How to recycle a Haier domestic chest or upright freezer
Reviewed by the eCycling Central editorial team on April 2026
A Haier domestic chest or upright freezer cannot be placed in regular kerbside waste in any jurisdiction with F-Gas regulation - the refrigerant must be captured by a certified handler before the cabinet is broken down. This guide covers the refrigerant inside, the F-Gas rules that apply, and the disposal routes available.
Refrigerant in your Haier unit
Modern Haier domestic chest or upright freezers (post-2018) typically use R600a (isobutane) at a charge of 40-90g. The global warming potential (GWP) of R600a (isobutane) is 3 - meaning each kilogram released to atmosphere has the same climate impact as 3 kg of CO2.
Older Haier units (typically pre-2018) used R134a (HFC) at a charge of 120-200g, with GWP 1430. EU phase-down 79% by 2030; US AIM Act 85% by 2036.
To check what refrigerant your specific unit uses, look at the data plate on the back or inside the cabinet door - the refrigerant type is printed alongside the model number.
F-Gas rules that apply
Haier units are F-Gas regulated equipment under EU Regulation 517/2014, the UK F-Gas Regulations 2015, and the US AIM Act 2020. That means:
- The refrigerant must be recovered by a holder of an F-Gas Category I (or equivalent) certificate before disposal
- Placing the unit in regular waste is a regulatory offence in the EU, UK, and US states with WEEE-equivalent laws
- Penalty for illegal disposal ranges from £200 (UK fixed-penalty notice) to $25,000 per violation (US EPA)
How Haier handles take-back
Haier (a CN-headquartered manufacturer) operates take-back through:
- Manufacturer programme: Haier sustainability and recycling page - check your country page for the specific drop-off or collection process available to you
- Retailer take-back: when buying a replacement, ask the retailer about old-for-new collection. UK retailers like Currys, John Lewis, and AO are obliged under WEEE to take an old unit when delivering a new one
- Local-authority bulky-waste collection: most UK councils, US municipalities, and EU local authorities run bulky-waste collection that includes white goods - check whether yours requires a booking and whether there is a fee
What it costs
Typical disposal cost for a Haier domestic chest or upright freezer runs $35-90 collection + handling. Variation comes from:
- Whether it is a take-back-with-purchase (often free)
- Whether the local authority charges per collection (£0-£50 in UK, $20-$80 in US)
- Whether the unit needs special handling (very large commercial fridges or units with damaged cabinets cost more)
Material recovery
After refrigerant capture, a Haier domestic chest or upright freezer is broken down into:
- Steel cabinet (60-80% by weight) - melted and reused
- Aluminium evaporator and condenser coils (5-12%)
- Copper tubing (2-5%) - high recovery value at LME spot prices
- ABS / polystyrene insulation foam - typically 5-15%, may contain blowing agents requiring controlled disposal
- Plastic interior parts - mixed-grade recycled where possible
A typical 200L domestic fridge contains roughly 40 kg of recoverable steel, 3 kg of aluminium, and 1.2 kg of copper.
Sources
- Haier sustainability page:
- EU F-Gas Regulation 517/2014
- UK F-Gas Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/310)
- US AIM Act 2020 (HFC phase-down)
- IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) - GWP coefficients
- F-Gas certified collection mandatory; cabinet insulation foam may also contain blowing-agent gases requiring controlled disposal