What Goes Where in Louisville | Disposal & Recycling Rules, Plain and Simple
Most junk removal companies treat disposal like a black box, your stuff goes on the truck and disappears. We'd rather show our work. This page lays out exactly where different types of material actually go in Jefferson County, what each facility charges, and which materials need to be routed somewhere specific rather than tossed in with everything else.
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Jefferson County runs on a handful of specialized facilities rather than one dump-everything landfill, and knowing which one handles what is the difference between a load that gets recycled properly and one that just adds to landfill volume. This page is our own reference sheet, made public, for exactly that.
- General household junk goes to the Waste Reduction Center at 630 Meriwether Ave
- Household hazardous waste (paint, chemicals, batteries, motor oil) goes to HAZ BIN at 7501 Grade Lane
- Clean concrete gets recycled at Innovative Crushing & Aggregate, not landfilled
- Shingles need the dedicated recycling site at 3402 Vogt Ave, since the Waste Reduction Center won't take them
We'll take it to the dump, don't worry about it.
We can tell you exactly which facility a given load is headed to and why, because we route material by type, not by convenience.
At a Glance
- General drop-off
- Waste Reduction Center, 630 Meriwether Ave
- Hazardous waste
- HAZ BIN, 7501 Grade Lane
- Concrete recycling
- Innovative Crushing & Aggregate
- Shingle recycling
- 3402 Vogt Ave
Commercial Gate Rates
These are the Waste Reduction Center's published commercial gate rates by vehicle size, the same numbers a landscaper, contractor, or independent hauler would pay to drop off a load. We're sharing them so you can see roughly what disposal itself costs, separate from labor and hauling.
| Vehicle / Load Size | Rate |
|---|---|
| Pickup truck / van / trailer (up to 10 ft) | $60 per load |
| Loaded pickup truck + trailer (up to 10 ft) | $120 per load |
| Dump truck or flatbed (up to 16 ft) | $120 per load |
| Trailer / box truck (11 to 16 ft) | $120 per load |
| Multi-axle / box truck / trailer (over 16 ft) | $285 per load |
Household Hazardous Waste
Oil-based paints, flammables, lawn and garden chemicals, several battery types, and motor oil all need to go to HAZ BIN at 7501 Grade Lane rather than into a standard load. Municipal drop-off sites, including the Waste Reduction Center, won't accept these mixed in with regular junk, which is exactly why we sort for them before a truck ever gets loaded. If you're cleaning out a garage that's accumulated years of half-used cans and bottles, expect this step to apply.
Concrete, Masonry & Roofing
Clean concrete, broken up from a slab, pad, or footing, gets recycled at Innovative Crushing & Aggregate rather than landfilled. Bricks and general mixed construction debris are handled through standard channels instead. Shingles are their own category entirely: they need specialized recycling at the dedicated site on Vogt Ave, since the Waste Reduction Center specifically does not accept them. A 100 sq ft slab of standard 4-inch concrete weighs around 4,000 lbs, roughly two tons, which is worth knowing if you're estimating what a shed or pool pad removal actually involves.
Appliances & Refrigerant Recovery
Any appliance holding refrigerant, R-22, R-134a, or R-410A depending on age, falls under EPA Section 608 of the Clean Air Act, which requires that refrigerant be professionally recovered with certified equipment before the unit is scrapped for metal. This applies to refrigerators, freezers, and any other refrigerant-holding unit. Once refrigerant is recovered, the steel and aluminum shell is a straightforward candidate for metal recycling. Appliances that don't hold refrigerant, stoves, dishwashers, washers, and dryers, skip this step but still need proper electrical, gas, or water line disconnection first.
What Actually Qualifies for Donation
Local donation partners are specific about condition, and knowing their standards ahead of time saves a wasted trip. Habitat for Humanity ReStore (locations at 2784 Meadow Dr and 4044 Taylorsville Rd) accepts functional structural building supplies, undamaged cabinetry, working electrical fixtures, and clean, un-stained furniture, not furniture with tears, stains, or structural damage. Goodwill accepts small items, electronics, apparel, and home furnishings across its regional donation centers. St. Vincent de Paul (1015-C South Preston St) accepts furniture and major working appliances specifically for community assistance programs. If an item doesn't clearly meet one of these standards, it's more efficient to route it straight to disposal than to have a donation center turn it away.
Why Weight Matters More Than Volume
A truck that looks half full can already be at its practical weight limit, which is why pricing in this industry tracks weight more than visual volume. Household junk averages 250 to 300 lbs per cubic yard, while heavy construction debris, concrete, dirt, drywall, runs 1,500 to 2,500 lbs per cubic yard, five to ten times heavier for the same amount of space. An industry-standard box truck (12 ft L x 8 ft W x 5 ft H) holds about 480 cubic feet, roughly 17.78 cubic yards, or the equivalent of 6 to 8 pickup truck loads. None of this changes what we charge you, but it explains why a small pile of concrete can cost more to haul than a much larger pile of empty boxes.
Landfill Diversion, and Why It's a Real Number
Landfill diversion rate refers to the percentage of collected material redirected to donation or recycling instead of a landfill. Leading regional goals target 60 to 70 percent diversion, and it's the number we sort against by default on every job, not just the ones where a client specifically asks for eco-friendly handling. Concrete recycling, shingle recycling, refrigerant recovery, and donation-first sorting all feed into that same number.
Disposal Questions We Get Asked Often
Do I need to sort my own junk before you arrive?
No, sorting is what we do. This page just explains where things end up and why, in case you're curious or planning a DIY trip to one of these facilities yourself.
Can I take items to these facilities myself?
Yes, all of these are public or commercial facilities you can use directly. The Waste Reduction Center publishes commercial gate rates by vehicle size, and HAZ BIN accepts household hazardous waste from residents.
What happens if an item doesn't fit any of these categories?
Most household junk, furniture, general debris, falls under the standard Waste Reduction Center process. The specialized facilities on this page exist specifically for the material types that general drop-off won't take.
Does this apply to Jeffersonville and Clarksville, Indiana too?
Not directly. These are Kentucky-side, Jefferson County facilities. Indiana-side disposal and recycling goes through Clark County's own facilities, which operate separately.
Why do you publish your own gate rate numbers?
Because we'd rather you understand what disposal costs than take our word for it. These are the same commercial rates any hauler pays.
Have a Job That Touches Several of These Categories?
Most real cleanouts do. Call and we'll sort it out and route everything correctly on your behalf.
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