The lingo used in the dumpster rental business can be confusing at times, which is why we made it easy for you and created a list of commonly used words and vocab that dumpster rental companies often use.

Dumpster Rental Lingo

Dumpster Quote – A dumpster quote is the base rate that you will pay for a dumpster. A dumpster quote is what it will cost to rent a dumpster by size. These quotes do not include additional fees that may incur.

Tonnage – Tonnage in the dumpster rental business means the amount (in tons) each dumpster size will hold.

Tonnage Fee – A tonnage fee is a fee charged per ton over the weight limit. If the weight limit of a 20 yard dumpster is 4 tons and you throw more than 4 tons in the dumpster, then you will be charged a fee. Typical fees are around $50 per ton over the weight limit.

Cubic Yard – A cubic yard has dimensions of 1 yard all around. It is commonly used in the dumpster rental business as the measurement of how much trash can fit within each dumpster size.

Roll Off Dumpster – The roll off dumpster is exactly the same as a regular dumpster. It has wheels on the bottom so they can roll off of trucks and onto the designated area, hence the name “roll off.”

Tipping Fee – A tipping fee may be charged by the dumpster rental company. A tipping fee is a fee that landfills charge roll off trucks to dump their trash.

Hazardous Materials – Hazardous materials are materials that are not allowed to be thrown in a dumpster bin. Such materials include batteries, tires, mattresses, aerosols, and paints. Check with your roll off rental service to get the full list of hazardous materials.