“Concrete is one of the most widely used materials in the world, and as a result, enormous amounts of concrete waste, which is usually strongly made of alkaline, are generated.” – Science Direct. 

In the following article, KC Dumpster dives into how to dispose of concrete the right way. While throwing your old retaining concrete walls in trash may appear to be the quick and easy fix, this action is not necessarily the right way to dispose of concrete. 

Below, we discuss the importance of disposing concrete properly, how much disposal costs, and the alternatives to concrete disposal.

The Importance of Disposing of Concrete Properly

Did you know that each year, almost 5 billion tons of concrete is produced worldwide

As a result of this enormous number, in order to avoid negative environmental and ecological effects, it is critical that you recycle old landscaping debris, concrete, steps, driveway, and so on and so forth. 

Learn how to dispose of concrete correctly and safely because the material cannot degrade on its own. As a result, improperly discarded concrete causes major landfill space issues, leading to landfill waste. The destruction and demolition of concrete structures and pavement lead to more environmental burdens. 

Lessening the amount of concrete waste throw away in landfills, according to the EPA, will:

  • Create jobs in the recycling industry.
  • Lessen the overall cost of the construction project.
  • As a result, there will be less disposal facilities.
  • Counteract the environmental impact of creating new resources.
  • Conserve space in the landfills

Not to mention, recycling concrete and other hazardous waste materials decreases construction costs, cuts off carbon usage, and lowers greenhouse gas emissions

disposing concrete

How Much Concrete Disposal Costs

Now, one may be wondering the cost of proper concrete disposal. The cost of concrete disposal is figured out by the amount of concrete to be disposed of and the method used to dispose of it.

To move heavy materials like concrete, junk removal companies frequently use bedload pricing structures. This means you can stack your materials 1–12 feet high within their 80-square-foot truck. This enables you to remove approximately 2 tons of concrete for $600.

A more cost-effective method to dispose of concrete is renting your own dumpster. Companies like KC Dumpster provide rental dumpsters and even deliver the dumpster on-site at the time you’re in need of a roll off dumpster. A 10-yard rental dumpster can, on average, hold 10 tons of concrete, costing around $530 on average. A driveway that holds two cars and is 16 x 40-foot driveway usually contains 8 tons of concrete, which can be removed entirely with a 10-yard dumpster. A junk removal service, on the other hand, would necessitate at least four trips.

To dump the concrete yourself, landfills charge anywhere between $32 per ton and $40 per ton. Remember, this price does not include the cost of labor, the amount of time you will spend hauling the concrete to the dump, or the price of gas it will take. 

Ways to Dispose Concrete

Alternatives Ways to Dispose of Concrete

Fortunately, there are several alternative options for safely disposing of your old concrete:

Find a Concrete Supplier

Consider delivering the concrete waste to a concrete supplier or a landscape supplier. Both facilities will crush, recycle, and reuse your old concrete for gravel or even road underlayment. Contact local concrete and landscape suppliers to inquire more! 

Take Concrete to a Construction Center or Demolition Recycling Center

Going straight to recycling facilities like a construction recycling center or a demolition recycling center is another option. Recycling centers will take the old and used concrete and transform it to a renewed concrete aggregate. Then, this recycled concrete is used in a variety of different construction projects, both residential and commercial. These centers usually accept used cardboard, dirt, paper, and drywall. All you would have to worry about is getting the materials to the center. 

How to Dispose of Concrete

Use an Inert Dumpster

What is an inert dumpster? This type of dumpster was made to specifically be able to handle heavy, larger materials like rock, brick, sand, and concrete. If you have a rather large amount of concrete to dispose of, inert dumpsters are an excellent choice to dispose of concrete. 

Deliver Concrete to Landfill

One option for concrete disposal is to deliver the concrete to a landfill or to a transfer station yourself. Just make sure to call ahead because not all landfill centers accept old and used concrete. 

While delivering concrete directly to the landfill is an option, it may not be the most eco friendly option. Used concrete can take up a lot of space in a landfill and, as we mentioned before, can contribute to landfill waste. 

Hire a Construction Waste Hauling Company

While hiring a junk removal service is a little more pricey, this will save you time and labor. If you have less than 2 tons of concrete that needs hauled away, this is a great option. Not only will you not have to take care of the debris, but you can have peace of mind knowing the trash is being disposed of in the right way. 

Sell the Concrete

Whether or not you actually make money from the used concrete, if you’re looking for a way to get it off of your hands, consider displaying the concrete in your neighborhood, attaching a “free” sign to it. Your neighbors could utilize the concrete blocks for DIY projects like a homemade fire pit.

Where to Dispose Concrete

Craigslist or Letgo are a couple of other platforms where you could try and sell your old concrete. 

Donate

Give back to your community and donate the old concrete to local businesses that are on the hunt for used or leftover materials for projects. 

KC Dumpster’s Last Thoughts on How to Dispose of Concrete

After a project is finished, trash and debris disposal is the next step and an important step. If you find yourself with old concrete rubble on your hands, we hope the above tips on how to dispose of concrete the right way help you take the next best step in finishing up the project. KC Dumpster, as always, is here to help. Give our team a call, and we will assist you in figuring out the best way to dispose of concrete, trash, and other debris.