Newcastle & Hunter Region, NSW

Air Conditioner Recycling in Newcastle & Across NSW

Got an old split system, window unit or ducted air conditioner taking up space? We collect and recycle air conditioners across Newcastle and much of New South Wales. A licensed technician drains the gas first, then the unit is stripped for copper, aluminium and steel. Free pickup, a phone quote first, and payment once it's assessed.

Call 0475 750 416 Get a free quote
Free pickup
Licensed gas removal
Registered NSW dealer
4.9 Google rating
Old air conditioner ready for recycling pickup in NSW
Selling a used air conditioner for scrap in Newcastle
CopperAluminiumSteelCircuit boards
Air conditioner recycling explained

What happens to your old air conditioner

An air conditioner isn't just a box for the tip. Once the refrigerant gas is removed properly, the copper, aluminium and steel inside it all have real value. Hunter Scrap Metal handles the whole thing, from the licensed gas removal through to paying you for the metal.

01

Gas removed first

A licensed technician drains the refrigerant gas into a sealed container before anything else happens, so it never leaks into the air.

02

Unit stripped down

The casing comes off and the unit is sorted into copper, aluminium, steel and circuit boards, ready for their own recycling streams.

03

Paid for the metal

You get paid once the unit is checked and the metal content is worked out, not just a flat rate for whatever it happens to be.

Selling an old air conditioner

How does air conditioner recycling work?

Short answer, you describe the unit, get a rough quote, then a pickup is arranged. Payment happens once it's been checked. For several units at once, a rooftop commercial system, or a full removal job, it's worth mentioning that upfront so the right truck and enough hands turn up.

  1. Describe your unit

    By phone, form or in person. Let us know the type, roughly how old it is, and how many you've got.

  2. Get a rough quote

    Based on the size of the unit and its likely copper and aluminium content. We may need to see it first for a firm price.

  3. Book pickup or drop-off

    We bring the tools needed to shift wall mounted, rooftop and ducted units safely.

  4. Gas removed, unit checked

    The refrigerant is drained by a licensed technician, then the unit is assessed and sorted.

  5. Get paid

    Payment happens once the unit is weighed and checked, in most cases on the spot.

Inside every unit

What we recover from your air conditioner

Split systems, window units, ducted systems and commercial air conditioners are all made up of the same core materials once they're pulled apart.

CopperPiping and windings from the compressor and coils
AluminiumFins and heat exchanger panels
SteelCasing, brackets and mounting frames
Circuit boards & wiringRecycled separately from the metal body
The part that has to be done properly

Refrigerant gas and why licensed removal matters

Most units built before the 2010s run on refrigerants like R22 or R410A. If a unit is thrown out whole, that gas can leak out over time and add far more to greenhouse gas levels than the same weight of carbon dioxide would. That's why councils in NSW won't take air conditioners as normal kerbside waste, and why a licensed handler needs to drain the gas before a unit is dismantled.

  • Refrigerant is drained into sealed containers by a licensed technician.
  • Bring valid photo ID to the transaction, the same as any scrap metal sale in NSW.
  • Expect to give payment details instead of cash, since cash payment for scrap metal isn't legal in NSW.

Sources: NSW EPA · NSW Legislation, Scrap Metal Industry Act 2016 & Regulation 2024

Prices depend on the unit

What affects the price of your old air conditioner?

Short answer

The size of the unit, how much copper and aluminium is inside it, current market rates, and the condition it's in.

A large ducted or commercial unit has more copper and aluminium in it than a small window unit, so it's usually worth more once it's stripped down. Condition matters too, a complete unit with the coils and compressor still intact is worth more than one that's already been picked over.

Exact prices aren't listed here because copper and aluminium rates shift with global markets, sometimes week to week. Call with the type and rough size of your unit and you'll get a real number rather than a guess.

Newcastle-based, NSW-wide

Local service areas across NSW

Newcastle is home base, with real coverage across the Hunter Region, the Central Coast, and out to Muswellbrook, Taree, Forster, Port Macquarie, Tamworth and Armidale.

Newcastle Maitland Cessnock Singleton Muswellbrook Central Coast Taree Forster Port Macquarie Tamworth Armidale Full list of service areas →

Ready to recycle your air conditioner?

Bring your ID, and have payment details ready since cash isn't a legal payment method for scrap in NSW. For several units, a rooftop commercial system, or a full site clear out, mention that upfront for a faster, more accurate quote.

0475 750 416 Send an enquiry
Common questions

Frequently asked questions

A licensed technician drains the refrigerant gas first. Once that part is done safely, the unit is pulled apart and sorted into copper, aluminium, steel and circuit boards, each going off to its own recycling stream.

Yes, as long as a licensed refrigerant handler does the draining. We remove the gas before any dismantling starts, so nothing leaks into the air or the ground.

It depends on the size of the unit and how much copper and aluminium is inside it. Split systems, window units, ducted systems and commercial units all price differently, so call for an exact quote.

Yes. Pickup is free across Newcastle and the Hunter Region, and the quote before we collect anything is free too.

Newcastle is home base, with coverage across the Hunter Region, the Central Coast, and out to Muswellbrook, Taree, Forster, Port Macquarie, Tamworth and Armidale.

Yes. We work with homeowners, air conditioning installers, property managers and demolition contractors, and can arrange bulk pickups when there are several units to clear.

No. Under the Scrap Metal Industry Act 2016, registered dealers in NSW can't pay cash for scrap metal. Payment is traceable, so you'll usually give bank details.

No, and you shouldn't try. Venting refrigerant gas yourself is not allowed and can be dangerous. Leave the unit as it is and our licensed technician will handle the gas on collection.

Google Reviews

Hunter Scrap Metal

4.9 Google rating

Read the original customer reviews directly on our Google Business profile.

View Google Reviews Write a Review
GET A QUOTE
Quote Form Sent

Thank you. Your quote form has been sent.

Call
WhatsApp