1. Paints and Solvents – Almost everyone has some leftover paint in their garage or attic. When you’re cleaning out one of these storage spaces, you might be tempted to toss that paint as well, but that would be ill-advised. These liquids have chemicals and oils that aren’t good in large quantities and have been known to contaminate water sources.

2. Automotive Fluids – Automotive oil, engine coolant, transmission fluid, and the like present similar hazards to the environment. Make sure to dispose of these properly.

3. Pesticides – Some might find this to be a strange addition to the list as they can spray it around their lawns without worry. The problem doesn’t lie in the product itself, but rather, the issue is concentration of those chemicals. They are fine in small doses to areas that need it, but if it were to accumulate large quantities in landfills, that could hurt local wildlife populations.

4. Powerful Cleaning Agents – Like paints, some cleaning agents are made with powerful chemicals that aren’t suitable to throw in your Raleigh dumpster.

5. Other Chemicals – The list of other household products with environmentally-hazardous chemicals and materials is a long one. A good rule of thumb to follow is to research any item you’re unsure about. If you see that it has dangerous chemicals in it, find a safe way to dispose of it.

6. Electronics – Electronics are another no-no. In fact, 17 states, including North Carolina, have banned the dumping of electronics in landfills. If you toss them into your dumpster in Raleigh, the service company will likely slap a significant fee on top of the base cost.

7. Batteries – Batteries usually contain mercury, and even though the more modern iterations don’t have as much, it’s still widely recommended that you don’t throw them in the trash or the dumpster.

3 Things That Will Cost You Extra for the Dumpster

The last three items on the list aren’t explicitly prohibited from dumpsters, but most service companies will add on an extra fee somewhere in the $50 range. This isn’t their attempt at nickel and diming you – these three items are more difficult to dispose of, and that’s why they charge more for it. So if you plan to load any of these items into your dumpster in Raleigh, make sure to plan to pay extra because most don’t see it coming. These items are:

8. Tires – Tires cannot be placed in dumpsters because they are not biodegradable and can create fire hazards in landfills. They require specialized recycling processes to ensure proper disposal and repurposing.

9. Mattresses – Mattresses are often restricted in dumpsters due to their bulky size and the materials they contain, such as springs and foam, which require special processing to recycle effectively and prevent environmental harm.

10. Appliances – Appliances cannot be disposed of in dumpsters because they may contain hazardous substances like refrigerants, oils, or electronic components. These require proper handling to comply with environmental regulations and to avoid contamination.

The moral of the story is that you need to be careful about what you put into a dumpster. They aren’t endless black holes that suck up everything they come in contact with. Rather, they are a crucial part of our sustainability efforts and need to be treated that way. If you have one of these items, do your research to find a safe way to dispose of it.