Typical Prohibited Waste Materials

While every landfill and waste removal company is different, there are usually certain items that cannot enter waste containers. These prohibited materials are typically deemed hazardous or flammable according to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). If you are in the market for a dumpster rental, you will want to make sure the items you have to toss out are allowed to be placed into your roll-off.

Hazardous waste is something that must always be disposed of properly. Each city should have a government run facility that collects hazardous waste. Hazardous waste can come in many different forms, it can be solid, liquid or gas. They are categorized as anything that is dangerous or potentially harmful to the environment or to our health. There are four different types of hazardous waste; listed wastes, characteristic wastes, universal wastes, mixed wastes and waste identification process. You can learn more about hazardous waste on the EPA’s website.

Normally, if a waste disposal company comes across hazardous material in the dumpster, the entire container must be disposed of as hazardous waste. This could entail a large fee and other types of penalties. Hazardous waste can be recycled of in a proper manner when it is handled through the EPA or a state facility. In 2011 about 1.5 million tons of hazardous waste was recycled, it can usually be recycled if it is used, reused or reclaimed. Ask your dumpster rental company about their policy or suggestions for hazardous waste disposal. 

When hazardous waste cannot be recycled, it is usually destroyed through the use of incinerators. It is a popular practice to burn un-recyclable hazardous waste because it destroys the harmful toxins or infectious waste. This type of disposal is usually performed with medical waste. The incinerators range in temperatures from 4,000 to 7,000 degrees Fahrenheit. At modern incineration plants, the waste can be turned into power which creates a lower level of gas emissions into the atmosphere. 

Most waste removal companies will charge for certain items if found in your dumpster rental. Make sure you ask at the time of your order what items can and cannot be placed into the waste container. Common prohibited items that are not considered hazardous include, mattresses, box springs, tires, refrigerators, and lawn mowers. Each waste removal company will have a different policy regarding prohibited, flammable and hazardous waste materials.

Every waste disposal company will have their rules regarding heavy debris such as concrete, brick and asphalt. You may find some who cannot take any of these materials, some who require a separate dumpster and some who can commingle heavy debris with regular household and construction waste. Many cities will have a different disposal method for heavy debris and construction waste than they will for household trash. Normally, if you rent a dumpster for construction waste, it cannot be mixed with any other type of waste. Be sure to run this by the waste removal company you are working with. Overall, most waste removal companies have policies about prohibited items to protect our environment and well-being.