Mini fridges are popular for use in at home bars, bedrooms or student accommodation. It's a smaller option to a full sized fridge. That will fit into tight spaces and allow for a minimal amount of food or drink. And a new trend is to store beauty products in your mini fridge. But what if you find yourself needing to dispose of a mini fridge? Unlike a standard fridge they are a lot smaller and easy to manoeuvre; which can make discarding of them much simpler. But mini fridges do contain the usual harmful chemicals of a standard fridge. It should therefore be disposed of correctly and safely.
For information on how to dispose of a standard fridge and the hazards read How to dispose of a refrigerator
What to do with a mini fridge that works?
Always try and find a second home for any electrical products that still work before disposing of it. Offer it up to someone you know first, like a friend or family member. They might be happy to take it off your hands.
You may be able to make a bit of money from selling it online. Try places like Facebook Market Place, Gumtree or Craigslist. Alternatively you could give it away for free, which can also be done on these sites.
Donate it to charity. Make sure it's clean and in good working condition and a charity shop would be happy to take it to sell on. Do check the sorts of electrical items they accept first though.
Sell it to a second hand store. You can find places online that will take working electrical products.
Take care when transporting the mini fridge to its new home, to ensure it is still functional when it arrives. Unplug it 24 hours before removal. When moving, it must be kept upright at all times; including transporting in a vehicle. Once in its new location wait at least 4 hours before turning it back on.
What can I do with a broken mini fridge?
The first thing to do is check if it could be fixed see if it is able to be fixed. Products are thrown away everyday needlessly when a simple fix could bring them back to life.
If you have confirmed your mini fridge is no longer functional and will need to dispose of it in the correct way. Similarly to a standard fridge a mini fridge has chemicals that need to be carefully disposed of, so they do not get leaked into the atmosphere.
If you have a desk sized mini fridge you may just be able to pop it in your car. Or if you have a vehicle in which it would fit. Take it to your local recycling centre; or drop it off at a hazardous waste disposal facility. When transporting it, make sure you do so safely. It must always be kept standing upright so as not to mix or leak any of the toxic chemicals inside.
If you have a larger free standing mini fridge that you can't transport. You could contact a reputable waste company or your local authority to collect it. Or if you are looking to replace it with a new one; the company you purchase from may offer a collection service.
This information can also be applied when disposing of a freezer
