How to Dispose of Concrete: The 7 Most Popular Options

Facing a pile of broken concrete after your latest renovation project can feel overwhelming, but multiple solutions exist beyond the landfill. Knowing how to dispose of concrete properly saves money, protects the environment, and potentially benefits others in your community. 

At Prime Dumpster, we’ve created this guide with your seven best potential options to dispose of concrete. 

From profitable sales to convenient professional removal, discover the best approach for how to dispose of concrete for your specific needs.

Fast Facts: 7 Ways to Dispose of Concrete

• Sell Concrete Pieces Online – Post listings on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist to recoup demolition costs by selling to buyers seeking affordable materials.
• Give Away Concrete for Free – Offer free concrete through community listings to gardeners and landscapers while avoiding disposal fees entirely.
• Hire Professional Junk Removal Services – Pay for convenient same-day removal where professionals handle all loading, transportation, and disposal work.
• Take Concrete to a Local Landfill – Transport concrete yourself to municipal facilities that charge by weight, requiring appropriate vehicles and labor.
• Recycle Concrete at Specialized Facilities – Deliver clean concrete to recycling centers that crush materials into reusable aggregate for construction projects.
• Repurpose for Landscaping Projects – Transform broken concrete into stepping stones, retaining walls, or garden borders on your own property.
• Rent a Roll-Off Dumpster – Order a 10-yard container for flexible loading timelines with professional pickup and proper disposal included.

Now let’s take a closer look at each method so you can see which is the best option for your needs!

1) Sell Concrete Pieces Online: One Person’s Waste is Another’s Treasure

Wondering how to get rid of concrete while potentially recouping some of your demolition costs? Online marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and specialized construction material exchanges offer platforms to sell broken concrete pieces to buyers seeking affordable materials for various projects.

The process requires taking clear photos, writing detailed descriptions about quantity and sizes, and coordinating pickup arrangements with interested buyers. Finding serious buyers can take time, and you’ll need to store the concrete safely while awaiting collection.

Pros:

• Potential cost recovery
• Zero landfill impact
• Complete material reuse

Cons:

• Time-consuming process
• Requires storage space
• Uncertain buyer interest

2) Give Away Concrete for Free: Community-Based Reuse

Free concrete disposal offers a straightforward solution for homeowners hoping to avoid disposal fees while benefiting others in their community. Local gardeners, landscapers, and DIY enthusiasts often search for free concrete chunks for garden borders, retaining walls, or drainage projects.

Posting “free concrete” listings requires photographs, quantity estimates, and clear pickup instructions, all while managing multiple inquiries and scheduling collection times. The concrete may sit on your property for weeks as people take small amounts, leaving you with partial piles that still require handling.

Pros:

• No disposal costs
• Helps community members
• Environmentally responsible

Cons:

• Uncertain timeline
• Requires property access
• Often incomplete removal

3) Hire Professional Junk Removal Services: Hassle-Free Disposal

Junk removal companies offer a convenient option for those searching “concrete disposal near me” who prefer a hands-off approach to the heavy lifting. These professionals arrive with appropriate equipment, handle all loading work, and transport the concrete to the proper disposal or recycling facilities.

The convenience comes at a premium price point, often calculated by volume or weight of materials. Many companies charge minimum fees regardless of concrete type or quantity, making this option potentially expensive for smaller amounts.

Pros:

• Zero physical labor
• Same-day removal possible
• Complete cleanup included

Cons:

• Highest cost option
• Appointment scheduling required
• Potential minimum charges

4) Take Concrete to a Local Landfill: Direct Disposal Option

Concrete disposal at municipal landfills or transfer stations provides a straightforward, if labor-intensive, solution for those with appropriate vehicles and physical capabilities. Most facilities have specific concrete receiving areas and charge by weight, requiring you to transport, unload, and pay fees based on the concrete tonnage.

This approach demands proper preparation, including heavy-duty trucks or trailers, loading equipment, and careful covering of materials during transit. Many municipalities limit concrete acceptance to certain days or times, and some facilities reject large concrete quantities altogether, requiring advance research before loading up your vehicle.

Pros:

• Immediate disposal option
• Direct control over timing
• Transparent fee structure

Cons:

• Requires suitable vehicle
• Heavy physical labor
• Often higher disposal fees

5) Recycle Concrete at Specialized Facilities: Environmentally Friendly Choice

Searching for “free concrete disposal near me” often leads to specialized recycling centers that process construction waste into reusable aggregate materials. These facilities crush concrete into various sizes for use in new construction projects, road base, drainage applications, and other commercial purposes.

Many recycling facilities charge lower fees than landfills, with some even offering free concrete disposal for clean loads without rebar, wire mesh, or contaminants. Transportation logistics remain your responsibility, requiring proper vehicles, loading equipment, and physical capability to handle heavy concrete pieces.

Pros:

• Environmental benefits
• Potentially lower costs
• Supports circular economy

Cons:

• Limited facility locations
• Strict contamination rules
• Transportation challenges

6) Repurpose for Landscaping Projects: Creative Reuse at Home

Learning how to dispose of broken concrete becomes unnecessary when you transform those chunks into functional landscape features right on your property. Broken concrete pieces—often called “urbanite”—can become attractive stepping stones, sturdy retaining walls, garden borders, or decorative pathway materials with minimal processing.

Repurposing requires design planning, proper preparation of the installation area, and the physical ability to move and place heavy concrete pieces. Larger slabs may need breaking down to manageable sizes, creating additional work and potentially requiring specialized tools like sledgehammers or concrete saws.

Pros:

• Zero disposal costs
• Immediate project materials
• Unique aesthetic appeal

Cons:

• Significant physical labor
• Limited to usable pieces
• Requires design skills

7) Rent a Roll-Off Dumpster: Professional Disposal Solution

When dealing with substantial concrete removal projects, renting a roll-off dumpster delivers the optimal balance of convenience, cost-effectiveness, and responsible concrete disposal. The dumpster company delivers an appropriately sized container to your property, positions it for easy loading, and removes it when you’re finished—handling all transportation and proper disposal logistics.

Disposing of concrete in a roll-off dumpster allows you to work at your own pace without transportation concerns or complicated logistics arrangements. The single flat fee structure typically proves more economical than multiple trips to disposal facilities or premium-priced junk removal services, especially for medium to large concrete disposal projects.

Pros:

• Flexible loading timeline
• No transportation headaches
• Single predictable cost

Cons:

• Requires adequate placement space
• Weight limits may apply
• Advance scheduling needed

Roll-off dumpsters come in various sizes, but concrete disposal requires a specific approach due to extreme weight density. A 10-yard dumpster is often the best (and only) option for concrete projects because standard containers have weight restrictions of approximately 2 tons (4,000 pounds), regardless of their physical size.

Since concrete weighs approximately 4,000 pounds per cubic yard, each 10-yard container handles roughly one cubic yard of solid concrete before reaching capacity, making larger dumpsters impractical and wasteful for this dense material.

For substantial concrete removal projects like full driveways or large patios, renting multiple 10-yard dumpsters proves more cost-effective than attempting to use oversized containers that exceed weight limits before reaching quarter capacity.

Which Method is Best for You?

These seven disposal methods offer options ranging from profitable selling to convenient professional services, ensuring you’ll find the right solution whether prioritizing cost savings, environmental responsibility, or simple convenience.

Contact Prime Dumpster today to discuss roll-off container options for your concrete disposal needs. Our experienced team will help you select the appropriate dumpster size based on your project scope and provide reliable service that eliminates transportation headaches while offering predictable, transparent pricing. 

With the right concrete disposal strategy in place, you’ll complete your construction, renovation or demolition project with minimal stress and maximum efficiency.