Before you start loading your dumpster, it's worth knowing what's allowed and what's not. Putting prohibited items in a roll off can result in extra fees — or the dumpster company refusing to pick it up.
Here's the full breakdown from DADDS Excavating so your rental goes smoothly.
✅ What IS Accepted in Our Dumpsters
These items can go straight in our 20-yard and 30-yard roll off dumpsters:
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Household Junk | Furniture, clothing, general clutter, boxes |
| Construction Debris | Drywall, lumber, framing, insulation, windows, doors |
| Roofing Materials | Shingles, roofing felt, flashing, gutters |
| Concrete & Masonry | Broken concrete, bricks, cinder blocks, pavers |
| Dirt & Soil | Clean fill dirt, topsoil (heavy — watch weight limits) |
| Scrap Metal | Metal pipes, beams, siding, appliances (non-freon) |
| Yard Waste | Branches, brush, leaves, sod, stumps |
| Demo Materials | Flooring, cabinets, fixtures, plumbing |
❌ What is NOT Accepted
These items cannot go in our dumpsters — and most other roll off companies won't take them either. They require special disposal:
- Hazardous materials — chemicals, solvents, cleaning products
- Paint (wet) — dry, empty paint cans are usually fine
- Batteries — car batteries, lithium batteries
- Tires — passenger, truck, or farm tires
- Electronics (e-waste) — TVs, computers, monitors
- Asbestos-containing materials — old floor tiles, insulation (pre-1980)
- Freon appliances — refrigerators, freezers, AC units
- Fuel & oils — gasoline, motor oil, propane tanks
- Medical waste — sharps, medications, biohazard
- Animal waste
- Flammable materials
What To Do With Prohibited Items
Jefferson County and surrounding counties have options for hard-to-dispose items:
- Electronics & batteries — many retailers (Best Buy, etc.) accept e-waste for free recycling
- Tires — auto shops and tire retailers often accept used tires for a small fee
- Paint — local household hazardous waste collection events (check Jefferson County)
- Appliances with freon — scrap metal dealers can take these after proper freon removal
Can You Put Sod or Dirt in a Dumpster?
Yes — but call us first. Sod, dirt, and soil are allowed in our roll off dumpsters, but they are extremely heavy. A single cubic yard of wet dirt or sod can weigh well over a ton, so a dumpster that's only a third full can already be over its weight allowance (1 ton on a 15-yard, 2 tons on a 20-yard).
For a small patch of sod or a few wheelbarrows of dirt mixed in with other debris, you're usually fine. For a whole yard of sod, a landscaping dig-out, or a pile of fill dirt, tell us when you book — we'll either set you up with a clean-load dumpster or send one of our dump trucks to haul it away, which is often cheaper for heavy material.
A few tips for sod and dirt:
- Keep it dry if you can — wet soil weighs much more
- Don't fill above the top rim; heavy loads must stay level
- Keep sod and dirt separate from trash if you want a lower "clean fill" rate — ask us
- Rocks, concrete, and brick are heavy too — same rules apply
In Mount Vernon or anywhere in Southern Illinois, call (618) 214-3609 and we'll tell you the cheapest way to get rid of it.
Not Sure If Something Is Allowed?
Just call us at (618) 214-3609 before you load it. We'd rather you ask first than deal with a situation at pickup. We're owner-operated and we'll give you a straight answer fast.
Get a Free Estimate in Mount Vernon, IL
DADDS Excavating & Demolition — family-owned, owner-operated. When you call, you talk directly to us.
📞 Call (618) 214-3609