Your refrigerator is one of the largest appliances in your house, and it runs 24 hours a day. So when you’re looking to reduce the carbon footprint from your household appliances, the refrigerator is naturally one of the first places you look. Refrigerators aren’t actually the worst emissions offenders in the home – that dubious honor goes to air conditioners – but they do account for about 4% of a home’s emissions. That’s 89 kg of CO2/year, and it adds up over the lifetime of the appliance.

Refrigerators contribute to climate change in two different ways. First, they generate greenhouse gas emissions indirectly by using electricity. That amount will vary depending on how much electricity the fridge uses and what power source is used to generate the electricity in your home. On average, an old refrigerator uses about 33% more energy than a current Energy Star fridge. Refrigerators over 15 years old could be costing you more than $80 per year to run compared to newer models.

Refrigerators also contain refrigerants, which are red-list chemicals with incredibly high global warming potential. These refrigerants generate emissions directly. The amount depends on the type of refrigerant used and how much escapes into the atmosphere. Since the Montreal Protocol banned CFCs, refrigerators have typically used R-134a as a refrigerant. Chlorinated fluorocarbons like R-134a are far less damaging to the ozone layer than CFCs, but they are not harmless. As of January 1, 2021, R-134a was phased out in new refrigerators in favor of R-600a, known as isobutane, which has a global warming potential 200 times lower.

Recent research on refrigeration systems has shown that domestic cooling equipment accounts for nearly 10% of global CO2 emissions, three times the amount generated by aviation and shipping combined. The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol calls for an 85% reduction in HFCs by 2036 in developed countries, with tighter restrictions coming into effect throughout 2025. The European Union is leading the phase-out, with bans on commercial refrigeration equipment containing HFCs with a GWP of 150 or more that took effect January 1, 2025.

Refrigerators don’t usually leak very much refrigerant. But dumping a refrigerator will eventually release all the refrigerant into the atmosphere.

Food Waste

Because we purchase refrigerators to preserve food, it’s counterintuitive to think that they can contribute to food waste. But if your refrigerator is too big, food can be forgotten at the back and spoil. Food waste is a major contributor to household carbon emissions. According to the 2024 Food Waste Index Report, food loss and waste generate 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions – almost five times the total emissions from the aviation sector. In 2022, households accounted for 60% of the 1.05 billion metric tons of food waste globally. Learning to store produce properly in your refrigerator may be more important than which refrigerator you buy.

Storing open containers in the refrigerator increases moisture levels. That makes the compressor work harder and increases the risk of spoilage. The U.S. goal is to halve food waste by 2030, making proper food storage and refrigerator maintenance more critical than ever.

Low-Impact Refrigeration

You can reduce the impact of your refrigerator through regular maintenance and simple repairs. Check the door seal to make sure it’s airtight, and if air is escaping, replace it. Use a narrow vacuum attachment and brush to clean the condenser coils and fan every few months. Drain hoses can get clogged, and freezer fans can be hindered by ice build-up. Check them when you clean the coils.

You can also improve your refrigerator’s efficiency by setting the temperature correctly. While the FDA recommends keeping refrigerators at or below 40°F, Consumer Reports testing shows that the optimal temperature is actually between 35°F and 38°F, with 37°F being ideal. That temperature range provides a safety buffer when you open the door, which allows cold air to escape. Freezers should be set to 0°F. Turn off any extras that use electricity, like ice makers and anti-sweat heaters. Your fridge and freezer will operate most efficiently when they are about three-quarters full.

Where you place the refrigerator in your kitchen can make a difference, too. To ensure proper airflow around the coils, set refrigerators a few inches out from the wall, and don’t use the top of the appliance for storage. Don’t station the refrigerator next to heat-producing appliances like the oven or dishwasher. And try not to place the refrigerator where it will receive direct sunlight from windows for large parts of the day.

Finally, remember your mom’s admonition to shut the refrigerator door so the inside doesn’t warm up.

Better Refrigerators

It is more environmentally responsible to use an appliance for as long as possible before replacing it. But there is a point of diminishing returns on old appliances. The Energy Star website offers a savings calculator to help shoppers decide whether to repair or replace a refrigerator.

When it is time to replace a refrigerator, make sure it is the right size for the family. A common rule of thumb for refrigerator sizing is six cubic feet per person in the household. Larger refrigerators use more energy, but are more efficient per cubic foot.

Current Energy Star-certified refrigerators are about 9% more energy efficient than models that meet the federal minimum energy efficiency standard. New DOE standards that come into force in 2029 and 2030 will result in cumulative emission reductions of 100.8 million metric tons of CO2 over the lifetime of products sold during the standards period.

If you can get by with a narrow, small-capacity refrigerator, use the Energy Star Most Efficient list to find your best option. According to independent testing, top-freezer models tend to be the most energy-efficient configuration, often outperforming bottom-freezers and side-by-sides in energy usage per cubic foot.

When shopping for a new refrigerator, consider selecting a model with a lower Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerant. Refrigerants with lower GWP for refrigerators include R-600a and R-441A, which have a lower impact on the climate if released into the environment than traditional HFCs.

Editor’s Note: Originally published on October 31, 2022, this article was extensively updated in October 2025.