Fridge and freezer collections are being disrupted by a shortage of national processing capacity.
Norfolk County Council has said that from today (August 6) it will only accept unwanted fridges, freezers and other cooling appliances at a limited number of its largest recycling centres due to the impact of the UK-wide issue.
The remaining sites include Caister, Dereham, Hempton, King's Lynn, Norwich North, Norwich South, and Thetford recycling centres.
Pat Gould, cabinet member for countryside, coast and culture at Norfolk County Council, said: "Reducing this service is not something we want to do.
"Our priority has always been to keep a disposal service available for Norfolk residents for as long as possible, and we have worked hard to avoid making these changes.
"However, because of this national issue, which is entirely beyond the County Council’s control, we are being left with very limited options and have no choice but to restrict the service at this time."
People in Norfolk are being urged to delay bringing unwanted fridges and freezers to recycling centres unless absolutely necessary, as processing and storage capacity across the country reaches critical levels.
The council is also encouraging people to consider reuse, repair, or donation options for working appliances, or to accept recycling services offered by companies delivering new appliances.
The problem stems from a shortage in specialised processing capacity required to safely handle cooling appliances, which contain hazardous gases and insulating foam.
Recent incidents, including a fire at a treatment facility in Thetford, have put additional strain on the system and reduced available capacity.
Norfolk County Council has written to the relevant Government minister, asking them to address this issue as a matter of urgency, and is working closely with the government and the Environment Agency to try and find a solution.
It has also secured temporary storage arrangements to house these items while we wait for them to be collected.
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