Types of Debris

How many different types of debris are there? According to the EPA there are at least six different kinds of debris consisting of both hazardous and non-hazardous materials. Non-hazardous waste is split into two main categories, municipal solid waste and industrial waste. You might know municipal solid waste as simply trash or garbage. It's basically everything we consume on a daily basis such as coffee cups, soda bottles, food containers, and a whole lot of other materials. Industrial waste is a much broader category that consists of construction & demolition materials, mining waste, byproducts of crude oil and natural gas production, and more.

As for hazardous wastes, the EPA has four classifications (listed wastes, characteristic wastes, universal wastes and mixed wastes) for materials deemed hazardous to humans and wildlife based on the properties of the waste itself. Listed wastes are the first category of hazardous waste and are generally wastes from common manufacturing processes and commercial chemical products. Characteristic wastes are those that do not fall into the above category but exhibit ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity or toxicity. Universal wastes are consumer products that are not inherently hazardous, but are hazardous if not properly disposed of such as batteries and thermostats. Lastly, mixed wastes are those that contain both radioactive and hazardous waste components.

Of course, you won't find any hazardous materials in our dumpster rentals. Our forte is non-hazardous debris such as construction materials and regular old garbage. You can learn more about the kinds of debris we accept, as well as those we cannot, by checking out our resource guides below:

Household Debris: Everything and anything that can go into a residential trash can (except food waste).

Construction Debris: Common materials used in building construction including drywall, wood, metals, and tiles.

Hazardous Waste: A special class of debris that cannot be disposed of through dumpsters or regular waste removal services.