Can You Use a Dumpster for Yard Waste?
Spring is Approaching
As the weather warms up in the Capital region, many homeowners start to consider cleaning up from the winter’s mess. The snow and ice is thawing and up comes the beginning of spring.
This is an amazing time of year. A time for new growth. As we look around our properties, yard waste is everywhere, including;
- Branches and brush left over from storms
- Dead leaves and last season’s plants
- Grass clippings and general lawn debris.
To prepare for new spring growth, yard waste needs to be removed. Standard trash containers are often too small, and biodegradable bags will not fit fallen branches. Renting a dumpster is an easy and cost-effective way to clear out yard debris.
What is Yard Waste?
In the most basic terms, yard waste is lawn debris. Any organic matter that may have been left behind from last year’s plants and trees. This can include:
- Leaves, grass clippings, and other small lawn trimmings
- Fallen tree branches or tree limbs
- Dead plants or plant matter from gardening or landscaping projects
- Brush or tree removal from land clearing
Landscape waste that comes from maintaining yards or property; including grass, leaves, and branches, will be found in both residential as well as commercial properties. Most municipalities who provide curbside collection of organic yard waste require it to be put in biodegradable paper bags. Renting a dumpster can be a less expensive option to remove yard debris without biodegradable paper bags. Yard debris can be put directly in the dumpster without the added expense or hassle of the paper bags. Then it can be an easy task to pick up branches and clean up yard debris.
Dumpster Rental Benefits
- Eliminates the need to purchase biodegradable paper bags
- Holds items which do not fit into biodegradable paper bags
- Holds a larger amount of debris than standard trash containers
- Available in 12-yard or 20-yard roll-off dumpsters
How to Get Rid of Yard Waste?
Now that you know what qualifies as yard debris, it’s time to consider the best removal method.
Common Yard Waste Disposal Options
Composting
If you have the luxury of space and time to place a compost bin on your property, you can compost a reasonable amount of yard waste yourself. Most people find compost bins are better used for biodegradable kitchen garbage. On-site composting is often impractical for the volume of lawn debris a typical residential or commercial property generates.
Biodegradable Bags
If your town or weekly trash collection offers this service, it is a great solution for fall leaves, but costly and inefficient for high-volume disposal. To pick up branches, brush removal, or other sizable green waste, it is often not sufficient.
Dumpster Rental
Best for branches, brush removal, large yard cleanups, and annual property cleanup and maintenance.
Some people ask if you need a special landscaping dumpster or “green waste dumpster” for yard waste. You certainly can put yard waste in a dumpster and it does not have to be a special yard waste removal dumpster. If you order a dumpster for yard waste and only put biodegradable brush, wood, grass, leaves, or branches in the outdoor dumpster it can be 100% recycled with the most positive impact on the environment.
Important Consideration
If you mix the biodegradable yard waste with any other trash, including dimensional lumber, then we can still remove your debris, but it will not be recycled as yard debris. So when you rent a yard waste dumpster or a dumpster specifically for yard waste disposal, if you mix trash, garbage or junk in, the entirety will end up in a landfill rather than getting recycled.
To rent a dumpster for yard waste removal, first you must consider how much yard waste you need to remove. The more yard waste you need to remove, the bigger the dumpster you may need to order.
What Shouldn’t Go in a Yard Waste Dumpster?
We get asked all the time what can and cannot be loaded into our yard waste dumpsters. Tree branches, tree stumps, and general tree debris are the biggest confusion. The recycling industry terms “yard debris” and “lawn debris” makes people incorrectly question if you can put wood in a yard waste removal dumpster. You certainly can put all sorts of wooden tree debris when renting a dumpster for yard waste.
- Tree branches, tree stumps, and general tree debris
- Brush, shrubs, leaves, and grass
- Natural, untreated wood and plant material
Items That Will Prevent Yard Waste From Being Recycled
Acceptable Yard Waste
Processed or Treated Wood
Processed wood, dimensional lumber, pressure treated wood, wooden furniture, painted wood, or any wood you buy in a store, although made of wood, is not considered yard debris.
Mixed Trash
Debris dumpster rental services can indeed take all sorts of trash materials, but if mixed in the same roll-off container as yard debris, then it will not be recycled.
Construction Debris
Like household trash, if construction debris is mixed in the same roll-off waste container as yard debris, the entire load will not be recycled.
Dirt, Sod, Sand, or Concrete
These are considered “clean fill” and can not be mixed with yard waste in most yard waste container roll-off services. If you have those materials in any significant quantity, you should find a designated clean fill service.
How to Rent a Yard Waste Dumpster
Flex Dumpster offers 12-yard and 20-yard roll-off dumpsters for yard waste removal. We will be happy to assist you if you’re not sure what size dumpster you need.
