Paint, tires, batteries, propane tanks, appliances with refrigerant, medical waste and most anything liquid cannot go in a roll-off dumpster, and a 20 yard container rents for as little as $91 a month within that rule. St. Louis Porta Pros turns away loads with these items because they create disposal violations at the landfill, not because we're being difficult. Sort them out before drop-off and your rental stays on schedule.
Hazardous materials top the list: paint cans, solvents, pesticides, motor oil and anything flammable. Landfills reject these outright, and a mixed load can get an entire dumpster refused on site. Tires and lead-acid batteries fall in the same category almost everywhere in the region. Appliances with refrigerant, think refrigerators, freezers and window AC units, need separate handling because of the coolant inside. Electronics with circuit boards or screens usually need a dedicated recycler too.
If you're clearing out a garage or basement in St. Louis, walk through what you're tossing before the truck shows up. Renters planning a construction dumpster rental should flag anything painted, treated or chemically coated ahead of time. For general sizing questions, our roll-off dumpster rental page breaks down what fits where, and dumpster sizes and dimensions covers the physical footprint you'll need for the drop. OSHA 1926.252 governs how construction waste gets chuted and enclosed on active job sites, which matters if your dumpster sits near a work zone rather than a driveway.
Landfills inspect loads, and a banned item found during unloading can trigger a rejected load fee or a mandatory sort-out charge. That cost lands on the renter, not on us. It also matters because some of these materials are genuinely dangerous to the crew handling the container. A punctured propane tank or a bag of unmarked chemicals is a real hazard for the person on the truck.
Weight matters just as much as content. Concrete, dirt, shingles and brick are heavy even in small volumes, and overloading a container is one of the fastest ways to blow past your rental terms. Check dumpster weight limits before you fill a 20 or 30 yard box with masonry debris. If you're unsure whether your project needs a 10 yard or a 40 yard container, our dumpster rental cost guide walks through sizing against typical loads, and the 10 yard dumpster rental, 20 yard dumpster rental, 30 yard dumpster rental and 40 yard dumpster rental pages each list what that size handles well.
| Item type | Allowed in dumpster | What to do instead |
|---|---|---|
| Household trash, furniture | Yes | Load as usual |
| Construction debris (wood, drywall) | Yes | Load as usual |
| Paint, solvents, chemicals | No | Take to a hazardous waste site |
| Tires | No | Return to tire retailer or recycler |
| Appliances with refrigerant | No | Schedule separate pickup |
| Electronics | No | Use an e-waste recycler |
| Liquids, wet paint | No | Dry out or dispose separately |
| Medical or biohazard waste | No | Use a medical waste service |
If the dumpster sits in the street or on a public right of way, placement needs confirming with the city before delivery. St. Louis has its own review process for that kind of placement, and we don't guess at it. Check our dumpster permit requirements page for what we currently know, and call the city directly if your project is timeline-sensitive. Driveway and private lot placement generally skips this step entirely, which is why most homeowners doing a home renovation porta potty and dumpster combo never deal with permitting at all.
A roll-off truck needs about 60 feet of straight clearance behind it to place the container safely, so measure your driveway or alley before delivery day. This matters more in dense St. Louis neighborhoods than it does out in Chesterfield, 19.2 miles west, where lots tend to run wider. If you're near University City, 7.9 miles northwest, or Webster Groves, 8.6 miles southwest, alley access can be tighter than a straight driveway, so mention that when you book.
We sort loads before hauling when we can catch it, but landfill inspectors catch what we miss, and that cost passes through to the renter as a rejected load or sorting fee. It's cheaper and faster to separate hazardous items yourself. Keep a small pile of "does not go in the box" items off to the side during any cleanout, whether it's a kitchen remodel or a full estate clear-out. For jobsites running active demolition or renovation work, pair your dumpster with construction site services so waste handling and sanitation get planned together instead of as afterthoughts. A temporary fence rental around the dumpster also keeps unauthorized dumping down, since neighbors and passersby sometimes treat an open container as a free-for-all.
Yes, mattresses are generally fine in a standard dumpster rental, though some landfills charge extra to process them because they don't compact well. Check with us before your order if you're loading several, since bulky items eat volume fast even without adding weight.
Yard waste is usually acceptable in smaller volumes, but large amounts of dirt, sod or branches add weight quickly. If your project is mostly landscaping debris, mention it when booking so we size the container right the first time.
Yes, most projects mix both without issue in a standard roll-off. The exceptions are the banned categories above: paint, chemicals, tires and refrigerant units still need separate handling regardless of what else is in the load.
No, driveway and private property placement typically doesn't require the same review as street placement. Right-of-way placement is the trigger point, so confirm with the city only if the container will sit anywhere near the curb or street.
Ask before you load it. A quick call to St. Louis Porta Pros or a look at our what cannot go in a dumpster guidance saves a rejected-load fee later, and it takes less time than hauling the item back out yourself.
Yes. St. Louis Porta Pros delivers what cannot go in a dumpster across St. Louis and the surrounding metro, with same-day and next-day drop-off available on most orders.
Pricing depends on the unit and how long you need it. See our cost breakdown and request a free quote for an exact figure.
Standard rentals include scheduled service — a pump-out, a clean, a restock and fresh deodorizer. Busy or hot-weather sites can be serviced more often.
Call now or request a free quote — clean units, on-time delivery, transparent pricing.
