Appliance recycling in Portland: where to take an old washer, fridge or range

A refrigerator, washer or range is mostly steel, plus copper, aluminum, plastic and electronics. Making a new one means mining, smelting and shipping all of that. Recycling an old one recovers the metal, but not the work that went into building the machine. A machine that keeps running for another ten years skips the whole chain.

That puts the options in a clear order, best first:

1. 1

   Repair it

   Most of the machine is already built. A new part keeps all of it in use.

2. 2

   Pass it on

   If it works, someone else can use it. A working washer is worth more to a neighbor than to a scrap yard.

3. 3

   Recycle it

   When it is finished, the steel, copper and aluminum go back into the supply.

4. 4

   Landfill

   The last resort, for what cannot be anything else.

Fees, hours and what is accepted change, so call before you load the truck. The fees and rules below were checked in November 2026.

Metro transfer stations

Metro, the regional government, runs two transfer stations open to the public: Metro Central at 6161 NW 61st Ave in Portland, and Metro South at 2001 Washington St in Oregon City. Both are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.

Residents can drop off metal dishwashers, stoves and ovens, and clothes washers and dryers for free. Appliances built to hold coolant (refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners and dehumidifiers) are accepted for $30 each, up to five a day per person. Metro adjusts its fees every year, so check its pages or call 503-234-3000 first. Appliances do not go in the garbage can; find your hauler to ask whether it offers bulky-item pickup at your address.

Metal scrap yards

Steel appliances are worth something as metal. Many scrap recyclers around the metro area take washers, dryers, ranges and dishwashers, and some pay by weight.

Refrigerators, freezers and air conditioners are different. Federal rules require the refrigerant to be recovered with approved equipment before the unit is scrapped, and the recycler is the one responsible for that (see the EPA's appliance disposal rules). A yard without that equipment will ask for paperwork showing it was already done, or turn the unit away, so ask before you drive. Never release the refrigerant yourself.

Donation, if it still works

Habitat for Humanity's ReStores in Beaverton, Gresham, Portland and Tigard sell donated goods to fund home building and repair. They take new or gently used kitchen and laundry appliances that are clean, complete and working, at the staff's discretion. They do not take non-working appliances, refrigerators and freezers more than 10 years old, or dishwashers more than 5 years old. Drop-off needs no appointment; the donation line is 971-229-8888, and the donation guidelines list the details. For large items, ReStore partners with a service that picks up at your home for a fee.

Community groups, churches and neighbors on local reuse boards are also good homes for a washer or range that still runs. Clean it first, and say plainly what works and what does not.

Manufacturer and utility take-back

Appliance makers generally do not take back large appliances in Oregon. Energy Trust of Oregon used to pick up old refrigerators for free, but that service ended on December 31, 2016. Today the practical version of take-back is the retailer: most sellers will haul away the old unit when they deliver the new one.

We do, for any appliance, free, on the same trip as delivery. We do not take drop-offs or buy used appliances, so haul-away is part of a delivery. See delivery and haul-away.

Vancouver and Clark County, Washington

Clark County has three transfer stations for what curbside pickup will not take: Central Transfer & Recycling at 11034 NE 117th Ave and the West Vancouver Materials Recovery Center at 6601 Old Lower River Rd, both in Vancouver, and the Washougal Transfer Station at 4020 S Grant St. Columbia Resource Company runs them under contract with the county, and its rate sheet lists a $24.91 special-handling fee for a refrigerator, freezer or air conditioner, on top of the regular disposal charge. Accepted items and hours vary by site, so call before you go; the county's solid waste line is 564-397-7352.

If the appliance is under about ten years old, a repair is often worth a call. A technician can usually tell you the cost on the first visit. A rough guide: if the fix costs less than half of what a replacement would, repair it.

If it is past repair, a replacement does not have to be new. At Kaady every used appliance is inspected, repaired where it needs it, cleaned and listed with its condition written out, with a warranty included. That keeps a good machine out of the landfill and gives you a unit you can trust.

And when we deliver one, we will haul away the old one as a courtesy, so it is not left sitting in your garage.

Inspected. Repaired. Ready for a second home.

Shop appliances

Before you lift

• Unplug it, turn off the water and gas, and have a gas line capped by a professional. Do not disconnect gas yourself.
• Drain hoses, and empty and defrost a refrigerator for a day beforehand.
• Tape doors and lids shut, and coil the cord and hoses so they do not catch.
• Use an appliance dolly with a strap and at least two people. Never carry one down stairs without a plan for who takes the weight.
• Keep refrigerators upright, and measure the doorways and the truck before you lift.

Wiping a smart appliance

• Remove the appliance from its phone app and from any voice assistant it was linked to.
• Run the factory reset in the settings menu. Look in the manual or on the maker's site if you cannot find it.
• Forget your home Wi-Fi network on the appliance, and sign out of any account it was signed into.
• Pull the unit off your online account on the manufacturer's site if it has one.