Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council is unable to collect fridges and freezers due to an ongoing national crisis affecting the disposal of these appliances.
Within our collection authority services, we usually provide fridge and freezer collections as part of our bulky waste collection service, unfortunately this will not be possible for bookings made on or after 5 August, 2026 because we are unable to dispose of them.
All other bulky waste items are unaffected and the bulky waste service continues as normal.
We will honour collections of fridge and freezer appliances booked before 5 August 2026, but will be unable to provide collections of the appliances on any bulky waste collections booked after this date.
Under usual circumstances, fridges and freezers would be collected from Borough homes, and temporarily stored at our depot in Nuneaton.
Regular collections of the items are then arranged by a recycling provider contracted by Warwickshire County Council, which is the responsible disposal authority for our domestic waste.
Warwickshire County Council has formally advised that these collections will not be possible due to the ongoing national crisis which has now reached its limit.
Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council does not have the storage capacity to continue collections without a disposal destination.
The action of suspending collection of fridges and freezers within our collection services is being taken in line with Warwickshire County Council’s decision to suspend fridge and freezer disposal at all of its Household Waste Recycling Centres, including Judkins in Nuneaton.
The authority is not currently able to provide an alternative outlet for the disposal of the collected appliances, Warwickshire County Council has issued a statement about the situation.
Unfortunately, UK capacity to deal with the disposal of these items has reduced significantly over previous months, leading to a lack of outlets. We are informed that this is due to fires and plant closures.
Cllr Shane Coates-Jarman, Portfolio Holder for Planning, Enforcement and Public Services, said:
“We understand and sympathise that this will be a frustrating decision for residents wanting to dispose of fridges and freezers, and it is not one taken lightly.
“We thank our residents for their patience and responsible action while this matter is resolved.
“We will continue to work closely with Warwickshire County Council, which is liaising with Government and industry partners for a resolution.”
We suggest residents keep hold of their appliances for the time being where possible and when safe to do so, and to make use of recycling take-back schemes provided by retailers if purchasing new appliances.
Store the appliance upright and secure, out of reach of children, and do not attempt to dismantle it or remove the pipework, as the refrigerant gases must be recovered at an authorised treatment facility.
If possible, consider repairing rather than replacing - spare parts such as drawers and seals are easy to source online and can be replaced at home. For mechanical issues, consider a local appliance repair company.
If your appliance is still in working order, you can give it a new life by giving it away for free or selling it online. This is made easier by using sites such as Freegle, Freecycle, Facebook Marketplace or Nextdoor, among others.
Householders have a duty of care under section 34(2A) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to take reasonable measures to ensure that household waste is only passed to an authorised person.
You should always ensure your waste is only given to authorised individuals or businesses and should do so by checking that anyone taking your waste is a registered waste carrier beforehand.
Ask where the waste is being taken and keep a receipt as failing to meet that duty can result in a fixed penalty notice of up to £400.
If waste you have paid to have removed is later fly-tipped, we will investigate and may take enforcement action.
Depositing waste unlawfully is a criminal offence under section 33 of the Act and can be prosecuted. It is not acceptable to leave appliances outside your property in the expectation that someone will remove them.
We will keep this position under review with Warwickshire County Council and working to try and resolve the issue as quickly as possible.
For more information related to responsible waste disposal in Nuneaton and Bedworth visit our website.