Sizing
What Size Dumpster Do I Need? A Springfield Guide
Quick answer: when in doubt, a 20 yard. How to pick between 10, 15, 20, 30 and 40 yards by volume, weight and driveway space — and why the weekly cart will not take a remodel.
Read the guideGuidelines · 6 min read
What Can and Can't Go in a Dumpster in Missouri
Most of what comes out of a house or a job site can go in a roll-off. The exceptions are the things Missouri law keeps out of landfills or the disposal sites will not accept — and each of them has somewhere to go instead.
- Licensed & insured
- Same-day in Springfield
- Flat-rate pricing
- Greene, Christian & beyond
Yes — load it
- Household junk and furniture, general clutter and bagged non-hazardous trash.
- Construction and remodeling debris: drywall, wood, flooring, siding and fixtures.
- Roofing shingles — let us know, they are heavy.
- Metal, plastic, cardboard and packaging.
- Concrete, brick or asphalt — in limited loads, because of the weight.
- Yard waste, brush and branches — in a load of their own; see the landfill ban.
MoDNR's demolition checklist says non-hazardous demolition debris "must be transported to a permitted solid waste landfill or processing facility" — which is where a construction load goes.
What Missouri law keeps out of the landfill
Missouri statute bans a short list of items from any solid waste disposal area. These are the reasons behind most of the no list:
| Item | Banned from landfills | What the law says |
|---|---|---|
| Major appliances | Since January 1, 1991 | Clothes washers and dryers, water heaters, trash compactors, dishwashers, ovens, ranges, stoves, woodstoves, air conditioners, refrigerators and freezers (RSMo 260.200, 260.250). MoDNR: they "must be salvaged" — microwaves are the exception. |
| Waste oil | Since January 1, 1991 | Not in a landfill, and not burned without energy recovery |
| Lead-acid batteries | Since January 1, 1991 | Six-volt-plus batteries of the kind used in cars and boats |
| Yard waste | Since January 1, 1992 | Leaves, grass clippings, yard and garden vegetation and Christmas trees — not stumps, roots or shrubs with intact root balls |
| Whole scrap tires | Not landfilled unless cut, chipped or shredded | Hauling scrap tires for pay takes a state permit (RSMo 260.270) |
What the Springfield landfill turns away
The City's Noble Hill Sanitary Landfill lists what it will not take: explosives, hazardous wastes, highly flammable substances, infectious wastes, lead-acid batteries, liquids, major appliances, PCBs, raw sewage sludge, radioactive material, asbestos, septic tank pumpings, semisolids, free-flowing liquids, vehicle bodies and frames, whole tires, waste oil and yard waste. The City Code adds drums and closed containers "unless washed, ends removed and crushed," and makes it unlawful to mix unacceptable waste into a load for the city landfill.
On top of that list, our boxes keep out paints, solvents and automotive fluids, propane tanks and fuel, medical waste and hazardous chemicals. Wet paint stays out; dried, empty cans are usually okay — ask us. Certain electronics depend on where the load is going, so ask before they go in.
No — and where it goes instead
| Item | Where it goes |
|---|---|
| Oil-based paint and stains, automotive products, pesticides, cleaners, aerosol cans, craft materials | Springfield's Household Chemical Collection Center, 1226 W. Nichols Street, by appointment only (417-864-2000): Tuesdays 7–10 a.m., Thursdays 3–6 p.m., plus a few Saturdays in April and October. Open to residents of Greene, Christian, Polk, Dallas and Webster counties; cash and check only. |
| Fridges, freezers, AC units, washers, dryers, water heaters, stoves | Salvage — MoDNR says major appliances "must be salvaged." Nixa's and Bolivar's curbside and cleanup programs exclude them too. |
| Whole tires | Not the box or the landfill. Hauling scrap tires for pay takes a MoDNR permit, so ask us where to take them. |
| Car and boat batteries, used oil | Not the box — both are banned from Missouri landfills. Call and we tell you what we know. |
| Propane tanks and fuel | Not the box — highly flammable material is turned away at the landfill |
| Yard waste and brush | The City's Yardwaste Recycling Center, or a yard-waste-only roll-off |
| Asbestos-containing material | A permitted landfill, through the asbestos process below — never a roll-off |
Asbestos and demolition debris
MoDNR says regulated structures "must be thoroughly inspected by a Missouri certified asbestos inspector" before demolition or renovation, with notice "at least 10 working days prior to the demolition" and a $120 notification fee. A single residential structure with four or fewer dwelling units is exempt from the state rule, but Springfield's Wrecking Permit still requires an asbestos inspection. The City says asbestos-contaminated debris "is NOT allowed into the City of Springfield Landfill," and MoDNR says all asbestos-containing material "must be disposed of in a permitted landfill." Asbestos never goes in our boxes.
Heavy loads, and the loads that need a word first
Concrete, brick and asphalt are fine in limited loads, because they fill the weight allowance long before the box looks full. Keep them separate from light debris — the state counts clean concrete, brick, rock and soil as "clean fill," which can stay on-site as fill with the owner's permission, or go to Noble Hill at the regular per-ton rate after a scale-house check. Yard waste is fine too, but not mixed with household trash: it needs its own load. If you are not sure about something, call (417) 720-8150 before you load it — it is far cheaper than finding out at the gate.
Talk to a real person
Ready to book a container in Springfield?
Call (417) 720-8150 with the address and what is going in. A flat price and a delivery window before you hang up.
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From this guide
Frequently asked questions
Can I put roofing shingles in a dumpster?
Yes. Shingles are standard roll-off debris. They are heavy, so tell us when you book and we will size the box around the weight allowance.
Can I put an old fridge or washer in a dumpster in Missouri?
No. Major appliances — fridges, freezers, AC units, washers, dryers, water heaters and stoves — have been banned from Missouri landfills since 1991, and MoDNR says they must be salvaged. Microwaves are the exception.
What about tires and car batteries?
Neither goes in. Lead-acid batteries are banned from Missouri landfills, whole tires cannot be landfilled unless cut, chipped or shredded, and hauling scrap tires for pay takes a state permit.
Can I put yard waste in with my junk?
Ask first. Yard waste has been banned from Missouri landfills since January 1, 1992, so leaves, clippings and branches need a separate load from household trash.
Services this guide applies to
Container sizes mentioned
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