E-Waste & Electrical Appliance Disposal in Hong Kong (四電一腦)
What's regulated, the rules, and your two options: EPD collection or same-day removal.
Hong Kong regulates the disposal of refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, televisions, computers, monitors, printers, and scanners — known as 四電一腦. They can't be put out with regular refuse or left on the street, and must be handled by a licensed operator. Two routes: the EPD's statutory collection (usually a 2–4 week wait) or a same-day removal service like ours.
What items are regulated?
Hong Kong's rules on regulated electrical equipment cover eight product categories, commonly summarised as 四電一腦 ("four appliances and one computer"):
- Refrigerators (including built-in and freezer units)
- Washing machines (front-load, top-load, combo)
- Air conditioners (split, window, portable)
- Televisions (LED, LCD, plasma, CRT, projection)
- Computers — desktop, notebook, tablet
- Monitors (all sizes)
- Printers (inkjet, laser)
- Scanners
The rules in short
Regulated appliances can't be put out with regular refuse or left at the roadside. They have to be collected through the EPD's service or handled by a licensed operator, and leaving them on the street can lead to fines. Many of these items also contain substances such as refrigerant gases or mercury, so they need careful handling.
Your two disposal routes
Route 1: EPD statutory collection
- Booking window: Typically 2–4 weeks
- How to book: Call the EPD hotline 2676 8888. If buying a new appliance from a registered retailer, the retailer must arrange collection of your equivalent old item.
- Pickup point: Your flat entrance / doorway. Item must be brought out of the flat by you.
- Good for: One item, no time pressure, ground-floor or lift-accessible flat.
Route 2: Same-day removal service
- Quote: Fixed, confirmed before you book
- Booking window: Same day / next day
- Pickup point: From wherever the item lives — kitchen, bedroom, roof
- Includes: Disconnection (water for washing machines, cabinetry for built-in fridges, wall bracket for TVs), stair-carry, dismantle-on-landing where the lift can't take the item
- Good for: Multiple items, time pressure (moving out, estate cleanout), walk-ups
That's what we do. See fridge disposal, washing machine disposal, TV disposal.
What NOT to do
- Do not put regulated appliances at the roadside with regular refuse. It's against the law and can lead to fines.
- Do not hand your fridge to unlicensed collectors. Informal collectors sometimes strip out the parts they want and dump the rest illegally.
- Do not put appliances in the freight container when leaving Hong Kong. Voltage differences make most HK appliances useless abroad, and freight companies won't insure them.