BIG OR SMALL, WE REMOVE IT ALL.
We pride ourselves on removing a wide range of junk, both big and small. Below you will find a list of items we take, as well as items we don’t. If you can’t find something or have a question about a certain item, please give us a call at (405) 444-5865 and a member of our friendly customer service team will gladly help answer your questions.
What Junk Does Junk Frog Take?
Unlike your kitchen trash can, a dumpster is a commercial equipment subject to waste disposal regulations and weight limits. Throwing in the wrong thing, such as items that are hazardous, too heavy, or illegal, could result in a hefty fine. When it comes to dumpsters, it’s always better to know before you throw.
WHAT CAN GO IN A DUMPSTER?
Just about any nonhazardous household junk can go in a dumpster. (Household hazardous waste is any item or product that is corrosive or toxic or can catch fire, react, or explode under certain circumstances, per the EPA. If you aren’t sure if your items are hazardous, the EPA’s household hazardous waste page can offer some insight.)
Household junk can range from furniture and appliances to yard waste, construction debris to plain old trash. In most cases, if it can fit in the dumpster, it can go in the dumpster.
Whether as a result of routine yard work or crazy Oklahoma weather, your lawn can get messy. Lucky for you, storm debris, leaves, limbs, and brush piles can all go in a dumpster.
There are limits, however, on the size and type of waste, so be sure to check with Junk Frog to make sure what you’re throwing in is allowable. Tree stumps, for example, may exceed the limits for size and type or require an extra fee per stump.
Almost all of the leftover materials from your home improvement or construction project can go in a dumpster, including:
Flooring
Drywall
Brick
Cabinetry
Asphalt
Concrete
Bathroom fixtures
Siding
Stone
Subfloor materials
Countertops
Lumber and wood materials
Please take note, though—our dumpsters do have weight limits. If your type of material is very heavy, or you have a large number of very heavy items, be sure you use the proper type of dumpster. If you aren’t sure, be sure to give us a call.
Chairs, shelves, cabinets, tables…if it’s made entirely of wood (i.e., not upholstered), you can throw it in a dumpster.
If your furniture is upholstered, be sure to check with us to find out what the proper disposal protocols are in your area.
Most major appliances like AC units, washers and dryers can go in a dumpster as long as they have been drained of hazardous fluids and components, including freon. If you are unwilling or unable to drain your appliances, they cannot go in a dumpster; you will need to contact a professional to remove them.
As long as they are completely empty, used aerosol cans like cooking spray, hairspray, or other household items can be thrown in a dumpster. Partially full aerosol cans still pose an explosion risk and cannot be thrown in a dumpster.
Before the mid-1990s, alkaline batteries were manufactured using mercury, which is toxic to the environment and meant they need to be recycled. These days, however, alkaline batteries—including AAA, AA, C, D, button cell, and 9-volt—no longer contain mercury and fall below federal and state standards for household hazardous waste, so they can be thrown in a dumpster.
In general, electronics from individual households can be thrown in a dumpster. Larger numbers of electronics, such as from a commercial or office cleanout, however, usually have to be recycled as e-waste. Oklahoma is one of 25 states with electronics recycling laws that require you to dispose of electronics at either an e-waste recycling center or one of several office supply and electronics companies, such as Office Depot, Staples, and Best Buy.
Several organizations accept donations of electronics, even if they are broken. These non-profits—including The Wireless Foundation, Goodwill, and Human-I-T—refurbish the electronics to benefit local communities through either direct donation or from their resale.
While informative, we know this list is not exhaustive and, inevitably, you will have an item or two that are not on it. If you aren’t sure that your junk can go in a dumpster, it’s always best to ask. Junk Frog stays up-to-date on all municipal regulations and waste disposal guidance for the Oklahoma City metro area, which means we have all of the accurate information you need when cleaning up your junk.
Junk Frog is the only junk removal service in the Oklahoma City metro that can offer flat rate junk removal pricing. All prices include labor and any fees necessary for travel, transport, and disposal or recycling of your junk. If we happen to donate any of your items, we’ll also send you a tax-deductible receipt as a credit for your donation.
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What can
SOMETIMES go in
a dumpster?
Some waste items are regulated by your specific municipality, which means it may be okay in some areas for you to throw them in a dumpster but not in others. Before you dispose of any of the following items, be sure to call us and find out if it’s allowable under the Oklahoma City metro’s waste disposal laws and regulations.
What can
NEVER go in
a dumpster?
While a lot of waste items CAN go in a dumpster, there are a few things that absolutely CANNOT, and for several reasons. They may be hazardous, dangerous, or explosive, or they may incur a fee for improper waste disposal in violation of your local laws and regulations. The following items can never go in a dumpster and require proper, professional waste removal services.
Certain materials are hazardous for a reason—they pose some level of harm or risk to people, animals, or the environment. Hazardous materials like pesticides, freon, motor oil, and automotive fluid cannot go in a dumpster and need to be disposed of at a professional hazardous waste drop-off location.
Household junk can range from furniture and appliances to yard waste, construction debris to plain old trash. In most cases, if it can fit in the dumpster, it can go in the dumpster.
Hazardous waste can’t go in a dumpster, and neither can anything contaminated with hazardous waste, like mulch or soil. Contact a local household hazardous waste drop-off center or the Oklahoma EPA office for directions on how to dispose of contaminated materials.
While empty cleaning bottles and cans can be disposed of or recycled, the liquid or solution inside of them cannot be thrown into a dumpster. Check the label for guidance on how to properly dispose of the cleaning fluid.
Materials like propane, oil, fuel, and gas are highly flammable and combustible, so it is illegal to throw them in a dumpster. Improper disposal poses a significant safety risk to the environment and the individuals managing the waste. Contact a local hazardous waste collector or your local fire department for instructions on properly disposing of combustible materials.
Dried, empty paint cans can be recycled with other materials, but the paint, thinner, stain, or lacquer in the can could contain lead or mercury, making them hazardous materials and illegal to throw in a dumpster.
Asbestos contaminates everything, so if your home has asbestos, renovation or construction material that could otherwise go in a dumpster now can’t. Removal of asbestos-contaminated waste requires a licensed contractor.
Adhesives like glue and epoxy can bind other materials and items to the walls of a dumpster, so they cannot be disposed of in one.
Resins, pen ink, and printer ink may not be disposed of in a dumpster because they cause damage and staining to the dumpster and landfill equipment. Contact your nearest office supply store for instructions on how to dispose of these items.
Appliances must be completely drained of fluids before being disposed of in a dumpster. Refrigerators specifically must be completely drained of their refrigerant because the freon is highly toxic, incurring a fine of up to $25,000 if it is released into the environment. However, properly draining a refrigerator can be difficult and time-consuming, especially because you now have to dispose of the drained freon properly. The best solution for disposing of a refrigerator is to contact a private waste removal company, like Junk Frog, which specializes in items like this.
Empty hot water tanks can harbor harmful gasses, increasing their risk of exploding. You can contact a local heat and air company, a professional junk hauler, or a local waste management facility about the proper way to dispose of your hot water tank, including the option for them to pick it up for you.
Household batteries fall within federal standards for household hazardous waste, but car, computer, and lead-acid batteries are much more toxic and cannot go in a dumpster. Other batteries that require recycling or hazardous waste disposal including rechargeable batteries, lithium-ion batteries, and silver oxide batteries.
The center of an intact tire traps the methane gas produced in a landfill, causing the tire to shift and possibly tear the protective liner that prevents the landfill from polluting the surrounding environment. This means they’re not allowed in landfills, and they’re not allowed in a dumpster. Contact a local auto parts store or recycling agency for proper disposal instructions.
Medical infectious or biohazardous waste is any material that has come into contact with bodily fluids or is used in medicine. While this restriction primarily applies to medical facilities, there are specific instances when medical household waste may require professional disposal, such as:
Dialysis waste
Unused or expired prescriptions and drugs
Used sharps and needles
Blood or blood-soaked fabrics
Animal carcasses
These items are unsafe for disposal in a dumpster. Contact a local health agency or the Oklahoma EPA for guidance on how to dispose of them properly.
If you’re not sure, ASK!!!
When it comes to waste disposal, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Junk Frog is here to answer your waste disposal questions and help you properly dispose of the items you want rid of. You can call our office at 405-444-5865 or use our easy online contact form for the fast, accurate information you need to clean up that junk. We can take a lot of things, but if we can’t take yours, don’t worry; we work closely with local hazmat and other waste disposal agencies, so we can get you in touch with the right person to remove and properly dispose of your items. You never know what you can get rid of until you ask!
We can also help in scheduling your junk pick-up or dumpster rental. Junk Frog is the only junk removal service in the Oklahoma City metro that can offer flat rate junk removal and dumpster rental pricing. All prices include labor and any fees necessary for travel, transport, and disposal or recycling of your junk. If we happen to donate any of your items, we’ll also send you a tax-deductible receipt as a credit for your donation.
Junk Frog offers residential and commercial junk hauling and dumpster rental services to the Oklahoma City metro and the surrounding area, including Del City, Midwest City, Moore, Norman, Edmond, Mustang, Warr Acres, The Village, Bethany, Choctaw, Yukon, El Reno, Guthrie, Shawnee, and Chickasha. Contact us at 405-444-5865 for more information on pricing, scheduling, and services.