Freon units

Refrigerator Recycling

Fridges, freezers, dehumidifiers and A/C units, with the freon evacuated by a certified facility. Three flat prices, and utility rebates that can cover them.

Call (231) 632-2272 Schedule a Pickup

Why a fridge is not just another appliance

A refrigerator, a freezer, a dehumidifier and a window air conditioner all run on freon. That refrigerant cannot go to a scrap yard or a landfill. Since 1992 the EPA's Clean Air Act has required it to be removed before the unit is scrapped.

BARC sends freon units to a certified facility that evacuates the refrigerant properly. Once that is done, the steel, copper and aluminum in the cabinet go back into the recycling stream like any other metal. Nothing has to sit in the back yard waiting for someone to figure out what to do with it.

This is also why a fridge is not on the electronics list, even though it has a cord. If you are bringing a TV and a freezer to Traverse City in the same trip, they are priced on different lines. See our electronics recycling page for the TV side.

Three prices and a pickup option

The 2026-27 sheet has three freon lines. Small units like an A/C, a mini fridge or cooler, or a dehumidifier are $65. A standard refrigerator or freezer is $100. Oversized commercial refrigerators and chest freezers are $150.

Drop off at the Traverse City facility, 466 US-31 South, Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday, 9 AM to 3 PM, effective June 1, 2026 to October 31, 2026. Call (231) 632-2272 to confirm winter hours. Nobody wants to haul a fridge up there only to find the gate shut.

If the unit is still in the basement, book a pickup. The fee is $100 within a 35 mile radius of both facilities, on top of the price for the unit. Special pickups are generally scheduled each Monday, and we cannot offer exact pickup times.

Rebates that can cover most of the cost

Most people get double the cost back by claiming the rebates. Both Cherryland Electric Cooperative and Traverse City Light and Power run rebate programs for retiring an old refrigerator or freezer.

Check with your own utility for the current terms before you schedule, and keep your BARC receipt so you have it when you claim. If you are not sure which utility serves your address, your power bill will say.

The Traverse City facility, a long white building with a drive-in door, in winter

Freon units are accepted at the Traverse City facility, 466 US-31 South. Call (231) 632-2272 with the make and size and we will tell you which price line it falls on.

Refrigeration

What each freon price line covers

Sorting a unit onto the right line takes about ten seconds. If it sits on a kitchen floor, it is probably the $100 line. If it is an oversized commercial refrigerator or a chest freezer, it is the $150 line. Smaller units like an A/C, a mini fridge or a dehumidifier are $65.

BARC refrigeration prices, 2026-27 sheet
Unit	Price
Small freon units (A/C, mini fridge or cooler, dehumidifier)	$65
Standard freon (refrigerators and freezers)	$100
Commercial freon (oversized refrigerators, chest freezers)	$150

Add the $100 pickup fee if we collect it. See the full 2026-27 pricing sheet, or schedule a pickup online. Prefer to talk it through? Call (231) 632-2272.

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