Short answer: most of what we haul goes to the Pinellas County Solid Waste Disposal Complex at 3095 114th Ave N in St. Petersburg, where it feeds the county’s waste-to-energy plant or the Bridgeway Acres landfill. Before it gets there, metal is pulled for scrap, furniture somebody can still use goes to local nonprofits, and appliances with refrigerant get certified recovery because federal law requires it. Paint, solvents, pesticides, pool chemicals and motor oil never go in our truck at all — they go to the county’s household hazardous waste center at 2855 109th Ave N.
People ask where their stuff ends up more than you would think, and they deserve a straight answer rather than a green slogan. Here is the actual route a load takes after it leaves your driveway.
Where does a dumpster or junk removal load go in Pinellas County?
The Pinellas County Solid Waste Disposal Complex at 3095 114th Ave N is about twenty minutes up I-275 from downtown St. Petersburg. The scalehouse is open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, closed Sundays. Our yard sits a short drive from it, which is one reason we can keep flat prices flat: short hauls, no fuel surcharge.
The complex is more than a hole in the ground. Much of the county’s ordinary household waste is burned at the waste-to-energy facility there, which turns it into electricity; the ash and what cannot burn — including most heavy construction debris — goes to the Bridgeway Acres landfill on the same site. The landfill is the last stop, not the first.
What gets pulled out before it reaches the landfill?
- Metal. Appliances, bed frames, grills, exercise equipment, fencing and scrap go to a metal recycler, not the pile.
- Usable furniture and household goods. If someone can still use it, it goes to a local nonprofit before it goes anywhere else. Tell us when you book if there are items you would like donated and we will keep them separate.
- Refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners and dehumidifiers. Anything with refrigerant gets certified refrigerant recovery first, because federal law requires it. That is why these are not simply tossed in a dumpster.
- Cardboard. Clean, flattened cardboard goes to a paper mill rather than the landfill.
- Electronics. Televisions, computers and monitors go to an electronics recycler.
- Clean concrete. Concrete, block and brick kept separate from mixed debris can be crushed and reused as fill. Mix it with trash and it loses that option, which is why we ask you to keep it separate.
What will Elephants not take, and where does it belong?
Household hazardous waste. Paint, stains, solvents, pesticides, herbicides, pool chemicals, motor oil, antifreeze, gasoline and aerosols go to the Pinellas County Household Hazardous Waste Center at 2855 109th Ave N, St. Petersburg. It is open Tuesday through Friday and the first and third Saturday of the month, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., for households only, with limits per vehicle per day — for example up to 5 gallons each of oil and antifreeze, and up to 20 one-gallon paint cans. Bring a government-issued ID to prove residency, and check the county’s HHW calendar before you drive over.
Propane tanks. The HHW center only takes the small one-pound cylinders. Empty 20 lb grill tanks go to the city of St. Petersburg’s special pickup (up to two, free, 727-893-7398) or back to a tank exchange.
Medical waste, sharps and asbestos. We do not handle them, full stop. Most St. Petersburg houses predate the 1978 federal lead paint ban and plenty predate the asbestos rules, so if you are demolishing in a house from that era, get it tested first. We are not an abatement contractor, and if we think a job needs testing before anyone touches it we will say so and stand down.
Mold, pests, gas, electrical, plumbing and structural work. We are not a mold remediation or pest control company, and we do not disconnect gas, electrical or plumbing lines. Knowing the limits is part of the job. The complete list is in what can and cannot go in a dumpster in Pinellas County.
Does recycling change the price?
No. Junk removal is $50 per cubic yard of truck space with a $150 minimum, and roll-off dumpsters are a flat $380 to $630 by size with 2 to 4 tons of disposal included, whether the load is sofas or scrap. The sorting is simply how we run the yard. Where it does affect your bill is weight: clean concrete and dirt kept separate can be disposed of for less than mixed debris, and dense material should go in a smaller box so you are not paying overage. Our St. Petersburg dumpster cost guide walks through the weight math.
Frequently asked questions
Which landfill does Elephants use?
The Pinellas County Solid Waste Disposal Complex at 3095 114th Ave N, St. Petersburg, which includes the county’s waste-to-energy plant and the Bridgeway Acres landfill. It is open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays.
Do you donate furniture?
Yes. Usable furniture and household goods go to local nonprofits before anything goes to disposal. Tell us at booking which items you want kept aside.
Can I put paint in a dumpster?
No. Paint, solvents, pesticides, pool chemicals and motor oil are household hazardous waste. Take them to the Pinellas County HHW Center at 2855 109th Ave N, open Tuesday through Friday and the first and third Saturdays, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Can you take a refrigerator?
Yes. Refrigerators, freezers and air conditioners get certified refrigerant recovery before disposal, as federal law requires, and the metal is recycled.
Have a load to move?
Call or text 727-240-7033, or start with junk removal, appliance removal or dumpster rental. Wondering whether the city will take it for free first? Read what St. Petersburg sanitation picks up free.
