Everything You Need to Know About 30-Yard Dumpsters

by | Sep 5, 2023

One open-top dumpster finds itself at more businesses than all other options available on the market. The 30-yard open-top dumpster is the perfect size for most medium-small businesses looking for a long-term waste solution. It is large enough to handle weekly waste demands or large awkward objects, yet compact and accessible enough to fit on most lots and quickly dispose of waste. Today we’ll be getting into the weeds on this standard dumpster size to understand why it’s an effective solution for most businesses with a waste plan. We’ll dive into its dimensions, capacity, how it can be used, and why it’s the perfect size for mobile waste compaction services like Smash My Trash.

Overview: 30-Yard Dumpsters

As mentioned above, the dimensions of a 30-yard dumpster aren’t always the same. If the length of the dumpster is slightly smaller than other 30-yard dumpsters, it probably means the width or height of the dumpster is slightly larger. These dimensions are used to inform the cubic yardage of material that can potentially be stored inside the bin.

Dimensions

As mentioned above, the dimensions of a 30-yard dumpster aren’t always the same. If the length of the dumpster is slightly smaller than other 30-yard dumpsters, it probably means the width or height of the dumpster is slightly larger. These dimensions are used to inform the cubic yardage of material that can potentially be stored inside the bin.

Capacity

This is the portion that shouldn’t see much variance. All 30-yard dumpsters should be able to hold 30 cubic yards of waste or materials. This is estimated to equate to 175-200 full trash bags or hold the equivalent of 7,000-10,000 pounds of weight. The wide weight variance is due to the build quality of the bin, the material it’s made of, and the size of objects placed inside the bin.

30 yard dumpster

Some common dimensions for this dumpster are:

   – 22 feet in length, 8 feet wide, and 5 feet tall

   – 22 feet in length, 7.5 feet wide, and 6 feet tall

   – 21 feet in length, 6 feet wide, and 6 feet tall

dumpster hauled away

What Can a 30-Yard Dumpster Be Used For?

The reason for a 30-yard’s popularity is due to its versatility in most businesses and the median price point. It’s widely used to collect waste materials like wooden pallets, cardboard, plastics, scrap metals, organic waste like tree limbs or brush, and various business-related waste. It’s a fantastic option for mid-large sized operations with waste volumes of 600-800 pounds per day. Once the open-top dumpster is full, a hauler will collect the dumpster and transfer the waste to a landfill or transfer station. 

What Industries Use 30-Yard Dumpsters?

Open-top dumpsters are widely used in a large variety of industries. Some of the largest are Manufacturing, Landscape, Property Management, Construction, Distribution, and Recycling. In general, any business or industry that deals with large amounts of daily waste are a great candidate for a 30-yard dumpster.

various industries

Manufacturing

The manufacturing industry is full of large-scale waste operations driven by the products they produce. Test batches, recalled items and manufacturing mistakes lead to inevitable product waste that has to be disposed of. Manufacturing operations often see spikes of waste based on day-to-day operations. A 30-yard dumpster gives the industry room for mistakes and a capacity they can rely on.

Construction

30-yard dumpsters make a lot of sense for the Construction industry due to the awkward shape of construction materials that need disposed of and the large weight volume. Open-top dumpsters offer a larger surface area for disposal and reinforced infrastructure that can withstand weights up to 10,000 pounds. This makes disposing of lumber, piping, and various building materials much easier.

Recycling

Recycling plants require lots of consolidation and sifting to achieve their desired result. Recycling plants report 20-25% of materials at their plants are deemed “non-recyclable material”. That waste must be disposed of, and an open-top dumpster is the perfect size for high demands of non-recycled materials.

How to Choose the Best Dumpster Size for Your Business

The best place to start when deciding which dumpster is right for you is by conducting a waste audit. This will give you a better idea on the daily volume of waste, the common waste materials, and current operations bottlenecks/concerns. You want to have a grasp of the full scope of your operation before making decisions about waste containers. For the best results, conduct a waste audit and use that data to inform your purchasing decisions.

 

Maximize Your Dumpster Space with Smash My Trash

Getting the most out of every haul relies on making sure your bins are actually at full capacity when they are taken to a landfill. Smash My Trash has helped thousands of businesses reach this goal through mobile waste compaction services. Smash My Trash visits your bins at their on-site facility when convenient for the customer, and compacts the waste inside the bins to allow more waste volume before hauling. If your interested in getting more out of your open-top dumpsters, click the button below to receive a free on-site demo and more information on the service.

Smash My Trash works with businesses of all sizes and has a variety of options, none of which locks you into a long-term contract. Everything from simple on-demand projects like facility cleanouts or large waste operations, to scheduled weekly smashes on-site to keep your waste capacity at bay.

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