Where to recycle an appliance in Quebec? Complete Guide

Looking to know where in Quebec to recycle an appliance when it has reached the end of its life cycle?

GoRecycle only handles cooling appliances like old fridges, freezers, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, wine fridges and water coolers/dispensers. Other large appliances like stoves, washers, dryers, and dishwashers must instead be taken to an ecocentre or be recovered during your municipality’s bulky item collection dates.

This complete guide tells you where to go in Quebec to recycle each type of appliance, which solutions are available, based on your appliance type, and mistakes to avoid, so you can get rid of your appliance easily, responsibly, and in an eco-friendly way.

Not all appliances take the same road to recycling. The following overview can help you figure out where to take yours:

At a Glance: Where in Quebec should you recycle your appliance?

Appliance	Where should it be recycled?	GoRecycle
Refrigerator	GoRecycle	✅
Freezer	GoRecycle	✅
Portable or window air conditioner	GoRecycle	✅
Dehumidifier	GoRecycle	✅
Wine cellar/cooler	GoRecycle	✅
Water cooler	GoRecycle	✅
Stove	Ecocentre or bulky item collection	✖
Oven	Ecocentre or bulky item collection	✖
Washer	Ecocentre or bulky item collection	✖
Dryer	Ecocentre or bulky item collection	✖
Dishwasher	Ecocentre or bulky item collection	✖

Identify the appliance type: Cooling or non-cooling?

The first question you need to ask yourself is an easy one: Is your appliance a cooling appliance?

An appliance is a cooling appliance when it is used to cool down an area. This distinction is an important one because, in Quebec, cooling appliances are handled by GoRecycle, which ensures that they are properly recycled to protect the environment.

💡 Did you know?

Although a dehumidifier is not used to cool a room, it also contains a refrigeration system. The appliance cools the air inside it, turning humidity into water before heating the air up and releasing it into the room. Dehumidifiers contain refrigerant gases for this purpose, and must be recycled just like other cooling appliances.

These tips are based on your appliance type:

1. Recycling of cooling appliances by GoRecycle

Cooling appliances require special handling because they contain halocarbons, greenhouse gases with substantial environmental impact that contribute to climate change. Thanks to GoRecycle and its partners, these gases are recovered safely prior to recycling the household appliance.

This category includes:

Refrigerators (fridges)
Freezers
Window or portable air conditioners
Wine cellars/coolers
Water coolers (water dispensers)
Dehumidifiers

A cooling appliance generates one ton of greenhouse gases (GHG), on average, if the appliance is not responsibly recycled.

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These cooling appliances must never be left at the curb.

Note: Commercial cooling appliances are handled by SORAC.

How should a cooling appliance be recycled in Quebec?

GoRecycle is the official organization recognized by RECYC-QUÉBEC to ensure the responsible recycling of these appliances across Quebec. It provides various free solutions to recycle your cooling appliance according to your municipality:

Doorstep pickup in several municipalities
Drop-off points across Quebec (ecocentres and sorting centres)
Collection of the old appliance when you buy a new one at participating retailers
If it’s in good condition, GoRecycle encourages you to repair, donate, or sell your appliance to extend its lifetime.

Hint: Find the GoRecycle solution near you using our search tool.

Detailed guides:

2. Recycling major, non-cooling appliances

Major appliances that do not contain refrigeration systems are NOT handled by GoRecycle. However they can be recycled or recovered by ecocentres to recover the metals and materials they contain.

Specifically, this category includes:

Stoves, built-in ovens, and cooktops
Washers (washing machines)
Dryers (clothes dryers)
Dishwashers

How do I get rid of an old, non-cooling appliance in Quebec?

GoRecycle does not handle old, non-cooling appliances. Most municipalities make several solutions available to you:

Bring your appliance to your municipal ecocentre, making sure to check beforehand that it will accept major appliances.
Check with your municipality to see if bulky item collection is available.
Check with your retailer; they may offer a pickup service when you buy a new appliance. Please note that GoRecycle is not involved in the pickup of non-cooling appliances.
Think about repairing, giving away, or selling your still-working appliance to extend its lifetime.

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GoRecycle does NOT handle the collection of stoves, ovens, washers, dryers, or dishwashers.

Why recycle your old cooling appliance rather than tossing it away?

A discarded cooling appliance releases greenhouse gases (halocarbures) halocarbons) equivalent to approximately one ton of CO₂, the carbon footprint of a Montreal–Barcelona return flight.

Recycling an appliance with GoRecycle allows these harmful gases to be captured and to ensure that over 95% of the materials in your appliance are recovered.

In short, it’s a small gesture with a big environmental impact!

FAQ

Refrigerators are recycled by GoRecycle. Find the free recycling solution near you.

Freezers are recycled by GoRecycle. Find the free recycling solution near you.

Wine coolers are recycled by GoRecycle. Find the free recycling solution near you.

These appliances are not handled by GoRecycle. Take it to your ecocentre, use your municipality’s bulky item collection service or talk to your retailer to learn whether a pickup service for your old stove is available when you purchase a new appliance.

These appliances are not handled by GoRecycle. Generally speaking, they are accepted by ecocentres or when bulky items are collected by municipalities. Talk to your retailer to learn whether a pickup service for your old washer or dryer is available when purchasing a new appliance.

These appliances are not handled by GoRecycle. Generally speaking, they are accepted by ecocentres or when bulky items are collected by municipalities. Talk to your retailer to learn whether a pickup service for your old dishwasher is available when you purchase a new appliance.

These appliances are not handled by GoRecycle. If it still works, take the appliance to a donation centre. If it no longer works, repair it, or take it to the ecocentre in your municipality.

No. Whether a large or small cooling appliance, neither should be taken to the curb with the garbage. Cooling appliances contain refrigerant gases that need to be recovered and handled in an environmentally sound manner by GoRecycle.

About GoRecycle

GoRecycle is the only organization recognized by RECYC-QUÉBEC that ensures the responsible recycling of cooling appliances in Quebec. We recycle refrigerators, air conditioners, freezers, wine coolers, dehumidifiers and water coolers through nearly 400 drop-off points in Quebec, and over 100 banner pickup partners with the purchase of a new fridge. GoRecycle is a non-profit organization (NPO).