What Can You Put in a Dumpster?

Who decides what goes in a MAC Dumpsters container?

MAC Dumpsters sets these rules, because we haul every container ourselves. Adam and Tara Graf have owned and run the company since 2023 from our yard at 1112 Middle River Rd, with 12 containers, one hook-lift truck and our own driver. We dispose of every load according to local and state regulations. Google reviewers rate us 5.0.

What this accepted items guide covers

This page lists what you can load in a MAC Dumpsters roll-off, which items carry a per-item fee, and what can't go in any of our containers. It covers furniture, mattresses, appliances, electronics, tires, yard waste, roofing and renovation debris, with the reason behind the items we turn away. The rules are the same on every size and across our whole service area around Baltimore.

Goes in

Household junk and furniture
Cleanout debris
Remodel debris
Yard waste
Stumps and sod from yard work
Storm debris
Shingles from a roof tear-off

Goes in for a fee

Tires: $15 each
Mattresses and box springs: $30 each
E-waste: $35 each
Appliances without freon: $35 each

Stays out

Appliances with freon
Hazardous materials
Paint
Concrete, brick, block and asphalt
Dirt
Household garbage

What goes in at no extra charge

Most of what comes out of a house, yard or job site can go in. These items are covered by the rental price, up to the container's included tonnage.

Household junk and furniture

Couches, chairs, tables, dressers, bed frames, rugs, boxes, clothes and the rest of a room's contents all go in. Break down what you can, so it packs flat and leaves room.

Cleanout debris

Garage, attic, basement and whole-house cleanouts are accepted, including estate cleanout debris. Pull out any freon appliances, paint and hazardous materials first. Everything else can go.

Remodel debris

Drywall, lumber, trim, cabinets, flooring, carpet, fixtures and other remodel debris go in. Concrete, brick, block and asphalt from the same job do not. Construction debris has its own sizing guide.

Yard waste

Branches, brush, leaves, shrubs and landscaping debris are accepted. Cut long limbs down and lay them flat so they don't leave dead air in the container. Yard waste dumpster rental covers sizing for bigger cleanups.

Stumps and sod from yard work

Stumps and sod are accepted. Soil still attached to them is fine, but loose dirt is not. They're heavy, and any weight over the included tonnage is billed at $125 per ton.

Storm debris

Downed limbs, damaged fencing, soaked carpet, drywall and furniture from any storm cleanup go in. Wet debris weighs more than it looks, so size the container for the weight.

Shingles from a roof tear-off

Shingle tear-offs are accepted. They're one of the heaviest loads we haul, so check the included tonnage and overage numbers before you pick a size.

How high a container can be loaded

Whatever goes in, load it level with the top of the container. Anything above the rim has to come off before we can haul it, because loose debris can fall onto the road. Weight is separate from room: every load is weighed at the landfill, and anything over your included tonnage is billed after the dump at $125 per ton.

Items that go in for a fee

Four kinds of items cost extra, charged per item on top of the rental. Add them when you book, or tell us and we'll add them. Every fee is also listed with our pricing and rental terms.

Tires: $15 each

Any tire size is $15, on or off the rim. Tire disposal has the details.

Mattresses and box springs: $30 each

A mattress is $30 and a box spring is another $30. A full bed set with both is $60.

E-waste: $35 each

TVs, computers, monitors and other electronics are $35 each.

Appliances without freon: $35 each

Washers, dryers, stoves, ovens and dishwashers are $35 each, broken or not. Tell us how many when you book so the count matches your bill.

Can I put appliances in a dumpster?

Some appliances, yes. Washers, dryers, stoves and other appliances without freon go in a MAC Dumpsters container for $35 each. Refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners and anything else that holds freon can't go in any container, even when it's broken or empty. Set those aside before you start loading.

Appliances that hold freon

Refrigerators, freezers, window and central air conditioners and dehumidifiers use refrigerant, so they stay out of every container. They turn up most in whole-house cleanouts and flooded basements, so pull them out before loading starts.

Can I put a mattress in a dumpster?

Yes. MAC Dumpsters accepts mattresses and box springs in any 10, 15 or 20 yard container for $30 each. A full bed set with a mattress and a box spring comes to $60. The fee is on our published price list, so it isn't a surprise at pickup. Bed frames and headboards go in at no extra charge.

What can you not throw away in a rental dumpster?

At MAC Dumpsters, six things stay out of every container: appliances with freon, hazardous materials, paint, concrete and masonry, dirt, and household garbage. They're turned away on all three sizes, everywhere we deliver. Everything else from a cleanout, remodel or yard job can go in, with a per-item fee on tires, mattresses, e-waste and appliances without freon.

Appliances with freon

Refrigerators, freezers and air conditioners are not accepted, full or empty, working or broken.

Hazardous materials

Chemicals, solvents, fuels, pesticides and other hazardous materials are not accepted in any container.

Paint

Paint is not accepted. Keep cans out of the load, whether they're full or partly used.

Concrete, brick, block and asphalt

We don't take concrete, brick, block or asphalt in any container. That includes chimney brick, pavers and broken slabs mixed into a remodel.

Dirt

Loose dirt is not accepted. Soil still attached to sod or a stump is fine.

Household garbage

Kitchen trash and bagged everyday garbage belong with your regular garbage collection, not a roll-off. Household junk like furniture, boxes and cleanout contents is still accepted.

Accepted and prohibited item questions

Can a recliner go in a roll-off dumpster?

Yes. Recliners, couches, sectionals and loveseats go in a MAC Dumpsters roll-off at no extra charge, in any 10, 15 or 20 yard container. Pull off the cushions and stand the frame on end to save room. Tuck ottomans, cushions and side tables into the gaps around the frames.

Can I put bagged trash in a dumpster rental?

No. MAC Dumpsters doesn't accept bagged kitchen trash or everyday household garbage in any container, because it belongs with your regular garbage collection. A roll-off is for household junk, furniture, cleanout contents and project debris, which all go in at no extra charge up to the included tonnage.

Can soil stay on sod or stumps?

Yes. MAC Dumpsters accepts sod and tree stumps with the soil still attached to them. Loose dirt can't go in any container. Sod and stumps are heavy, and the attached soil adds to it, so any weight over the included tonnage is billed at $125 per ton.

Can I put a dishwasher in a dumpster?

Yes, for $35. A dishwasher has no freon, so MAC Dumpsters accepts it the same way as a washer, dryer or stove, at $35 per appliance. Tell us how many appliances are going in when you book, so the per-item fees are on your order from the start.

Can I throw away a dehumidifier in a dumpster?

No. Dehumidifiers run on refrigerant, the same as refrigerators and air conditioners, so MAC Dumpsters treats them as freon appliances. They can't go in any of our 10, 15 or 20 yard containers. Set them aside with any fridges, freezers or window units before loading starts.