What Can (and Can't) Go in Your Roll-Off Dumpster

Most of what comes out of a home cleanout, remodel, or construction project is fine to toss straight in. A short list of items isn't — mostly for safety and disposal-facility rules, not arbitrary restrictions.

Generally accepted

• Household junk and furniture
• Construction and demolition debris (drywall, wood, flooring, cabinets)
• Roofing shingles
• Yard waste and wood
• Metal, carpet, and general renovation debris

Not accepted

• Tires and batteries — most landfills won't take these mixed in with general debris
• Paint, solvents, and chemicals — classified as hazardous waste and need separate disposal
• Appliances containing refrigerant (fridges, freezers, some A/C units) — refrigerant has to be professionally recovered first
• Asbestos and medical waste — regulated waste categories with their own handling requirements
• Propane tanks — pressurized and combustible, not safe for a mixed container

Where those items actually go

Most of these have a dedicated disposal path: tires and batteries are often accepted for free or low cost at auto parts stores or dedicated recycling centers, household hazardous waste (paint, solvents, chemicals) usually goes through your city's household hazardous waste drop-off program, and appliances with refrigerant typically need to go through a certified appliance recycler or your utility's appliance pickup program.

If you're not sure whether something on your project qualifies, it's worth a quick call before delivery — sorting it out ahead of time is a lot easier than discovering an overage or rejected load after the container's already full.