How does a refrigerator actually work, and why does it need special recycling?

It quietly goes about its work around the clock. The refrigerator is one of the most widely used household appliances. But how does it work? And why is it so important to dispose of it correctly at the end of its service life?

A reverse radiator

Anyone who has ever sat behind a running refrigerator knows that heat comes out of the back of it. But that’s exactly the point: it’s not about generating cold but about transporting heat from the inside to the outside. This occurs through a closed cooling circuit in which a special refrigerant circulates. It evaporates at low temperatures and extracts heat from the interior, which is released to the environment through the compressor into the cooling fins at the back. This elaborate system works well, but the refrigerant is harmful to the environment if not disposed of correctly.

Why refrigerants are harmful to the environment

If refrigerators are disposed of improperly, refrigerants can escape in an uncontrolled manner. Just one refrigerator that is improperly disposed of can have the same environmental impact as a trip by car from Zurich to Singapore (25,000 km)!

In the past, refrigerators contained chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). CFCs damage the stratospheric ozone layer, which protects the Earth from the ultraviolet radiation of the sun and significantly impacts the climate. In new appliances, alternative refrigerants such as isobutane are often used, which are less harmful to the climate but also combustible. All variants require special safety measures and environmental protection measures during recycling.

How the recycling process works

An old refrigerator may look harmless from the outside – but its interior is complex. Therefore, recycling takes place in several steps which take into account technology, safety and environmental protection.

1. Removal of easily detachable parts

Before the actual disassembly begins, visible and easily removable parts are removed. This includes items such as glass panels, vegetable drawers, shelves and removable plastic inserts. Cables and plugs are often removed at this stage to facilitate later processing steps.

2. Safe extraction of refrigerants and oils

The first and most important step is the controlled removal of the substances contained in the cooling circuit, particularly the refrigerant and the compressor oils. Neither of these must be allowed to enter the environment under any circumstances. Both are separated before being safely burned in special facilities.

3. Disassembly and crushing

After being emptied, the appliance is disassembled into its component parts. The aim is to separate the individual materials: metal, plastic and electronics. At the same time, the insulation, which often contains CFCs in older appliances, is shredded in closed systems and the harmful gas is safely extracted.

4. Material separation and further processing

Finally, the crushed parts are sorted.

• Steel, aluminium and copper are melted down and then reused in the metal industry.
• Plastics are sorted, cleaned and processed as granulate for new products.