What it costs to dump in Missouri: 2026 fees by city
Missouri's city landfills charge $43.85 to $55 a ton with minimums of $20 to $25: Springfield's Noble Hill, St. Joseph and Columbia. St. Joseph charges a car a flat $20, and St. Peters' transfer station charges residents a $40 minimum and everyone else $125.
2026 cost to dump in Missouri, place by place
| Place | Small load | Bigger loads | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Joseph | $20 a car trip, any load | $50 a ton for pickups and trailers ($25 minimum) | Saturdays: first of the month only |
| Springfield (Noble Hill) | $20 minimum | $43.85 a ton | No appliances, whole tires or yard waste |
| Columbia | $25 minimum | $55 a ton | Drop-off closes 3 p.m. weekdays, 1 p.m. Saturday |
| St. Peters (Recycle City) | $40 resident minimum (up to 800 lbs) | $125 minimum for the public; $125 a ton | Cards only; Resident Privilege Card required |
| Lee's Summit | Call for a price | Call for a price | Prices aren't posted online |
Rates verified from each city's own published pages, October 2026. Confirm with the site before a big load.
Find a landfill near you
Enter your city or ZIP for the nearest disposal sites across Missouri, then open your city's page for its exact hours, fees and what it accepts.
Why prices vary in Missouri
Some Missouri cities own their landfill and set public rates (Springfield, St. Joseph and Columbia), while many others rely on transfer stations that truck trash to landfills elsewhere. Transfer stations usually cost more: St. Peters' Recycle City charges the general public $125 a ton, more than twice Springfield's landfill rate, though its own residents get a lower minimum.
Residents-only pricing is common. St. Peters requires a Resident Privilege Card for its resident rate, and Lee's Summit's hazardous waste drop-off is free only for residents and partner cities.
Free and nearly free options
- Hazardous waste is free for residents in Lee's Summit (weekdays, no appointment) and Columbia (first and third Saturdays, April to October), and by appointment in Springfield.
- St. Peters residents drop off up to 10 cubic yards of yard waste a year free at Earth Centre.
- Columbia has a free glass recycling bin at its landfill, and St. Joseph's recycling center takes paper, cans, plastic bottles, motor oil and antifreeze.
The catches that cost people money
- Uncovered loads. St. Joseph adds $50 for any uncovered loose load.
- Bringing cash to St. Peters. Recycle City takes only MasterCard, Visa or Discover.
- Hidden banned items. St. Peters charges $250 for loads with prohibited or misidentified materials.
- Saturday trips. St. Joseph's landfill opens only on the first Saturday of each month.
- Two vehicles at once. At St. Peters, two vehicles on the scale pay two minimums.
What Missouri law keeps out of the trash
RSMo 260.250 bans major appliances, used oil and lead-acid batteries from solid waste disposal areas, and yard waste too, except at state-approved bioreactor landfills that turn landfill gas into electricity. RSMo 260.270 allows tires in a landfill only if they're cut, chipped or shredded, and requires tire retailers to take back scrap tires one for one at the sale (for a reasonable fee).
Missouri has no landfill ban on TVs or computers and no paint stewardship (PaintCare) or mattress recycling law.