Due to a national issue affecting fridge and freezer recycling facilities, it will be necessary to temporarily suspend household collections of fridges and freezers in Elmbridge, Mole Valley, Surrey Heath and Woking. Bulky waste collections for all other items will continue as normal.
Over the summer, several factors including fires, equipment breakdowns and site closures have resulted in a significant restriction on availability at the specialist sites where the appliances get delivered to for storage and recycling. The heatwaves also caused a higher than usual rate of fridges and freezers to stop working, resulting in a higher demand for recycling. As there are currently fewer treatment facilities for fridges and freezers, space at Surrey’s waste disposal sites has become limited. For these reasons, and while a solution is being devised, a pause on the collection of these items has been put in place temporarily.
Existing bookings
If you live in Elmbridge, Mole Valley, Surrey Heath or Woking and you have already booked a collection via your local council, please note that your booking will be honoured and your collection will go ahead as planned.
Temporary alternatives
If you need to dispose of a fridge/freezer, there are currently these options:
- You can take your appliance to your local Community Recycling Centre (CRC);
- Or, if you are buying a replacement, it may be worth checking if the retailer offers a service to remove the item for you, usually at an additional cost;
- You may decide to arrange a private collection, if so, please ensure the company is properly licensed.
If you cannot do any of the above, please store your fridge or freezer safely at home until services resume.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause, and we will update you as soon as we have confirmation that the service is able to return to normal.
Thursday 17 September 2026