What Is a Roll Off Dumpster?

Dumpsters are one of those items that you tend to overlook until you need them. While they appear simple on the outside, they are actually quite diverse. Standard dumpsters commonly hold food waste and basic garbage; medical dumpsters often hold hazardous materials. Then you have the roll-off waste container, also known as the roll-off dumpster. What are roll-off dumpsters and why are they so special? Well, we’re here to tell you all about it.

Roll Off Meaning: Not Your Typical Dumpster

Roll-off dumpsters are made to hold waste originating from construction sites, home improvement projects, renovations, and so on. Unlike other dumpsters, roll-off waste containers have wheels, which makes them much easier to maneuver than regular dumpsters. One other key difference is that while other dumpsters are transported to and from the landfill by garbage trucks, roll-off dumpsters require an aptly-named “roll-off truck” to move in and out of your site.

Here are some other features that make roll-off dumpsters unique:

Lid-Free: Unlike other dumpsters, roll-off dumpsters are open on the top and contain no lid or covering. This design element makes it easy to throw large pieces of construction waste into these containers without worrying about damaging or disturbing a lid.
Shape: Roll-off dumpsters are always rectangular, whereas many other dumpsters come in square or cubed shapes.
Contents: Roll-off dumpsters are great for storing construction and home improvement waste, but since they lack a lid, they’re not great for throwing away food, medical waste, or any other items that might be harmful to animals or humans. To decide what should and should not go into a roll-off dumpster, we like to use the self-created raccoon test. If a raccoon would love to eat it or love to eat it and then get very sick from it, it should not go into a roll-off dumpster.

Roll-Off Dumpster Sizes: How Big Is a Roll-Off Dumpster?

When it comes to dumpsters, size matters, and roll-off waste containers are no exception. One thing to keep in mind is that roll-off dumpsters are classified by how many cubic yards of product they can hold. When you see a roll-off dumpster size of 20 yards, it means that the dumpster can hold 20 cubic yards of waste. Most roll-off waste containers will come in the following dimensions:

10 yards (12 ft long X 8 ft wide X 3.5 ft high). 10-yard roll-off dumpsters work well for smaller jobs like cleaning out a storage unit, garage, or basement.
20 yards (22 ft long X 8 ft wide X 4 ft high). 20-yard roll-off dumpsters are the perfect choice for most modest home repairs and renovations. If you’re putting in a deck or re-flooring your kitchen, 20 yards should be more than enough room to store your waste while you get the job done.
30 yards (22 ft long X 8 ft wide X 6 ft high). 30-yard roll-off dumpsters are a good choice for larger residential jobs (think complete renovation) and also work well for smaller commercial construction projects.
40 yards (22 ft long X 8 ft wide X 8 ft high). You can’t get much bigger than the 40-yard roll-off dumpster. These dumpsters hold about 20 pick-up trucks worth of waste and work well for most residential and commercial construction, clean-up, and demolition projects.

Tips for Renting a Roll-Off Dumpster

Chances are, if you’re renting a roll-off dumpster you’re either renovating your existing home, building a new one, or managing a construction project. While roll-off dumpsters can be a game-changer when it comes to storing and disposing of construction waste, make sure you familiarize yourself with the regulations governing construction waste. For example, if you will be storing your roll-off waste container in an area governed by a homeowners association, make sure that you are allowed to keep your dumpster on your property. In addition, double-check on any restricted items that will require special disposal.

Some other things to keep in mind include:

Watch what you put into your roll-off dumpster. Since roll-off waste containers are lid-less, they are subject to greater restrictions than your run-of-the-mill dumpster. For example, in many areas, throwing asbestos and other toxic construction materials into a roll-off is strictly prohibited. If you’re working on a construction project that has a high likelihood of involving toxic materials like asbestos or lead paint, make sure that you have a sealed container on-site to house these items.
- Additionally, when you rent roll-off dumpsters, you are expected to return them in the same condition that you received them in. Try to keep any items that would damage these waste containers, such as paint and acid-filled batteries, out of the picture.

Timing is everything. As we mentioned, roll-off dumpsters require roll-off trucks to unload. Before you start your project, you will want to make sure to schedule regular dumpster disposal to ensure that your roll-off waste container is ready for use when you need it. We advise you to book your roll-off trucks far in advance to ensure you can stick to your desired schedule.

Mobile Mini: All of Your Roll-Off Needs In One Convenient Place

At Mobile Mini, we take waste storage and disposal pretty seriously. Our line of roll-off dumpsters meets most construction needs and comes with the quality guarantee we place on all of our products. Our roll-off dumpsters come with metal or plastic tarp options to offer added security when storing and transporting construction waste.

We also offer award-winning customer service on all orders, providing free delivery, relocation, and transportation and operating a 24/7 helpline to support you in troubleshooting any issues that may arise during your order period.

Construction is hard; waste management shouldn’t be. That’s why you should work with Mobile Mini: we’re more than a storage company!