Appliance Recycling Report Card: All 50 States Graded [2026]

• •The U.S. recycled 3.1 million tons of major appliances in 2018, but still landfilled 2.1 million tons — a 59% recycling rate for major appliances overall (EPA).

• •Steel from appliances has an 88% recycling rate, the second-highest of any steel product after structural steel at 98% (USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025).

• •22 states have banned major appliances from landfills. The other 28 states have no such ban.

• •EPA's Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) program has processed over 9 million refrigerated appliances since 2006, avoiding ozone-depleting substance emissions equivalent to powering 5 million homes annually.

• •Americans throw away more than 2 million small appliances each year — a figure that has doubled since 2000 and quadrupled since 1980 (Consumer Reports, citing EPA data).

• •A typical scrapped refrigerator contains $11-28 in recoverable metal: $8-20 in steel plus $3-8 in copper from the compressor.

• •Utility companies in 20+ states offer free appliance pickup plus $50-75 rebates through energy efficiency programs — but most consumers don't know these programs exist.

• •Retailer haul-away programs (Home Depot: $25, Lowe's: $30, Best Buy: $49.99) only apply when purchasing a new appliance.

Each state was evaluated on five criteria:

• •Has a landfill ban on major appliances — an explicit prohibition on disposing of refrigerators, washers, dryers, stoves, or other white goods in landfills.

• •Has CFC/refrigerant enforcement — state-level enforcement of refrigerant recovery beyond the baseline federal Section 608 requirements.

• •Has utility-funded recycling programs — electric or gas utilities offering free appliance pickup and rebates for retiring old units.

• •Has accessible drop-off infrastructure — scrap yards, municipal collection sites, or certified recyclers within reasonable distance of most residents.

• •Has a Certified Appliance Recycler program or equivalent — state oversight ensuring hazardous materials (mercury switches, CFC refrigerants, PCBs, foam-blowing agents) are properly handled.

States with a landfill ban, active utility programs, and strong enforcement received A grades. States with bans but limited programs received B or C. States with no landfill ban and minimal infrastructure received D or F.

Five states earned A grades for combining landfill bans, robust utility recycling programs, certified recycler networks, and active enforcement. These states make it easy for residents to recycle old appliances — and in many cases, get paid to do it.

California has the most comprehensive appliance recycling framework in the country. The state bans all major appliances from landfills and requires refrigerant-containing appliances to be processed only by facilities certified through the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) Certified Appliance Recycler (CAR) program.

The CAR program sets strict standards for removal of Materials Requiring Special Handling (MRSH) — including CFC refrigerants, mercury switches, PCB-containing capacitors, and foam-blowing agents. As of 2026, California is the only state with a dedicated appliance recycler certification program at the state level.

California utilities including PG&E, SCE, and SDG&E offer free refrigerator and freezer pickup with rebates of $35-50. Municipal programs across the state's 58 counties provide additional collection options. San Joaquin County, for example, accepts appliances for free at its solid waste facilities.

Michigan benefits from two major utility companies running aggressive appliance recycling programs. Consumers Energy offers free pickup of working refrigerators and freezers (10-30 cubic feet) plus a rebate. DTE Energy provides free removal plus a $50 gift card for qualifying units.

Michigan bans major appliances from landfills. The state's dense network of scrap metal processors — driven by the automotive industry — provides additional recycling infrastructure that most states lack. Residents in nearly every county have access to a scrap yard that accepts white goods within a 30-minute drive.

Massachusetts runs one of the strongest utility-funded appliance recycling programs in the country through Mass Save, a collaborative of the state's gas and electric utilities. The program offers free pickup and removal of working refrigerators and freezers plus a $75 rebate — one of the highest rebates nationally.

National Grid's Massachusetts program specifically targets energy-inefficient second refrigerators and freezers. The state bans major appliances from landfills, and its compact geography means collection sites are accessible to the vast majority of residents. Massachusetts also requires CFC recovery and tracks compliance through its Department of Environmental Protection.

Illinois banned major appliances from landfills in 1994 — one of the earliest state-level bans. The state specifically targets mercury switches, CFC refrigerants, and PCB-containing capacitors, requiring removal before any recycling or disposal. ComEd and Ameren Illinois both offer appliance recycling programs with free pickup.

Minnesota's Pollution Control Agency publishes detailed recycler requirements covering every appliance type and hazardous component. The state bans appliances from landfills and has enforcement mechanisms for illegal dumping. Xcel Energy and Minnesota Power offer recycling programs with rebates. Minnesota also benefits from a strong network of certified recyclers, particularly in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area.

Twenty-two states ban major appliances from landfills. In these states, disposing of a refrigerator, washer, dryer, stove, or other white good in a landfill is illegal — though enforcement varies widely.

The bans primarily target three hazardous components found in appliances:

• •CFC and HCFC refrigerants (Freon) — ozone-depleting substances found in refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioners

• •Mercury switches — found in older chest freezers and pre-2006 appliances with tilt or temperature switches

• •PCB-containing capacitors — found in some older motors and compressors

Federal law (40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F) already requires refrigerant recovery from any appliance before disposal. State landfill bans go further by prohibiting the appliance itself from entering a landfill, regardless of whether hazardous components have been removed.

The economic case for appliance recycling is straightforward: appliances are mostly steel, and steel is highly recyclable.

According to the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries (2025), the recycling rate for steel from appliances is 88% — meaning nearly nine out of ten pounds of steel in discarded appliances gets recovered and re-enters the manufacturing supply chain. Only structural steel from construction has a higher rate at 98%.

A single refrigerator contains roughly 120-150 pounds of steel, 3-8 pounds of copper (in the compressor and wiring), and smaller amounts of aluminum, plastic, and glass. At current scrap prices, that translates to $11-28 in recoverable material per unit.

At scale, the numbers are significant. The EPA reports 3.1 million tons of major appliances were recycled in 2018. At average scrap steel prices, that represents hundreds of millions of dollars in recovered metal — and avoids the energy cost of mining and smelting virgin ore. Recycled steel requires 74% less energy to produce than steel from iron ore.

One of the least-known resources for appliance recycling is utility company programs. Electric and gas utilities in 20+ states offer free pickup of old, working refrigerators and freezers — and many pay rebates of $50-75 on top of the free removal.

These programs exist because old appliances waste electricity. A refrigerator from the 1990s uses 3-4 times more electricity than a current ENERGY STAR model. Utilities fund the pickup because retiring these units reduces peak demand, which is cheaper than building new power plants.

The catch: most programs require the appliance to be plugged in and working at the time of pickup. They target "second fridges" — the old unit in the garage or basement that runs 24/7 and costs $100-200/year in electricity but barely gets opened.

For consumers who don't qualify for utility programs (broken appliance, non-refrigerated unit, or no active utility program in their state), there are five main disposal options — and the cost range is wide.

Understanding appliance lifespans helps explain the volume of waste. According to Sears Home Services and multiple industry sources, most major appliances last 10-15 years — meaning every household will face appliance disposal decisions multiple times.

Notably, appliance lifespans have been declining. The National Association of Home Builders found that refrigerators manufactured before 2000 lasted an average of 17-20 years, while newer models average closer to 10-13 years. This shorter lifecycle means more appliances entering the waste stream faster.

The following table shows every state's grade, landfill ban status, and key program details.

Despite an 88% steel recycling rate and widespread scrap metal infrastructure, over 2 million tons of appliances reach landfills every year. Three factors explain the gap:

• •Accessibility gaps in 28 states without landfill bans — with no legal requirement, convenience wins. If it is easier to put an old washer on the curb for the trash truck than to transport it to a recycler, most people choose the easier option.

• •Small appliance blind spot — while major appliances (refrigerators, washers, dryers) have high recycling rates due to their scrap metal value, small appliances (toasters, blenders, coffee makers) are almost never recycled. Americans discard more than 2 million small appliances per year, and that number has doubled since 2000.

• •Cost of proper disposal — in states without free programs, disposing of an appliance legally costs $25-150 or more. Illegal dumping of appliances is a nationwide problem, particularly in rural areas and low-income neighborhoods where disposal costs are a real barrier.

This report card is based on publicly available data from the following sources:

• •U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — "Facts and Figures about Materials, Waste, and Recycling" (5.3 million tons major appliances generated, 3.1 million tons recycled in 2018); RAD program results (9 million+ refrigerated appliances processed 2006-2025); Section 608 refrigerant recovery regulations.

• •U.S. Geological Survey — Mineral Commodity Summaries 2024 and 2025 (88% steel recycling rate for appliances).

• •American Iron and Steel Institute — appliance steel recycling data.

• •State environmental agency websites for all 50 states — landfill ban statutes, recycler certification programs, enforcement records.

• •Utility company websites — program details, rebate amounts, eligibility requirements for Consumers Energy, DTE Energy, Mass Save, ComEd, Xcel Energy, PSE&G, UGI, Duke Energy, PG&E, and others.

• •Consumer Reports — small appliance disposal data citing EPA statistics.

• •TakeMyAppliance, iScrap App — current scrap metal values for appliances.

• •Earth911 — state landfill ban compilations and recycling guides.

Grades are editorial assessments reflecting the comprehensiveness of each state's appliance recycling framework as of March 2026. Dropcurb is a curbside junk removal marketplace. This report was produced as a public resource using publicly available data.