Ask the Mayor: How Do I Properly Dispose an Old Refrigerator?

Mayor Alan Arakawa answers some of the questions submitted to his staff. Questions submitted will be considered for inclusion in the “Ask the Mayor” column. Submit your own questions about County of Maui programs, services, operations or policies to Mayor Alan Arakawa at (808) 270-7855, AskTheMayor@mauicounty.gov or mail them to 200 S. High St., 9th Floor, Wailuku, HI 96793.

Dear Mayor Alan Arakawa,

Q: I recently bought a new refrigerator but the store wanted to charge me a lot to deliver the new fridge and haul away the old one. I ended up bringing the new fridge home in my truck, so how do I properly dispose of the old one?

A: Residents can drop off unwanted household appliances including refrigerators, freezers, air conditioning units, washers, dryers, ranges, dishwashers, and hot water heaters for free at Hammerhead Metals Recycling, ph. 280-8844.

Businesses may also drop off appliances for a fee. Hammerhead is open Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and the first Saturday of each month from 8 a.m. – noon.

The other option is to request a County pick up through the Solid Waste Division of the Dept. of Environmental Management for a $25/appliance fee. County of Maui residents may call 270-7720 for questions about the application and fee. The application can be found here.

You do not need to have a residential refuse account to request an appliance pick up, but please be aware that the County cannot pick up appliances from condominiums, apartment complexes or gated communities.