (about a small room of furniture). A 13th collection costs $336.38. Items go at the curb in front of the property, clear of power lines, branches, mailboxes, and cars. Set out no earlier than 7 p.m. the night before pickup. An early set-out can draw a citation. Cancel by 3 p.m. the day before if plans change.
What the city will not take: The city will not collect auto parts (including tires), building or construction materials, items from evictions or vacant properties, or anything left by a contractor.
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: ATL311 Bulk Collection Request (KB0011524), updated September 2026, City of Atlanta Public Works: Yard Trimmings, Live Thrive CHaRM: Items We Accept and fees. Programs change; confirm fees and limits before you go.
Hazardous and regulated components in Atlanta. Household hazardous waste, paint, motor oil, pesticides, pool chemicals, batteries, fluorescent bulbs, and old electronics with batteries, cannot go in regular trash and shouldn’t go to standard transfer stations.
Why refrigerators are different from ordinary bulk. The challenge with refrigerators is regulatory complexity, not bulk volume. Federal law (Clean Air Act Section 608) requires certified technicians to recover refrigerants, this CANNOT be done at the curb by a regular pickup crew.
Three mistakes that get refrigerators left at the curb:
When free options don’t fit your timeline or you don’t have a new appliance to swap with:
LoadUp paid refrigerator pickup
$80+For households not eligible for free programs, LoadUp offers professional removal with upfront pricing and same-week scheduling. Independent loaders in the marketplace handle pickup, loading, and licensed disposal.
What’s included: Loading, hauling, and licensed disposal of your refrigerator. 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 refrigerator pickup in Atlanta with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside Atlanta proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete Atlanta junk removal guide (every item type, city services, hazardous waste, and how to report dumping) and the national refrigerator disposal guide with rules for all 117 cities we cover.
Other free removal guides for Atlanta: mattress, couch, washer and dryer, furniture, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring, dishwasher.
Does Atlanta pick up refrigerators for free?
Yes. Refrigerators are collected as white goods under the city’s bulk program, scheduled through ATL311. CHaRM also takes them for $15 to $20 by appointment.
Where can I donate a refrigerator in Atlanta?
Donation programs are the right fit for items in usable condition. Most accept: clean upholstered furniture without significant tears or stains, working appliances less than 10 years old, mattresses in good condition (some programs have stricter mattress rules), kitchenware, lamps, and most home goods.
How much does paid refrigerator removal cost in Atlanta?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single refrigerator pickup in Atlanta starts around $80 to $100 with upfront pricing, and full-truck loads run $300 to $600 depending on volume. For households not eligible for free programs, LoadUp offers professional removal with upfront pricing and same-week scheduling. Independent loaders in the marketplace handle pickup, loading, and licensed disposal.
Can I just put a refrigerator at the curb?
In most cities, no. Refrigerators contain refrigerant that must be drained by a certified technician before disposal under federal Clean Air Act regulations. Most cities require either: (1) Pre-pickup drainage with a tag certifying it, OR (2) self-haul to a city Solid Waste Facility where staff handle drainage. Some cities exclude refrigerators from regular bulk entirely. Check your city’s rules in the section above.
What’s the cheapest way to get rid of a refrigerator?
In order from cheapest: (1) FREE if you’re replacing, retailer haul-away with new appliance delivery. (2) FREE PLUS REBATE if your unit is energy-inefficient and working, utility company appliance recycling rebate ($30 to $75 paid TO YOU). (3) FREE if you can self-haul, some cities (Knoxville, Albuquerque, Tucson) operate Solid Waste Facilities with on-site certified drainage. (4) ~$25 to $75 if you can’t self-haul, certified technician drainage + free city pickup. (5) $80+ for full-service paid hauling like LoadUp. Most households end up using option 1 (retailer haul-away) because they’re replacing the appliance anyway.
Why does federal law require certified refrigerant drainage?
Refrigerants are extraordinarily potent greenhouse gases. HCFC-22 (older Freon) has roughly 1,810 times the global warming potential of CO2 over 100 years. R-134a (modern automotive AC refrigerant) has 1,430. R-410A (modern home AC refrigerant) has 2,088. A typical home refrigerator contains about 4 to 8 ounces of refrigerant; releasing it during disposal is the equivalent of driving a car several thousand miles. The Clean Air Act Section 608 requires EPA-certified technicians for recovery to ensure the refrigerant is captured and reused or properly destroyed rather than vented to atmosphere.
Are washing machines and dryers handled the same way?
No, washers, dryers, dishwashers, and water heaters do NOT contain refrigerants and don’t require certified drainage. They’re typically eligible for regular city bulk pickup without special handling. The exception: gas dryers, which need their gas line professionally disconnected first (typically a plumber or appliance installer, often part of new appliance delivery).
Is this Atlanta page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full Atlanta guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.