A roll-off waste container is one of the most convenient ways to handle a home or property clean out. However, before you rent one, it’s important to be aware of the items that cannot be placed in one, both for environmental and safety reasons. Much of what you’ll be tossing out from an attic or basement is perfectly fine, but here are five things you might run into that should be disposed of elsewhere.
1 – Electronics
Computers, printers, TVs, DVD players, and even smaller electronics like old cell phones should generally not be put in dumpsters. In many places, you should instead bring these items to an e-waste site, or even donate them to somewhere like Goodwill. If you live in Maine, this map can help you find a place to bring electronics to be recycled. Many towns and cities also hold e-waste disposal events each year.
2 – Paint
It’s not unusual to have a collection of half-filled paint cans in your basement or garage. During a clean out, they need to be set aside and brought separately to a paint disposal or recycling location. Paint may be inflammable, or have dangerous chemicals in it. Many hardware stores will accept used paint containers; you can also find a nearby spot to bring old paint using this map.
3 – Tires
Another item that takes up space in a lot of garages and basements, old tires are commonly found during property cleanouts. Tires can’t be put in a rented roll-off dumpster because of the way gasses can be trapped in them, making them rise to the top of landfill piles, damaging the site’s infrastructure, equipment, and sometimes workers, in the process. Instead of putting them in a rental roll-off container, check with local auto service centers to see if they will accept them. Some transfer stations may also accept tires, they just have to be brought in separate from other waste.
4 – Household Cleaners
When you get to the bathroom, basement, laundry room, or kitchen portions of your cleanout, it’s likely you’ll come across some partially used household cleaning products. If aerosol containers are empty, you can put them in the roll-off dumpster. Any container with any amount of product left in it cannot be disposed of in a roll-off container. These products can be combustible or have harmful chemicals that need to be specially handled.
5 – Medications
The best way to dispose of old medications is during a prescription drop-off event. These are held every so often in many communities, especially around the National Take Back days in April and October. Police stations and other public locations also frequently have drug drop-off containers where you can bring old medications for safe disposal. If you find old medications while cleaning out your cabinets, keep a bag of them in a safe location and bring them to a nearby designated disposal site as soon as possible. This website can help you locate a drop-off spot.
Rent A Roll-Off Container From Troiano
If you’re planning a property clean out, a roll-off waste container will make the job much easier. If you’d like to speak with someone about our roll-off rental options and best practices for using them, call us at (207) 767-2070 and our customer support staff will be ready to help you.
Leave a Reply