When setting a new foundation or handling larger scale jobs, concrete is usually at the work site. Concrete plays an important role in new construction, and where there’s new construction there are also dumpsters to collect the multitude of trash and excess materials that accumulate over the course of a project. But do concrete and dumpsters mix? Can construction crews put concrete in dumpsters?
The answer depends.
How to Determine if You Can Throw Concrete into Your Rental Dempster
First of all, it is always safest to ask the rental construction company at hand to see if they allow concrete in their dumpsters — the improper disposal of products can damage a dumpster and lead to hefty fines, so be sure to act accordingly.
Nevertheless, there are some general rules when it comes to concrete disposal that most dumpster rental companies will abide by.
- Normally, rental companies will rent out dumpsters that are specific to concrete waste. That means concrete, and only concrete, can go into those dumpsters. This streamlines the cleaning process and ensures that nothing mixes in with those dumpsters. For such concrete dumpsters, there are a few types of heavy debris that are acceptable for throwing out. These include clean concrete (concrete that is free of trash, excessive metal, roots, or other contaminants), asphalt and brick (types of concrete that are often seen at building or pavement demolitions), and also mixed heavy debris (which includes concrete’s mixing with other heavy materials, such as brick, asphalt, or block). These concrete items are safe to throw away — just note that the concrete should not be painted, or if it is it should be a paint that is not lead-based. While these are all acceptable forms of concrete to throw away, there are some that are not, even in concrete-specific dumpster rentals.
- It might sound obvious, but it bears stating: concrete slurry is not allowed to be disposed of in dumpster rentals. The slurry will harden and adhere to the sides of the dumpster, rendering that rental item useless and making it near impossible to clean out. If your construction company has excess mix that needs to be disposed of, seek out options for slurry-only removal. In addition to slurry, other prohibited items also can not go into concrete dumpsters. Hazardous items such as firearms, toxins, and lead paint must also be disposed of separately.
- In general, dry concrete is more than safe to dispose of, and you should check in with the rental company about weight limits (which will often vary based on dumpster size). As a rule of thumb, a 10 cubic yard dumpster can handle 10 tons of concrete; a 20 cubic yard dumpster can handle 20 tons of concrete; and so on.