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How to Recycle Room Air Conditioners
Check local acceptanceAs of 2026: about $3 to $8 for a whole window unit and $8 to $15 with the coil, copper, and sealed unit separated (NationalACScrap). A clean aluminum/copper coil pays $2.65/lb and a dirty coil $1.80/lb at Rockaway Recycling (October 19, 2026); sealed units pay $0.28 to $0.30/lb. Utility turn-in pays more: $15 from Consumers Energy and $50 from NH Saves with a fridge or freezer pickup.Last reviewed September 29, 2026
Quick answer
A window air conditioner scraps for about $3 to $8 whole and $8 to $15 with the coil and sealed unit pulled, but federal law requires the refrigerant to be removed and recovered before the unit is scrapped. Do not cut the copper lines yourself, and do not leave the unit at the curb for scrappers. Utility turn-in pays more: Consumers Energy in Michigan pays $15 per room AC, and NH Saves in New Hampshire pays $50 as an add-on to a fridge pickup. Before you go, confirm that a local recycling center accepts the material in its current condition.
- Recycling route
- Check locally
- Typical value
- As of 2026: about $3 to $8 for a whole window unit and $8 to $15 with the coil, copper, and sealed unit separated (NationalACScrap). A clean aluminum/copper coil pays $2.65/lb and a dirty coil $1.80/lb at Rockaway Recycling (October 19, 2026); sealed units pay $0.28 to $0.30/lb. Utility turn-in pays more: $15 from Consumers Energy and $50 from NH Saves with a fridge or freezer pickup.
- Donate / take-back
- Available
Window, through-wall, and portable room air conditioners containing refrigerant, oil, copper, aluminum, steel, and controls.
Where to Recycle
- Utility turn-in events
- Municipal appliance collection
- Retailer haul-away
- Refrigerant-certified recyclers
- Scrap yards that hold a recovery statement or contract
How to Prepare
- 1Unplug the unit and let it cool
- 2Drain condensate according to the manual
- 3Keep refrigerant lines and the compressor intact
- 4Secure hoses, cords, and removable panels
- 5Transport the unit upright when practical
- 6Check your electric utility for a room AC turn-in incentive first (working units qualify)
- 7Ask the yard what refrigerant recovery proof it wants before you haul the unit
Special Instructions
Room air conditioners contain refrigerants and oils that, by federal law, must be removed and recovered (ENERGY STAR). EPA makes the final disposer, such as a scrap recycler, obtain a signed statement naming who recovered the refrigerant and when, or a contract that guarantees recovery. No sticker is required. Cutting the copper lines of a unit that still holds refrigerant vents it, so keep the sealed system intact and do not place the unit in a mixed-metal roll-off. Your city sets whether curb pickup is allowed at all, so check its bulky-item rules.
Environmental Impact
Recovering the refrigerant before scrap keeps it out of the air, and the unit then recycles as steel, aluminum, and copper. A window unit carries 0.5 to 1.5 lb of copper and 3 to 8 lb of aluminum (NationalACScrap), mostly in the coil.
Official guidance and resources
Accepted items and drop-off rules can vary by location. Check the destination before you go.
- EPA: Appliance disposal
- EPA: Stationary refrigeration safe disposal requirements
- ENERGY STAR: Recycle other appliances (room air conditioners, water heaters)
- NationalACScrap: Window air conditioner scrap value
- Consumers Energy: Appliance recycling rebates
- NH Saves: Refrigerator and freezer recycling
- Rockaway Recycling: current scrap metal prices (October 19, 2026)
- Paz Metals: scrap prices (August 14, 2026)
- iScrap App: sealed unit prices
- RecycleFind: Scrap metal prices
What’s Accepted
Accepted
- Window units
- Through-wall units
- Portable room air conditioners
- Working units for utility programs; dead units for yards with refrigerant recovery
Not Accepted
- Units with the copper lines cut or the refrigerant vented
- Units without a signed refrigerant recovery statement at yards that follow EPA's final-disposer rule
- Units bundled into a mixed-metal roll-off
Donation & Take‑Back Options
Estimated value: As of 2026: about $3 to $8 for a whole window unit and $8 to $15 with the coil, copper, and sealed unit separated (NationalACScrap). A clean aluminum/copper coil pays $2.65/lb and a dirty coil $1.80/lb at Rockaway Recycling (October 19, 2026); sealed units pay $0.28 to $0.30/lb. Utility turn-in pays more: $15 from Consumers Energy and $50 from NH Saves with a fridge or freezer pickup.
FAQs
How much is a scrap window air conditioner worth?
About $3 to $8 as a whole unit, and $8 to $15 with the copper, aluminum coil, and sealed unit separated (NationalACScrap, 2026). Yard quotes from September 2026 pay $1.80 to $2.65/lb for coil and $0.28 to $0.30/lb for sealed units.
Is it worth scrapping a window AC?
No, unless someone pays you to take it. A whole unit brings $3 to $8, and a utility turn-in such as Consumers Energy's $15 or the NH Saves $50 add-on pays more with no labor.
Can I legally leave a window AC at the curb?
Federal law requires the refrigerant in a room air conditioner to be removed and recovered (ENERGY STAR), and your city decides whether curb pickup is allowed at all. A unit that gets stripped at the curb has its copper lines cut, which vents the refrigerant, so use a scheduled program instead.
Do scrap yards take window air conditioners?
Yards take them when the refrigerant has been recovered. EPA requires the final disposer to hold a signed statement naming who recovered it and when, or a contract that guarantees recovery, so call first and ask what proof the yard wants.
Is there a rebate or bounty for old window air conditioners?
Yes, through some utilities. Consumers Energy in Michigan pays $15 for a working room AC under 10 cubic feet, and NH Saves in New Hampshire pays $50 per room AC added to a fridge or freezer pickup. ENERGY STAR's Rebate Finder lists programs by zip code.
What parts of a window AC carry the value?
The aluminum/copper coil and the sealed unit. Clean coil pays $2.65/lb and dirty coil $1.80/lb at Rockaway Recycling (October 19, 2026), and sealed units pay $0.28 to $0.30/lb with the oil drained.
Related recycling guides
Recycle room air conditioners
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