Most of what comes out of a remodel, a cleanout or a yard project can go in a roll-off. A short list can never go in, and a few items depend on the provider. Knowing what you can put in a dumpster before you start loading saves a sorting job at pickup and keeps hazardous material out of the waste stream.
Dumpsters Los Angeles is an independent referral site, not a dumpster company. When you call or send the form, the site’s operator passes your request to an independent roll-off provider serving your part of Los Angeles or LA County, which quotes, delivers and hauls the container.
What usually goes in
- Construction and remodeling debris: drywall, lumber, plywood, trim, doors, cabinets, countertops, flooring, carpet and pad.
- Roofing, within the weight the quote includes.
- Household junk and furniture: sofas, tables, shelving, boxes, old décor.
- Yard waste: branches, shrubs, fencing, decking.
- Concrete, brick, dirt and rock, usually in a container or load suited to their weight.
What never goes in
Household hazardous waste stays out of a roll-off. In the City of Los Angeles, LA Sanitation’s S.A.F.E. Centers (the name stands for Solvents, Automotive, Flammables and Electronics) take it free of charge from residents, up to 15 gallons or 125 pounds per visit. LA Sanitation lists:
- Aerosol cans.
- Automotive fluids and products, including fuels.
- Household cleaners and chemicals.
- Fluorescent bulbs and other items containing mercury.
- Paints, stains and solvents.
- Pesticides and herbicides.
- Pool chemicals.
- Propane cylinders.
- Batteries of every kind, from AA cells to car and e-bike batteries.
- Electronic waste: TVs, computers, cell phones, printers and cables.
LA Sanitation is direct about batteries: they “can cause fires and environmental hazards if placed in household trash or recycling bins,” and should not go in them. The same reasoning applies to a roll-off. S.A.F.E. Centers do not accept explosives, radioactive material or medical waste.
Outside the City of LA
Other cities and LA County run their own household hazardous waste collection. If you are outside the City of Los Angeles, check your city’s options before the container arrives.
Ask the provider first
Mattresses
Many providers accept mattresses but charge for them or ask for them to be separated. Ask before you load one.
Tires
Tires are commonly refused or charged separately. Ask, and expect them to need their own disposal.
Appliances
Refrigerators, freezers and air conditioners contain refrigerants that need handling. Ask whether the provider takes them and on what terms.
Heavy material
Concrete, brick, dirt and roofing are usually accepted, but their weight changes the size and the quote. See the dumpster sizes guide.
Construction debris in the City of LA
In the City of Los Angeles, construction and demolition debris must be hauled to City-certified processing facilities, and private haulers collecting it need a City hauler permit from LA Sanitation. That is the hauler’s job, not yours, but it is worth asking any provider where the load will go. More on roll off dumpster rental Los Angeles.
Sort before you load
A cleanout goes faster and costs less when the sorting happens first. Set aside what you are keeping, what can be sold or donated, and what can be recycled on its own: scrap metal, clean cardboard, clean wood and green waste often have better places to go than a mixed container. Electronics and batteries go to a collection point. What is left is what the roll-off is for, and the container you need may be a size smaller than you first thought.
Estate and move-out cleanouts deserve extra care. Go through drawers, boxes and garages for paperwork, photographs and anything of value before loading, and look for old paint cans, pool chemicals and fuel containers on garage shelves, which are some of the most common hazardous items found in a cleanout.
Loading tips
- Set hazardous items aside from the first day, so they never get mixed in.
- Heavy material at the bottom, spread evenly.
- Break furniture down so it lies flat.
- Keep the load level with the top of the walls.
Questions people ask
Can you put a mattress in a dumpster?
Often yes, but many providers charge for mattresses or want them separate. Ask before loading one.
Can you put paint in a dumpster?
No. Paint, stains and solvents are household hazardous waste. In the City of Los Angeles they go to an LA Sanitation S.A.F.E. Center, free for residents.
Can you put tires in a dumpster?
Usually not without asking. Many providers refuse tires or charge for them separately.
Can batteries go in a dumpster?
No. LA Sanitation says batteries can cause fires and should not go in trash or recycling bins. Take them to a S.A.F.E. Center or a battery collection point.