Short answer
Yes, concrete can go in many dumpsters, but it's extremely heavy. Companies often require a smaller or concrete-only container and limit how full you fill it.
How heavy is it?
Normal-weight concrete is about 140–150 lb per cubic foot (Iowa DOT: concrete weight per cubic foot (IM 340)), close to two tons per cubic yard. A small 10 × 10 ft, 4-inch slab is roughly 4,700–5,000 lb, more than the ~2,000 lb Fixr lists for a 10-yard (Fixr: dumpster rental cost (updated January 2025)). Use the concrete calculator for your job.
Your options
- Concrete-only ("clean fill") container. Many companies offer one with a higher weight limit, because clean concrete can be recycled.
- Aggregate recyclers crush concrete into gravel and often charge less than landfills for clean loads.
- Mixed dumpster for small amounts: tell the company, and spread it across the floor.
Keep concrete free of trash, wood and dirt if you want the recycling rate: mixed loads usually cost more.
Local drop-off sites
Each of our city guides lists the official household hazardous waste and drop-off option: New YorkLos AngelesChicagoHoustonPhiladelphiaSan AntonioSan DiegoAustinSeattleSan FranciscoDenverWashingtonBostonMinneapolisPortlandNashvillePittsburghAtlantaColumbusIndianapolisCharlotteTampaKansas CitySt. LouisDetroitMilwaukeeSacramentoCincinnatiChattanooga.
Questions
How much concrete fits in a dumpster?
Weight, not space, is the limit. At about two tons per cubic yard (Iowa DOT: concrete weight per cubic foot (IM 340)), even a 10-yard dumpster reaches a typical weight limit with about a cubic yard of solid concrete. Ask for a concrete-only container for bigger jobs.