Step-by-Step Guide to Process Appliance Recycling

Every year, millions of old refrigerators are discarded when families upgrade to newer models. However, most people are unaware that a refrigerator contains valuable materials—such as copper, aluminum, and steel—as well as harmful refrigerants that must be safely removed. Knowing how to recycle a refrigerator properly not only protects the environment but also recovers recyclable resources that would otherwise be wasted.

1. Start by Removing Hazardous Materials

Older refrigerators may contain refrigerants such as R-22 or CFC-12, which are harmful to the atmosphere. These gases must be professionally extracted using sealed recovery equipment. Never attempt to cut refrigeration tubes on your own.

2. Refrigerator Crushing
Use equipment such as a refrigerator shredder or a two-shaft metal shredder to break the refrigerator into small pieces. Metals are liberated from foam insulation and mixed plastic parts.

3. Separation of Materials

After shredding, automated separation begins: Magnetic separation pulls out steel. Eddy current separators recover aluminum. Automatic density or air separation separates foam and plastics. At the end of the process, the refrigerator becomes valuable raw materials ready for reuse.