ASK
Could your microwave be repaired? Could you donate it to a charity? Pass it on to someone you know? Or could you sell your unwanted microwave?
Microwave recycling
Has it really made its last supper? Here’s how, why and where to recycle your old microwave oven.
How to recycle an old microwave
It’s as easy as ABC.
BAG IT
Find a bag or box that you can use to store all your old electrical bits and pieces until you can go to the recycling centre – or until collection day, if you have one.
CHECK
Find your nearest recycling point. Just enter your postcode in our recycling locator. And off you go.
Recycling locatorWhere can you recycle microwaves?
Pick the option that suits you.
With your recycling collection
Some councils collect electricals for recycling – either with your regular waste collection or by special arrangement. Use our recycling locator, or contact your council or check their website.
Your local recycling centre
All household waste and recycling centres have bins for electricals and batteries. Some also have an area for items that can be refurbished to be passed on.
Recycling banks
Some supermarkets, car parks and designated roadside areas have electrical recycling bins. Check to see if your nearest can take microwaves.
In store
Thousands of shops across the UK will now take your old microwave for recycling if you’re buying a new one from them. Some take back all your old electricals for recycling even if you’re not buying something new. #zerowaste
Where to recycle your microwave
Find your nearest electrical recycling collection or drop-off point by popping your postcode into our handy locator.
DID YOU KNOW?
Best kept secret of the microwave? You can repair it.
A study of microwaves being discarded found that
- one in five microwaves were in perfect working order
- a high percentage had very minor defects
- most with minor faults could be refurbished for re-use
- the cost of parts for repairs was a fraction of the price of a new microwave.
Find repair shops by postcode using the Restart directory. Or see if there’s a Repair Cafe near you where you get help fixing your microwave yourself.
Retailers will take back your old electricals
Microwave disposal – frequently asked questions
Can I put my old microwave oven in the bin?
What does the crossed-out bin icon on my microwave mean?
The crossed-out wheelie bin means you must not throw the product in the general rubbish bin. We need to dispose of electrical and electronic appliances carefully to save valuable resources and avoid polluting the environment.
Is it OK to leave my old microwave out on the street for someone to pick up?
The only time you should do this is by arrangement with your local council or collection service so that they can make a pick-up from a designated spot at a certain time and dispose of the machine properly. Simply leaving electrical goods on the pavement is against the law – it creates an obstruction and can lead to valuable and hazardous materials not being managed properly. Contact your council, or charities or social enterprises in the area to see if they provide a collection service. If you’re buying a microwave, the retailer should take your old one back. Find your nearest drop-off or collection point for electricals by entering your postcode in our recycling locator.
What happens to an old microwave if you recycle it?
At a recycling centre microwaves are broken down by machine and by hand. The fragments are sorted into different materials such as metals and plastics, and are cleaned. Material that can be collected is sent to specialists – plastics go for further processing and metals go to smelters for example.
Is it up to me to take my old microwave to the dump to be recycled?
If you have transport and can lift the appliance safely yourself then taking your unwanted microwave to your nearest waste and recycling centre is an option. (Check ahead for opening times and rules.) But if this isn’t convenient, check your options for collection below.
Who will collect my old microwave?
Your council, charities and reuse organisations might collect from your doorstep or a designated spot near your home. Some councils charge for this service, but some provide it free, for example to residents receiving housing benefit. You can hire licensed waste disposal firms to take your electrical appliances away; this might be an economical option if you’re having a general clear-out. If you sell your old microwave via peer-to-peer marketplaces such as eBay and Gumtree, or offer it free on Freecycle or Freegle, you can ask the new owner to collect.
Do charity shops take microwaves?
Some charity shops welcome electricals such as kitchen appliances that are in good working order. See our page on donating electricals to charity shops.
Where can I recycle a microwave I’m replacing?
Use our recycling locator to find your nearest reuse and recycling point. Or, if you’re shopping, bear in mind that retailers now take back old electricals when you’re buying new. That includes old microwaves. Some larger stores will recycle your old appliance even if you’re not buying something new from them. You should have 28 days from the time you buy your new product to hand your old one over for disposal. In other words, it’s easier than ever to recycle microwaves. More on appliance recycling at retailers
Find your nearest recycling point
Put in your postcode to find recycling and reuse centres near you
