Where to Dispose of Junk in Dayton, OH
Every legal option for getting rid of junk in the Dayton area: the county dump, city bulk pickup, donation centers, and recycling. What each one costs, when they're open, and what they won't take.
Montgomery County Transfer & Recycling Facility
This is the main public dump for the Dayton area. Anyone can drive in, get weighed, unload, and pay by the ton.
The basics
- Address: 1001 Encrete Lane, Moraine, OH 45439
- Hours: Monday–Friday 6:00 AM – 7:00 PM, Saturday 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM, closed Sunday
- Cost: $30.50 per ton for general disposal. You're weighed in and out. A typical pickup bed of household junk runs 500–1,000 lbs, so most small loads cost $8–$16.
- Tarp required: All truck and trailer loads must be fully tarped to enter. No tarp, no entry.
What they take
General household junk, furniture, construction debris, yard waste, and appliances. Recyclables like cardboard, metal, and electronics go in separate streams, often free or cheaper than trash rates.
What they don't take
Liquid paint, chemicals, pesticides, and other household hazardous waste. Those go through the county's hazardous waste program instead. Tires and refrigerant appliances carry surcharges.
The catch
You need a truck, a tarp, and your own labor. Lines on Saturday mornings run long. If your junk is upstairs or in a basement, you're carrying it out yourself before you ever get in the truck.
City of Dayton Bulk Waste Pickup
If you live inside Dayton city limits, the city collects large items at the curb: furniture, appliances, and anything too big for the regular cart.
How it works
Bulk pickup runs one Friday per month on your route. Items go at the curb by 6:30 AM on your scheduled day. Check the city's Public Works map for your exact Friday.
What it costs
Free for Dayton residents as part of city waste service. Limits apply on volume; this is for a couch and a chair, not a garage cleanout.
The catch
One Friday a month means waiting up to four weeks with junk on your curb or in your garage. Miss the window and you wait another month. Suburbs like Kettering run their own schedules, often only twice a year.
Donation: The Free Option That Helps Somebody
If it's usable, don't dump it. Dayton has solid donation infrastructure, and some places pick up for free.
Habitat for Humanity ReStore
3500 W. Dorothy Lane, Kettering. Takes furniture, appliances, cabinets, doors, and building materials. Offers free pickup for large items. Proceeds fund local home builds.
Goodwill
Multiple Dayton-area locations. Furniture in good shape, working electronics, housewares, and clothing. Drop-off only at most locations, no pickup.
St. Vincent de Paul
Dayton location accepts furniture and household goods. Their thrift stores fund direct assistance programs for local families. Call ahead for larger items.
One rule covers all of them: items must be usable. A couch with broken springs or a fridge that doesn't run is junk, not a donation, and they'll turn it away at the dock.
Special Cases
Paint & Chemicals
Never in the trash, never at the transfer station. Montgomery County runs a household hazardous waste program for residents. Latex paint is the exception: pop the lid, let it dry solid, and it can go in regular trash.
Electronics
TVs, computers, and monitors are accepted in the recycling stream at the county facility. Many Goodwill locations also take working electronics. Old CRT TVs are the hard one. Few places take them free anymore.
Mattresses
The transfer station takes them at the per-ton rate. City bulk pickup takes them on your scheduled Friday. Some charities take clean, stain-free mattresses, but most won't touch them for hygiene reasons.
Tires
Surcharged at the county facility. Many tire shops take old tires for a few dollars each when you buy new ones. Never dump them. Ohio fines for tire dumping are steep.
Yard Waste
Accepted at the county facility, often at lower rates than trash. Many Dayton-area suburbs run seasonal curbside leaf and branch pickup. Grass clippings are banned from regular trash in most of the county.
Appliances with Refrigerant
Fridges, freezers, AC units, and dehumidifiers carry a surcharge anywhere you take them: federal law requires refrigerant recovery before disposal. Budget $15–$25 extra per unit.
When It Stops Making Sense to DIY
Do the math on a typical garage cleanout. Truck rental runs $30–50 plus fuel. Dump fees run $10–30 for a normal load. Then add four hours of your Saturday: loading, driving to Moraine, waiting in line, unloading, driving back, returning the truck.
For one or two small items and a truck you already own, DIY wins. For anything bigger, a room of furniture, a basement, an estate, a removal crew costs about the same as the DIY total once you price your own time, and the junk is gone in under an hour without you lifting anything.
We also handle the sorting. Usable items go to ReStore or Goodwill instead of the dump, recyclables get separated, and you don't have to know which stream takes what.
Rather Skip the Dump Run?
Call for a firm price over the phone. We load, haul, donate, and dispose. You point.