Press Releases
Cool news for Ealing's old fridges (PR 1225)
Ealing Council is marking the start of national recycling week by scrapping the charge for collecting old fridges and freezers.
From Monday, 2 June, the Council will scrap the £15 charge for collecting the appliances and taking them away so their plastic and metal parts can be recycled.
Every year dozens of fridges and freezers are fly-tipped in the borough, costing thousands of pounds to clear up. The Council has invested £71,000 in the new service in a bid to reduce the number of appliances dumped illegally across Ealing.
It’s also good news for the environment because older models often contain chemicals in their cooling systems which can damage the ozone layer in they’re not disposed of correctly. All appliances collected by the Council will be taken to a cryo-condensation plant where the ozone-depleting gases will be removed and destroyed.
Councillor Sue Emment, Cabinet Member for Environment and Street Services, said: “It’s disgusting that some people think it’s ok to just dump their unwanted appliances. It’s really sad that some people just can’t be bothered to dispose of their waste responsibly. I hope that by making the service free it will encourage more people to get rid of their fridges properly instead of being tempted to fly-tip them.”
To find out more about the Council’s free fridge/freezer collection service call 020 8825 6000, or visit the collection of bulky items page.
The council's recycling team is holding a Recycling Week roadshow on Friday 6 June - find out more.