How to Recycle a Trane Ground source heat pump (2026)

How to recycle a Trane ground source heat pump

Reviewed by the eCycling Central editorial team on April 2026

A Trane ground source heat pump 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 Trane unit

Modern Trane ground source heat pumps (post-2018) typically use R290 (propane) at a charge of 1500-4000g. The global warming potential (GWP) of R290 (propane) is 3 - meaning each kilogram released to atmosphere has the same climate impact as 3 kg of CO2.

Older Trane units (typically pre-2018) used R407C (HFC blend) at a charge of 2500-5500g, with GWP 1774. Limited under EU F-Gas.

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

Trane 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 Trane handles take-back

Trane (a US-headquartered manufacturer) operates take-back through:

• Manufacturer programme: Trane 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 Trane ground source heat pump runs $500-1,200 decommissioning. 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 Trane ground source heat pump 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

• Trane 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 contractor required; ground-loop pipework typically remains in place at decommissioning