Somerset Council has confirmed that a temporary restriction on fridge and freezer recycling will remain in place throughout September, with residents asked to continue limiting disposal to one cooling appliance per household at any of the county’s 16 recycling sites, including Highbridge’s centre.
The measure, introduced earlier in the summer, follows a national shortage of specialist reprocessing capacity. A fire and other unexpected outages at treatment facilities, combined with higher volumes of broken appliances during warmer weather, have left sites across the UK struggling to keep pace. Somerset Council and site operator Biffa say the situation has not yet improved enough to lift the limit.
Residents are being urged to hold off bringing appliances if they can safely store them at home, helping to ease pressure until national capacity increases.
Because of restrictions at recycling sites elsewhere in the country, proof of Somerset residency is required when dropping off fridges, freezers or other cooling units.
The council is also reminding people of alternative disposal routes. Retailer take‑back schemes remain the preferred option when buying a replacement appliance, and those able to delay disposal for a short period are encouraged to do so. It adds that usable appliances can be passed on through reuse platforms such as Freegle or Facebook Marketplace, or donated to local charities where accepted.
The temporary limit applies strictly to household users. Recycling sites will not accept commercial appliances, items from business users, or cooling units containing ammonia. Officials say the position will be reviewed again at the end of September and may need to continue if national reprocessing capacity remains tight.
Fridges, freezers and air‑conditioning units require specialist treatment because they contain refrigerants and other materials that must be handled with care. More guidance on disposal and reuse options is available via the Somerset Council website.
