Disposal Guides

The rules change from state to state and city to city — North Carolina bans TVs from landfills outright, Florida doesn't; one county takes five tires a year free, the next charges $160 a ton. These guides lay out who takes what, what it costs, and where to go when your local dump says no.

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Calculator Junk removal pricing calculator What a load really costs to dump at 50+ verified landfills, whether hauling it yourself beats hiring, and how to price a job if you run a hauling business.
Glass disposal Bottles and jars get recycled; drinking glasses, mirrors and windows don't. Free glass drop-offs.
Car seat recycling Target's trade-in event, NHTSA's rules on crashed and used seats, and safe disposal.
Start a business How to start a junk removal business The licensing lines, real landfill fees, how to price a job, a one-page business plan and a 30-day launch checklist.
Dumpster rental: what it really costs Delivery, rental days, pickup and weight, from city roll-off price lists. Sizes, weight limits, and when junk removal is cheaper.
Moving cleanout: what to do with everything you're not taking Bulk pickup runs on the city's calendar, not your closing date. The four-week timeline, what movers refuse, and what landlords charge for items left behind.
Bulk trash pickup: how it works, what's free & the limits Your city probably takes that couch from the curb for nothing — 104 items a year in Gwinnett, 12 in Atlanta. The caps, the set-out rules that get you fined, and what to do when the date's too far off.
How to dispose of lithium-ion batteries safely 448 fires and $2.5bn in damage at US and Canadian waste facilities in 2025. What to do with a swollen battery, where to drop off free, and North Carolina's ban starting December 1, 2026.
What it costs to dump in Georgia (2026) Atlanta, Fulton and Gwinnett run no public landfill at all. Cobb charges $14 for 400 lbs — or $70/ton without a Georgia license. DeKalb's Seminole Road is $100 a ton.
What it costs to dump in Ohio (2026) Every posted rate gets $4.75 a ton in state fees on top. The real all-in price runs $39 to $52 a ton — and Cleveland and Akron residents often pay nothing.
What it costs to dump in Tennessee (2026) Convenience centers take household trash free; landfills and transfer stations charge $40 to $104.50 a ton. Eight cities compared.
What it costs to dump in Virginia (2026) Hampton Roads and Roanoke residents dump free up to 12 times a year; Northern Virginia charges $78 to $98 a ton. Seven areas compared.
What it costs to dump in South Carolina (2026) Greenville and Lexington residents dump household trash free; at the scales it runs from $33 a ton in Spartanburg to $100 at Charleston's Bees Ferry. Six counties compared.
What it costs to dump in Arizona (2026) Phoenix, Glendale, Scottsdale and Flagstaff residents get free loads; Tucson charges $18 a load, Mesa $15, and Glendale $55.58 a ton. Eight cities compared.
What it costs to dump in California (2026) Kern County residents dump household trash free; a small load is $9.45 near Fresno, $12 near Modesto and $75 at San Diego's Miramar. Fourteen areas compared.
What it costs to dump in Washington (2026) Every load is weighed: $46 a ton in Yakima County to $243.38 in King County, with small-load minimums from $4.93 to $42. 17 areas compared.
What it costs to dump in Oregon (2026) A small load costs $8.50 at the Klamath Falls Landfill and $51 at Metro; heavier loads run $111 to $176.70 a ton. Eight areas compared.
What it costs to dump in Colorado (2026) County landfills charge as little as an $8 minimum in Garfield County, $32 a ton in Mesa County and $20 a carload in Larimer County. Seven areas compared.
What it costs to dump in Maryland (2026) Many Maryland counties let residents drop off free; where they charge, it runs from $5 a carload in Charles County to $70 a ton in Carroll County. Ten counties compared.
What it costs to dump in Wisconsin (2026) From a free carload in Milwaukee to $58 a ton in Outagamie County and $82 in Oneida County. Ten areas compared.
What it costs to dump in Minnesota (2026) From a $3 bag in Itasca County to $35 a carload in Rice County and $155 a ton near the Twin Cities. Eleven areas compared.
What it costs to dump in Alabama (2026) From a $10 carload in Shelby County and an $8 pickup in Calhoun County to $33.50 a ton near Decatur. Nine areas compared.
What it costs to dump in Utah (2026) From free for Washington County residents and $7 a pickup in Bountiful to $17 at the Salt Lake Valley Landfill. Eight areas compared, plus Salt Lake vouchers.
What it costs to dump in Iowa (2026) From $12 a car in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines and $14 in Iowa City to $52 a ton in Dubuque. Eight areas compared.
What it costs to dump in Kansas (2026) From free in Reno County and $10 minimums to $90 a ton in Ellis County, plus where Wichita's trash really goes. Eight areas compared.
What it costs to dump in Idaho (2026) From free household garbage in Valley County and Kootenai's free first 1,000 lbs to $100 a ton in Madison County. Eight counties compared.
What it costs to dump in Connecticut (2026) Free allowances in Milford, Stamford, Westport, Stratford and Bristol, $2 to $4 bags, permits from free to $150, and $110 to $165 a ton. 24 towns compared.
What it costs to dump in New York (2026) From $2 bags in Utica and a $6 carload in Brookhaven to $137 a ton in Sullivan County and a $200 sticker in Oswego County. 18 places compared.
What it costs to dump in New Hampshire (2026) Free household trash in Bedford, Goffstown and Nashua, stickers from free to $60, and 7 to 11 cents a pound for debris. 23 towns compared.
What it costs to dump in Maine (2026) Stickers from free to $150, pay-as-you-throw bags and tags, mattresses $5 to $65, and 10 to 20 cents a pound for demolition debris. 24 towns compared.
What it costs to dump in Montana (2026) Free with your tax assessment in many counties, $27 to $104.94 a ton at the scale, and the permits, hang tags and punch cards that decide it. 19 places compared.
What it costs to dump in New Mexico (2026) Free for Clovis residents, $1 bags in San Juan County, $5 loads in Albuquerque, up to $68.05 a ton in Las Cruces, and the permits and punch cards that decide it. 12 places compared.
What it costs to dump in Oklahoma (2026) 12 free trips a year in Enid, free landfill days in Oklahoma City and Muskogee, $13 loads in Norman and a $55 minimum at the Tulsa Indoor Dump. 10 places compared.
What it costs to dump in New Jersey (2026) $86.55 a ton in Cape May County, $89 in Gloucester, $93.80 in Monmouth and up to $105.44 in Burlington, plus the minimums and the rental-truck rule. 9 counties compared.
What it costs to dump in Nebraska (2026) $5.25 a car in Lincoln, $20 at the Sarpy County Transfer Station, a $12 minimum in Hastings, and Omaha's city-subsidized bulky drop-off. 6 places compared.
What it costs to dump in Nevada (2026) Free for Nye County residents, $30 a ton in Carson City, $40 in Elko, $133 at the Douglas County transfer station, and what to expect in Las Vegas and Reno. 6 places compared.
What it costs to dump in Indiana (2026) Free household trash in Lawrence County, a free small load a day in Columbus, $25.60 a ton in Daviess and Washington counties, $60 in Elkhart County, and what to expect in Fort Wayne. 6 places compared.
What it costs to dump in Arkansas (2026) Free for Conway residents, $12.47 resident loads in Fort Smith, $37.40 a ton in Garland County, $44.75 at Jonesboro's Legacy Landfill and $57 in Little Rock. 5 places compared.
What it costs to dump in Michigan (2026) A free monthly load in Midland, $15 car loads at Smiths Creek, $30 to $40 in Kent and Muskegon counties, $3.50 bags in Emmet County and pickup loads in Oceana County. 6 places compared.
What it costs to dump in Kentucky (2026) Free large items for Louisville residents, $10 pickup loads in east Daviess County, $15 to $45 in Nelson County and per-ton rates in Daviess and Hardin counties and Glasgow. 5 places compared.
What it costs to dump in Pennsylvania (2026) Free drop-off for Philadelphia residents, $69.80 a ton in Lycoming County, $85 in York County, $100 at LCSWMA in Lancaster and $251.33 for Harrisburg city trash. 7 places compared.
What it costs to dump in Louisiana (2026) Free resident dumping in Jefferson Parish, Baton Rouge, Shreveport and Calcasieu Parish, no tipping fees in Acadia Parish, and $43.26 to $48 a ton for everyone else. 6 places compared.
What it costs to dump in West Virginia (2026) Every landfill and transfer station rate in the state, $32.50 to $98.35 a ton, plus the monthly free day the law guarantees residents. 5 places compared.
What it costs to dump in Missouri (2026) $43.85 a ton at Springfield's Noble Hill, $50 in St. Joseph ($20 a car), $55 in Columbia, and a $40 resident minimum at St. Peters' Recycle City. 5 places compared.
What it costs to dump in Massachusetts (2026) Town dump stickers from free in Needham to $40 in Falmouth, $190 in Plymouth and $410 in Barnstable, $5 bulk items in Worcester, and the state waste bans. 5 places compared.
What it costs to dump in Mississippi (2026) Free county rubbish sites: with a car tag in Jackson County, 4 visits a month in DeSoto, 10 cubic yards a month in Hancock, plus the state's tire and battery bans. 4 counties compared.
What it costs to dump in Illinois (2026) $100 a ton at SWANCC's Glenview Transfer Station, Chicago and Kane County transfer stations, $63 a ton in Knox County, a free weekly load in Peoria County, and the state's landfill bans.
What it costs to dump in Vermont (2026) $4 a bag plus $1 a visit at Chittenden County drop-offs, $3 per 15 gallons in Stowe, $171 a ton near Middlebury, and Vermont's long list of disposal bans. 3 districts compared.
What it costs to dump in Rhode Island (2026) $115 a ton at the Central Landfill in Johnston, a $325 sticker in Portsmouth, $3 tags in North Kingstown, $10 per 200 lbs in Bristol, and the state's battery and TV bans. 6 places compared.
What it costs to dump in Delaware (2026-27) One price list statewide: $80 a ton with a $7.50 minimum at every DSWA landfill and transfer station, $1 a bag at collection stations, and the yard waste ban.
What it costs to dump in South Dakota (2026) Seven city and county landfills side by side, $41 to $73 a ton, with flat car and pickup rates, the Sioux Falls free pass and the whole-tire ban.
What it costs to dump in North Dakota (2026) Six city landfills side by side, $51 to $67 a ton, with minimum charges, free resident drop-offs and the appliance and battery bans.
What it costs to dump in Wyoming (2026) Five city and county landfills side by side, from $5 car loads to $124 a ton, with each city's free-load program.
What it costs to dump in Alaska (2026) Anchorage, Mat-Su, the Kenai Peninsula, Fairbanks and Ketchikan side by side, from free household trash to $255 a ton.
What it costs to dump in Hawaii (2026) All four counties side by side: free Big Island and Kauaʻi transfer stations, Oʻahu convenience centers, Maui's $5 resident load, and the tire and battery bans.
What it costs to dump in North Carolina (2026) Durham bills $5 a carload, Winston-Salem $7 flat, Mooresville $66 a ton. Fourteen metros side by side — and the $200 uncovered-load fee in Gastonia.
What you can't throw away in North Carolina TVs and computers are illegal to landfill here — the only state of the six we cover with that rule. The full banned list, where each item goes, and the new bans starting December 1, 2026.
What it costs to dump in Florida (2026) Pinellas takes a carload for $4.25; Jacksonville charges $30.30 a ton, Miami-Dade $115.80. Eighteen cities compared, and who actually qualifies for the free allowance.
What you can't throw away in Florida Five prohibitions under FAC 62-701.300 — and electronics aren't one of them. Where each banned item actually goes.
How much does it cost to dump at a landfill? Published fees from 299 cities in 48 states. Median $65 a ton, range $18.50–$300 — but most city residents pay nothing, and the minimum charge is what usually applies.
What it costs to dump in Texas (2026) Residents dump free within a limit; everyone else pays $32 to $99.93 a ton, or $137.60 in Killeen. Real gate rates city by city — plus the surprise fees.
Construction debris: where to dump it and the cost C&D is its own category with its own gate and its own rate — $14 for the first 400 lbs in Marietta, $70.25 a ton in Cape Coral.
How to get rid of old furniture Curbside bulk pickup is free in many cities — 104 items a year in Gwinnett. Donation, landfill and haul-off compared.
How to dispose of an old refrigerator or appliance Banned from landfills in NC and FL. Washers are free scrap; fridges have a federal Freon rule. Cost and catch, city by city.
Where to recycle plastic: bags, film and #1–7 Bags never go in the curbside cart, and the number on the bottom isn't a promise. Where plastic really goes, and the ten states that pay you back for bottles.
Public dumpsters: where to drop off trash for free There's no street-corner dumpster, but there are county drop-off sites. What's free for residents, and the rules for using someone else's.
Dump hours: when dumps open and close From the posted hours of 859 sites: typical open and close times, the cutoff before closing, and the holidays they close.
Dumps open on Sunday 174 landfills, transfer stations and drop-offs in 29 states post Sunday hours. Every one, listed by state.
Concrete and dirt disposal Many dumps refuse concrete, but clean loads are cheap or free at the sites that take it. Real fees by city.
How to dispose of cooking oil Never down the drain. Trash a pan's worth, and recycle a fryer's worth at drop-offs that take it.
How to dispose of motor oil and filters Where to take used oil and filters, often free, and the 5-gallon drop-off limits.
How to dispose of old gasoline Hazardous waste only: where to take it, the limits, and why you may not get the can back.
How to dispose of propane tanks Exchange it, return it or drop it off — never the trash. Drop-off fees we've found run from free to $25.
How to dispose of a fire extinguisher Refill it, or take it to a dealer or hazardous waste site. Many dumps refuse them.
How to dispose of smoke detectors EPA says household trash is fine, even for ionization detectors. What to do with the battery.
Yard waste, brush and leaves Paper-bag rules, brush size limits, and the states that keep yard waste out of landfills.
Christmas tree disposal Curbside pickup, drop-off sites, flocked-tree rules, and how to prep the tree so it gets mulched.
Hot tub removal Which dumps take spas, the cut-into-quarters rules, and when a junk-removal crew makes sense.
Piano disposal Weights to plan for, selling or giving it away first, and your hauling options.
Household hazardous waste: drop-offs and collection events What counts as hazardous waste, how county drop-offs and collection events work, and the limits they set.
How to dispose of light bulbs LED and incandescent usually go in the trash; CFLs and fluorescent tubes contain mercury, and some states require recycling.
Pallet and scrap wood disposal Which drop-offs take pallets free, which charge per pallet, which refuse them, and treated-wood rules.
How to get rid of an old couch Bulk pickup, what dumps charge for a sofa, and when a junk-removal crew makes more sense.
How to dispose of a microwave Appliance, electronics, scrap metal or trash, depending on your city. Real fees and which drop-offs refuse them.
How to dispose of a window air conditioner Refrigerant makes AC units and dehumidifiers cost extra to dump. Utility turn-in programs and drop-off fees.
Water heater disposal Old water heaters go to appliance or scrap metal drop-offs, often for $5 to $10 or free.
How to dispose of antifreeze Toxic and poisonous to pets: never down a drain. Where to drop it off and the gallon limits.
How to dispose of aerosol cans Empty cans are often metal recycling; cans with product left go to hazardous waste.
How to dispose of a lawn mower Drain the gas and oil, then scrap it. Where push and riding mowers go, with real fees.
How to get rid of old carpet Cutting rules, drop-offs that treat it as construction debris, and California's carpet recycling program.
Scrap metal disposal Free metal piles at the dump, selling to a scrap yard, and the ID rules.
Cardboard disposal Free drop-offs for moving boxes, and why cardboard stays out of trash loads.
Bottle deposit states The 10 deposit states, 5 to 15 cents a container, and where to return them.
TV disposal Dump fees from free to $50, Best Buy's $29.99 rules, and tube TVs.
Free dump days Cities and counties that waive landfill fees a few days a year, who qualifies, and what to bring.
What is a transfer station? How a transfer station differs from a landfill and a convenience center, and how to use one.
E-waste recycling near you North Carolina is the only state of the six we cover that bans TVs and computers from the landfill. Who takes them free everywhere else.
Where to get rid of old tires Whole tires are banned from landfills in thirty-six of our fifty states. Georgia caps you at 10 tires a trip. Houston takes five a visit, ten a month. Every rule, city by city.
Battery recycling and disposal Lead-acid is banned in forty of the fifty states we cover — and NC adds lithium-ion on Dec. 1, 2026. 448 facility fires in 2025. Where they actually go.
How to get rid of old paint No landfill takes liquid paint. Here's where it actually goes — usually free.
How to dispose of a mattress Free at the curb in Atlanta, Augusta and Gwinnett. $63 in Tyler. Check bulk pickup before you rent a truck.