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National fridge and freezer disposal issue temporarily affects Gloucestershire recycling centres

Published
A national issue affecting the collection and processing of fridges and freezers means Gloucestershire County Council will have to temporarily stop accepting these items at its household recycling centres (HRCs) from Saturday 8 August.

Councils and waste operators across the country are experiencing similar challenges as the number of appliances awaiting collection continues to exceed the industry's capacity to remove and process them.  

GCC will be emailing customers with bookings to let them know about the change.  

A number of councils across the country are facing similar challenges. This week Warwickshire County Council announced an immediate suspension at its household recycling centres, following similar action taken elsewhere, including Nottinghamshire and South Gloucestershire. 

Gloucestershire County Council has worked extensively with its contractors to maximise storage space and continue accepting these items for as long as possible. However, the number of appliances arriving at sites is currently far greater than the number that can be removed, making a temporary suspension unavoidable.  

Cllr Ashley Bowkett, cabinet member for Nature, Climate and Waste Reduction, said:  "We understand this will be frustrating for residents and we're sorry for the inconvenience caused. This is a national issue affecting the waste industry across the country and unfortunately it is outside the control of the county council. We have explored every possible option available to us and worked closely with our contractors to continue accepting fridges and freezers for as long as possible, but we have now reached the point where our sites cannot safely accommodate any more.

"We are continuing to work with our partners to monitor the situation and will resume accepting fridges and freezers as soon as it is practical and safe to do so." 

Fridges, freezers and any cooling item brought to HRCs will not be accepted.   

Residents who need to dispose of a fridge or freezer in the meantime are encouraged to: 

  • Give away or sell appliances that are still in good working order potentially through sites like freegle or freecycle - more details on the Gloucestershire Recycles website.  
  • Use retailer take-back schemes when purchasing a replacement appliance 
  • Check whether their district or borough council offers a bulky waste collection service (charges may apply) 
  • Safely store their appliance at home until the suspension is lifted, where possible.  
  • Only use licensed waste carriers. Unlicensed operators may illegally dump waste, and residents can be held responsible if their appliance is traced back to them. 

Cllr Lisa Spivey, leader of the council, will be writing to DEFRA calling on them to provide support and lobbying pressure to resolve this issue nationally. She will also be encouraging other council leaders to do the same.   

Updates will be published on the council's website and social media channels as the situation develops. Gloucestershire Recycles | Gloucestershire Recycles. Please be kind to staff doing their jobs who have not control over this issue.