Start with the fact that reframes everything else: there are no open solid waste landfills in Cuyahoga County. Not one. Everything collected here goes to a transfer station and is hauled out of the county to a landfill elsewhere in Ohio.
So in Cleveland, "taking it to the dump" means finding a transfer station — and the thing nobody tells you is that most of them will not let you in. Of the eight transfer stations the County lists, two take residential self-haul from anyone, four are restricted to their own city's residents, and two are commercial-hauler only. Driving to the wrong one is the single most common wasted trip here.
Rumpke Waste
9191 Postal Dr, Broadview Heights, OH 44147 Directions
📞 (440) 740-0145 · Rumpke (800) 828-8171
| Mon–Fri | 7:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. |
| Sat–Sun | Closed |
Accepts: Household waste, Bulky items
One of only two transfer stations in Cuyahoga County that take residential self-haul from anyone. Call for the current gate rate before you load.
Rumpke Waste
3227 Harvard Ave, Newburgh Heights, OH 44105 Directions
📞 (216) 429-2229 · Rumpke (800) 828-8171
| Box trucks | Mon–Fri 6:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. |
| Dump trailers & card customers | Mon–Fri 6:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. |
| Sat–Sun | Closed |
Accepts: Household waste, Bulky items
Rumpke's Harvard Avenue station, the closer of the two public sites to downtown Cleveland. Rumpke says its drop-off area is open to the public and businesses. Box trucks must arrive by noon. Call for the current gate rate.
City of Cleveland, Division of Waste Collection
3727 Ridge Rd, Cleveland, OH 44144 Directions
| Sat | 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. — trash and bulk drop-off |
| Mon – Fri | 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. — recycling only |
| Sun | Closed |
Accepts: Bulk and household waste from City of Cleveland residents — furniture, mattresses, appliances drained of coolant and fluids, large boxes
Won't take: Construction and demolition debris — concrete, wood, brick, dirt, drywall, shingles, siding, toilets or sinks. The City does not handle it at all
Trash is Saturdays only. On weekdays the site is open for recycling, not waste — turn up on a Tuesday with a truck of furniture and you will be sent home.
Cuyahoga County also lists this site as temporarily closed to commercial waste. If you are a contractor, call first.
City of Rocky River
22401 Lake Rd, Rocky River, OH 44116 Directions
Accepts: Household waste from Rocky River residents
City of Shaker Heights
15600 Chagrin Blvd, Shaker Heights, OH 44120 Directions
Accepts: Household waste from Shaker Heights residents
Operated by Republic Services for the City of Strongsville
16099 Foltz Industrial Pkwy, Strongsville, OH 44136 Directions
Accepts: Household waste from Strongsville residents
These take commercial haulers only. A household load will be turned away:
Between the four city-residents-only sites and these two, six of the eight county transfer stations are closed to a general-public household load. Ridge Road is also temporarily closed to commercial waste. If you are not a Cleveland, Rocky River, Shaker Heights or Strongsville resident, your options are Broadview Heights and Harvard Road.
Before you haul anything yourself, check what the City will simply take from the curb. For City of Cleveland residents, each week you may set out:
If you are clearing a yard, the curb is almost certainly cheaper and easier than a transfer station run.
Two set-out rules decide whether it actually gets taken. Carts go out the night before, or no later than 6:00 a.m. on collection day — and they must be at least three feet apart so the automated arm can reach them. Collection runs 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday, weather permitting.
Questions go to the Division of Waste Collection at 5600 Carnegie Ave on (216) 664-3711, or call 311 / (216) 664-2000.
See how Cleveland compares in our guide to bulk trash pickup.
Enter your city or ZIP for the nearest sites across Ohio, then call ahead — access rules vary more here than almost anywhere.
For posted landfill rates across the rest of the state, see our guide to what it costs to dump in Ohio.