What Can You Put in a Dumpster?

What can go in the dumpster

Illinois EPA says landfills accept clean and general construction and demolition debris. HomeGuide's list of items dumpsters typically take adds furniture, cabinetry, flooring, lumber and siding. Here is what that covers:

• Furniture, cabinets, flooring, lumber and siding
• Drywall and plaster
• Wood products and non-hazardous painted wood
• Plastics and glass
• Plumbing fixtures and electrical wiring
• Wall coverings and non-asbestos insulation
• Mattresses, for a $25 mattress fee

Heavy material goes in the 6 yard only

Concrete, brick and dirt go in the 6 yard dumpster only. They are heavy. HomeGuide says a box filled with heavy debris can go over its weight limit, the truck cannot remove it, and extra fees follow. The 6 yard is filled level full. See the 6 yard dumpster and our concrete dumpster page.

Illinois EPA lists concrete, bricks and soil as general construction and demolition debris, which means non-hazardous, uncontaminated material.

• Concrete
• Brick
• Dirt

What Illinois bans from landfills

The Illinois EPA bans these items from landfills. WasteBox does not accept tires in any container, and paint is accepted only if it is fully hardened. WasteBox accepts appliances, electronics and yard waste, so mention them when you call.

• Yard waste, banned since July 1, 1990. That includes grass clippings, leaves and tree limbs.
• Lead acid car batteries, banned since September 1, 1990.
• Used tires, banned since July 1, 1994.
• Refrigerators, freezers, ranges, water heaters and air conditioners that still have their refrigerant, mercury switches or PCBs, banned since July 1, 1994.
• Used motor oil, banned since July 1, 1996.
• Electronics such as TVs, computers and monitors, banned since January 1, 2026. The full list is below.
• Paint. Take leftover paint to a PaintCare drop-off site.

Electronics banned from landfills since January 1, 2026

Illinois EPA says all covered electronic devices are banned from landfills as of January 1, 2026. The ban applies to households, businesses, schools and government agencies. These devices are covered:

• Cable receivers
• CED peripherals
• Computers (desktop, laptop, netbook, notebook, tablet)
• Digital converter boxes
• DVD players
• DVD recorders
• Electronic keyboards
• Electronic mice
• Fax machines
• Home audio components (speakers, stereos, amps)
• Monitors
• Portable digital music players
• Printers
• Satellite receivers
• Scanners
• Small scale servers
• Televisions
• Videocassette recorders
• Video game consoles

Other options for these items

Paint: PaintCare runs over 300 year-round drop-off sites in Illinois. Sites accept primers, stains, sealers, shellac and varnish, and they do not accept spray paint. Call first to confirm hours.

Electronics: Illinois EPA points to its Beyond the Bin map, Electronics layer, for collection points. Call first, because collectors do not all accept every device type.

Tires: your tire retailer. Illinois EPA says retailers must accept used tires equal to the number of new tires you buy, and they typically charge a small fee.

Appliances: Illinois EPA says you can arrange to have the appliance hauled to a scrap yard where the metal can be reclaimed.

Yard waste: use a permitted compost facility or a community collection, per Illinois EPA.

WasteBox's own rules

These are the rules that come from WasteBox, not from the state.

Not sure about an item? Call us.

Call 630-850-0770, Monday to Friday, 7 am to 4 pm. Or request a quote and we will get back to you.