It depends on the facility
Not every landfill or transfer station sorts the same materials. Some separate metal, concrete and wood for recycling, others landfill everything together. Ask your provider which facility they use.
Dumpster Rental Guide
What Can You Recycle in a Roll Off Dumpster?
A roll off dumpster is not automatically a recycling bin, but a lot of what goes in one can still be recycled depending on the material and the disposal facility. Here is what is commonly recyclable, what is not, and how to ask your provider the right questions before you book.
Most roll off dumpster companies route debris to a landfill or a transfer station, and whether anything gets recycled along the way depends on that facility, not on the dumpster itself. Some transfer stations pull out metal, concrete, wood and cardboard for recycling before the rest goes to the landfill. Others send everything to the landfill together. The only way to know for sure is to ask your provider which facility they use and what that facility recycles.
That said, there are materials that are almost always worth recycling when the option exists, and materials that should never go in a rented dumpster at all because they are hazardous.
Commonly recyclable
- Clean wood, lumber scraps and pallets
- Metal: pipes, siding, appliances without refrigerants, fencing
- Cardboard and paper in bulk
- Concrete, brick and asphalt (often sorted separately by weight)
- Asphalt shingles, in areas where a roofing recycler accepts them
- Clean yard waste: branches, brush, untreated lumber
Never put these in a dumpster
- Paint, solvents and chemicals
- Batteries of any kind
- Electronics and appliances with refrigerants
- Tires
- Hazardous waste, including asbestos
These follow Texas Commission on Environmental Quality guidelines for solid waste handling. See the full list of what cannot go in a dumpster.
Good to Know
How Recycling Actually Works With a Roll Off
Sorting saves money, usually
Clean loads of a single material, like concrete or metal, are sometimes billed differently than mixed debris. Ask before you load if keeping materials separate would help.
Mixed loads are still fine
You do not have to sort before filling the dumpster. Facilities that recycle usually sort mixed loads on their end, though a clean load helps.
Questions
Recycling FAQ
It varies by provider and by the disposal facility they use. Ask when you book whether materials like metal, concrete or wood are sorted for recycling, or if everything goes to the landfill together.
Usually not in the same container as general debris, since concrete and dirt are very heavy and often need a dedicated heavy debris container with a lower weight allowance. Ask your provider about a separate container for clean concrete, brick or dirt.
Appliances without refrigerants, like a washer or dryer, usually can go in and are often scrapped for metal. Refrigerators, freezers and air conditioners with refrigerants need special handling and cannot go in a rented dumpster.
Some facilities in Texas recycle asphalt shingles into road material, others landfill them. Ask your provider if shingle recycling is available in the New Braunfels area for your job.
Not usually. Most providers sort recyclable material after pickup. A clean, sorted load can still make the process faster and sometimes reduces weight charges, so ask if it matters for your project.
Have a Load With Mixed Materials?
Tell us what you are clearing out and we will help you pick the right size and ask the right questions about disposal.
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