What Can't Go in a Dumpster
Good news first. Most of what you're hauling out of that garage is fine. Furniture, carpet, drywall, old decking, the treadmill nobody touched since 2019. Toss it all in. There's just a short list of stuff that can't ride along, and some of that we can still take care of for you if you call ahead.
Locally Owned · 7 Day Rentals · One Flat Price
Here's the thing nobody tells you when you rent a dumpster. The landfill has rules. We don't make them and honestly we'd take just about anything if we could, but the scale house turns away certain material and we eat that cost if it slips through. So this list isn't us being difficult. It's just what the disposal site will and won't accept.
Now the part that matters. A bunch of what's on this list, we can still get rid of for you. It just doesn't ride in the can with everything else, and it runs as a separate disposal item with its own fee. Old propane tank? Couple of TVs? A fridge sitting in the basement? Say something when you book and we'll price it out up front.
What you don't want to do is bury it in the middle of the load and hope nobody notices. That's how people end up with a charge they weren't expecting. Just ask. It takes ten seconds and one of the brothers picks up.
Ask Before You Toss It
Not sure what size you need? We'll tell you straight, even if it's the cheaper one.
Call 724-549-1662The Stuff That Can't Go In
Six groups. Read the one that sounds like your pile and skip the rest.
Liquids, Oils and Fuels
Anything that sloshes stays out. Liquid leaks through the can, soaks into the load, and contaminates everything around it. That's the whole reason for this one.
- All liquids
- Motor oil
- Transmission oil
- Lubricating or hydraulic oil
- Contaminated oils, including oil mixed with solvents or gasoline
- Oil filters
- Antifreeze
- Other flammable liquids
Chemicals and Hazardous Material
This group has real rules behind it. Some of it needs a licensed hauler and a totally different facility, so it isn't a fee question. It just can't come with us.
- Aerosol cans
- Chemical products
- Solvents
- Herbicides and pesticides
- Hazardous waste
- Industrial waste
- Asbestos
- Radioactive materials
- Medical waste
Paint and Coatings
The one everybody gets wrong. Wet paint is a no. Dried out paint is fine. More on that below because it comes up constantly.
- Liquid or wet paint
- Lead paint chips
Electronics and Appliances
Pennsylvania keeps electronics out of the landfill, and anything holding refrigerant has to get handled separately. Most of these we can still take. Just tell us they're coming.
- Televisions
- Computers
- Monitors
- Microwaves
- Refrigerators
- Fluorescent tubes
- Batteries
Ground and Heavy Material
Different problem here. It's not that this stuff is dangerous, it's that it goes somewhere else entirely. Dirt especially. People assume a big can means dirt is fair game and it isn't.
- Dirt
- Petroleum contaminated soil
- Railroad ties
- Tires
- Barrels
Pressurized Tanks and Everything Else
Short group. A propane tank that looks empty usually isn't, and a tank under pressure in a trash compactor is a bad afternoon for somebody.
- Propane tanks
- Animals
Got one of these sitting in the garage? Call and we'll price the disposal before you book.
Call 724-549-1662The Paint Rule, Because Everybody Asks
Dried latex paint cans can go in the dumpster. That's allowed.
Liquid paint can't. Doesn't matter if it's half a can or a full one. If it still pours, it stays out.
So if you've got a shelf of old cans in the garage, pop the lids and let them dry out. Some people mix in kitty litter or sawdust to speed it up. Once it's hard, in it goes. Lead paint chips are their own thing though and those can't go in at all.
What You Can Toss Without Thinking About It
After a list like that, worth saying plainly. Almost everything from a normal cleanout or remodel is fine.
Washers, dryers and stoves surprise people. Those go right in. It's only the ones holding refrigerant that get pulled out of the load. Need one? Here's every roll off dumpster we rent.
The Other Thing That Changes Your Bill
Rules about what goes in are half the story. Weight is the other half.
Every rental comes with tonnage built into the price. Stay under it and the number you were quoted is the number you pay. Go over and it's $95 a ton, billed straight off the scale ticket. No markup, no mystery fee.
This catches people on heavy loads. Concrete and brick hit the weight limit long before they fill the can, so a dumpster that looks half empty can already be over. Worth knowing before you start loading, not after.
See Full PricingEvery price covers drop off, pickup, and a 7 day rental. Over the tonnage runs $95 a ton.
Got Something on the List? Do This
Set it aside. Don't bury it in the middle of the load and hope for the best. That's the one move that turns into a surprise charge.
Call 724-549-1662 and tell us what you've got. You're talking to Tyler or Travis, not a call center three states over.
We price the disposal up front or point you to where it needs to go. Either way you know the number before anything moves.
Sometimes the answer is that a dumpster isn't the right call at all and our junk removal crew should just come get it. We'll tell you that too. Ask about junk removal when you call.
Questions We Get About What Goes In
Liquids, chemicals, and anything flammable are the big ones. That covers motor oil, antifreeze, solvents, aerosol cans, and wet paint. Then there's electronics like TVs and monitors, appliances holding refrigerant, propane tanks, tires, and dirt. Some of those we can still haul for a separate fee, so it's worth asking before you assume.
Same short answer. If it pours, burns, holds pressure, or plugs into a wall, keep it out of the can. Everything else from a normal cleanout is fair game. Furniture, carpet, drywall, lumber, shingles, yard debris, all fine.
Dried out latex paint cans, yes. Liquid paint, no. Pop the lids off and let them harden in the garage for a few days, or throw some kitty litter in to speed it along. Once it's solid it can go right in with everything else.
Dirt goes to a different facility than household and construction debris, so it can't ride in with a mixed load. It's also brutally heavy. A can that looks barely full can already be over the tonnage. If you've got a pile of dirt to move, call and we'll talk through what actually works.
Not in the dumpster with everything else. Fridges hold refrigerant and TVs fall under the state's electronics rules, so both get handled as a separate disposal item. We can usually still take them. Just say so when you book and we'll give you the fee up front.
Usually the scale house catches it and we get charged, which means you get charged. Not a fun call for either of us. That's the whole reason this page exists. Ask first and it never becomes a problem.
Yes. Washers, dryers, and stoves go right in, no extra step. It's only fridges, freezers, and window AC units that get pulled out because of the refrigerant sealed inside them.
Then call and ask. Seriously. The brothers answer their own phone at 724-549-1662 and they'd rather spend thirty seconds on a weird question than have you find out the hard way at the end of the job.
Not Sure About Something in Your Pile?
Ask before you toss it. One quick call and you'll know exactly what goes in the can, what runs as a separate item, and what it all costs. No guessing, no surprise line on the bill.
