It’s no secret that a construction project comes with a lot of waste, and knowing what you should do with all of it matters. You’ll need a dumpster so you don’t end up with piles on your lawn, but you should also sift through things to see what you can donate. Read about the best ways to properly dispose of construction waste to keep your project moving efficiently.

Decide What You Can Donate

Before you decide everything is trash, spend some time going through everything to see what you can donate. You may have old furniture, décor, or appliances that can get a new life with someone else. And by donating gently used items, you prevent them from wasting space in a landfill. Seek out local charities before you begin the project, so you know what you’ll do with those old items when the time comes to remove them.

An Example: Cleaning Out a House

Sometimes when a relative passes away or you evict renters, you’re left to clean out their belongings. If they have a lot of stuff or hoarded away items, it can be easy to toss a lot of it in the trash. The problem is that you may be able to rehome some of those items, especially gently used clothing or furniture.

Separate Waste Products 

So, you’ve separated donatable items from trash, but the separation process doesn’t end here. It would help if you also separated the types of waste you have. You can recycle some materials; others may be hazardous and require you to go through a bit of a process to dispose of them. But by following the best ways to properly dispose of construction waste, you make the project easier and help take care of our planet.

Separate Recyclables and Non-Recyclables

You’ll come across all sorts of items, and while you can’t donate everything, you can dispose of it properly. Spend time separating recyclable material from your non-recyclables. We’ve listed some of the construction materials you can recycle below:

• Concrete
• Metal
• Glass
• Untreated wood
• Asphalt
• Cardboard

If this is a kitchen renovation project, you can contact a company to recycle old appliances that are in poor condition. Experts can strip these and melt down the scrap metal into ingots, then sell those to companies working in metal manufacturing.

Recycling Tips

Recycling makes your community a greener place—literally! Many of us may have questions about what to recycle and how to do it. If you find yourself in this situation, call your local recycling center and ask them what materials they accept.

Also, ask about how you should get these items to them. Do they pick up items, or will you need to deliver them? Going straight to the source for these answers limits confusion and ensures you follow regulations.

Know Your Hazardous Wastes

You may come across various forms of hazardous waste, and these are items that you cannot simply throw in the trash because of the harm they cause to our planet. Depending on the type of hazardous waste and where you live, the way you dispose of it differs. Some common examples of this type of trash include: 

• Paint 
• Varnish
• Treated wood
• Mercury
• Fluorescent lightbulbs 

Appropriately disposing of these materials is legally required because of the harm they cause to our environment and the people living in the area. While it may seem easier to dump them into the trash, this can mean fines plus other punishments if authorities catch you. It’s easier to avoid the risk and dispose of these materials in the way your city or county requires.

Rent a Roll-Off Dumpster

You don’t want to leave piles of junk on your lawn, so you’ll need a roll-off dumpster to collect all your waste once you separate it. You can toss all that non-recyclable and non-hazardous waste into the roll-off dumpster.

At the beginning of this article, we brought up an example where you may have to clean out a house; you’ll have plenty to toss after donating items. With a roll-off dumpster, you keep things simple. All you have to do is throw your trash into the dumpster, and at the end of your rental, the company will lug it away. It doesn’t get easier than this!

Tips for Renting a Dumpster

While renting a dumpster makes things a lot easier, a few tips worth noting will help you get the most out of it. You’ll need to get the right size, especially because companies won’t allow you to overfill the dumpster since this can become a safety concern. Likewise, you’ll want to locate the best spot for your dumpster rental and find a reputable company to rent from.

Get the Right Size

Size matters when it comes to dumpster rental. If the dumpster’s too small, you’ll need to pay extra cash for another one since overfilling it is out of the question. On the other hand, you shouldn’t waste money renting the company’s largest dumpster if you don’t need it. 

Look around the construction site and mentally note what items will go into the trash. You can evaluate dumpster sizes or reach out to a company for a quote.

Place It in the Best Spot

Ideally, your dumpster should go in a location that’s easy to access as you lug junk in and out of the space. Most homeowners place it on their driveway and ensure they have a clear path to the dumpster so they don’t have to trample over flowers or other landscaping.

Load With Caution

You should always carry items into the dumpster since trying to throw them over the edge could lead to bodily harm if things are too heavy. This is also why keeping the path between your home and the dumpster is so important.

Keep Kids Away

Safety should always be a priority and keep young kids away from the work area. A roll-off dumpster looks massive to young kids, and they may think it’s the perfect fort. But the dumpster is dangerous since items could fall on them, among getting other injuries. Remind them that this is a workspace, so they shouldn’t play in the area.

Don’t Put Hazardous Material Inside

You likely set aside your hazardous material early on, and none of this waste should go into your dumpster. The roll-off dumpster is for trash, so most companies will forbid you from using it to dispose of those harmful materials.

Contact CLE Disposal

CLE Disposal is a dumpster rental company in Cleveland, Ohio. As industry experts, we can help you decide on the ideal size and where to place your dumpster. We’ve got four sizes for you to choose from, including 10-yard, 20-yard, 30-yard, and 40-yard dumpsters. Make disposing of trash simple for your next construction project.