Dumpster rental in Minnesota: what disposal really costs
A dumpster quote bundles four things: delivery, rental days, the pickup and the weight at the landfill. In Minnesota, that last line runs from $78 to $155 a ton at the public landfills and transfer stations we've verified, so the same full container can cost several times as much to dump in one county as the next.
What Minnesota landfills charge by the ton
| Landfill or transfer station | Per ton | 3 tons | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rice County | $78 | $234 | Plus tax; $35 flat for a car, pickup or single-axle trailer |
| Steele County | $80 | $240 | Residents only; $20 a car, $30 a pickup |
| Morrison County | $87 | $261 | Plus tax |
| Kandiyohi County | $98.50 | $295.50 | In county; $29.54 under 600 lbs; fees included |
| Minneapolis (South Transfer Station) | $117.86 | $353.58 | Pay-per-use pass for City water customers without City garbage service |
| Rosemount (Dakota Area Transfer) | $155 | $465 | Private; plus tax; $45 a car, $75 a pickup |
That's the disposal line a dumpster company builds into its price, so the same full container costs very different amounts depending on where it's dumped. Several Minnesota sites add state tax on top, and private stations price higher than county landfills.
Weight is the part that costs you
EPA's standard conversion factors put mixed household junk at 250 to 300 lbs a cubic yard and construction and demolition debris at about 417 lbs. A full 20-yard container of household junk weighs about 2.5 to 3 tons; full of construction debris, about 4.2 tons.
At the Minnesota rates above, the disposal on 3 tons runs from $234 to $465, and 4.2 tons of debris from $327.60 to $651. Ask how many tons the quote includes and what each extra ton costs before you book.
What can't go in a dumpster in Minnesota
Everything in the container ends up at a Minnesota landfill or transfer station, so state disposal rules become your rules:
| Item | Minnesota rule |
|---|---|
| Whole tires | Banned — since July 1, 1985 (Minn. Stat. 115A.904) |
| Car batteries | Yes — lead-acid since 1988, rechargeables since 1991 (Minn. Stat. 115A.915 and 115A.9157) |
| Appliances | Yes — major appliances (Minn. Stat. 115A.9561) |
| TVs and computers | Picture-tube (CRT) devices — since July 1, 2006 (Minn. Stat. 115A.9565) |
Paint, chemicals and other household hazardous waste never go in a dumpster; take them to your county's household hazardous waste drop-off.
Minnesota's extra rules
Minnesota keeps more out of the trash than most states: major appliances and old picture-tube TVs are banned from landfills, and rechargeable batteries, lithium-ion included, have been banned from the trash since 1991. Pull them out before the container is hauled away.
Dumpster or junk removal?
A dumpster wins for a big project you load yourself over several days: a remodel, a roof, a whole-house cleanout. For a handful of heavy items or a one-day cleanout, a junk-removal crew is often cheaper, because you skip the rental days, the driveway and the weight tickets. If you have a truck, compare both with the small-load fee at your nearest site in our Minnesota cost guide.
For every Minnesota landfill, transfer station and drop-off we cover, start from our Minnesota page, or see what it costs to dump in Minnesota.
Common questions
How much does it cost to dump a dumpster load in Minnesota?
What can't you put in a dumpster in Minnesota?
Do I need a permit for a dumpster?
Hours, fees and rules change. Always call the facility to confirm before you load up. Sources: national per-ton rate table; what it costs to dump in Minnesota; US EPA, Volume-to-Weight Conversion Factors (April 2016); dumpster rental guide.