What Can (and Can't) You Put in a Roll Off Dumpster in NC?

What's allowed

• Household junk — furniture, clothes, toys, general cleanout material
• Construction and demolition debris — drywall, lumber, flooring, siding, cabinets
• Roofing shingles — asphalt shingles are fine in 20 yard and up
• Yard waste — brush, branches, leaves, sod (call if it's a large load)
• Concrete, brick, dirt, asphalt — heavy material, 10 or 15 yard only

What's prohibited in North Carolina

NC has strict rules about what can go in the landfill stream, and dumpsters are part of that stream. The list below isn't us being difficult — it's state law and disposal-site policy. If any of this material ends up in your bin, the disposal site charges us a contamination fee, and we have to pass that along.

• Tires (any size)
• Wet paint, solvents, and other liquid chemicals
• Hazardous chemicals of any kind
• Batteries (car batteries, lithium batteries, lead-acid)
• Propane tanks, even small camping-size ones
• Gasoline, motor oil, antifreeze, brake fluid
• Asbestos — call a licensed abatement company
• Medical or biohazard waste
• Electronics — TVs, monitors, computers, printers

What's allowed with a small surcharge

Some items can go in the dumpster but carry a small handling fee because the disposal site charges us extra to take them. Tell us when you book and we'll quote it up front:

• Mattresses and box springs
• Appliances containing freon (fridges, freezers, AC units) — freon must be removed first
• Large TVs (note: most electronics aren't allowed at all — call to confirm)

What happens if I throw in something prohibited?

If the disposal site spots prohibited material, they reject the whole load and charge a contamination fee. That fee gets passed back to you, and we have to sort the load before re-disposing. It's an expensive mistake. If you're not sure about an item, just call before you toss it — we'd much rather answer a quick question than hit you with a surprise charge.

Why North Carolina is strict about this

Tires, electronics, batteries, and freon-containing appliances all have separate recycling and disposal streams set up by the state. Throwing them in regular landfill waste contaminates the stream and creates real environmental problems. The state fines disposal sites that accept this stuff, and the sites pass the fines along to haulers like us. Following the rules keeps prices honest for everyone.

For the full FAQ on accepted vs prohibited items, see /faq. For a size guide if you're still figuring out which bin you need, see /blog/what-size-dumpster-do-i-need.