Which container and how many pickups do you need?
Steady trash from a store, restaurant or office usually goes in front-load bins of 2 to 8 cubic yards emptied on a schedule; large or irregular volumes go in 20 to 40 yard roll-offs hauled on call; compactors suit sites with high volume and little space. Size the service from how full containers are at pickup, not from habit.
What are the main container types?
| Type | Typical sizes | How it's billed | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carts | 32 to 96 gallons | Monthly, per cart | Small offices and shops |
| Front-load bins | 1 to 8 cubic yards | Monthly, by size and pickups per week | Restaurants, retail, offices, apartments |
| Roll-off containers | 20, 30, 40 cubic yards | Per haul, plus disposal per ton, delivery and rent | Warehouses, plants, construction, cleanouts |
| Compactors | Varies | Per haul or per compacted yard, plus equipment | High-volume sites short on space |
Scottsdale's city service describes its roll-offs as about 20 feet long and 8 feet wide, with the 20-yard box 4 feet tall, the 30-yard 6 feet and the 40-yard 8 feet.[1]
How do rates scale with size and frequency?
Not linearly, and differently in each place. In Union City, California, the 2026 franchise rate for an 8-yard bin emptied once a week is about 3.6 times the 2-yard rate; in Scottsdale's city-run service it is about 1.4 times.[2][1] Going from one pickup a week to two adds roughly 80 to 100 percent to the monthly rate in Union City and Kirkland.[2][3] So the cheapest way to carry the same volume depends on your local rate structure: sometimes a bigger bin, sometimes more pickups.
Compare the published examples, including cost per cubic yard collected, on published rates by container size.
How do you right-size?
- Photograph each container just before pickup for two to four weeks.
- If they're under about two-thirds full, price a smaller container or fewer pickups.
- If you're paying overage charges or calling for extra pickups, price a bigger container or one more pickup.
- Pull cardboard out of the trash where it is a large share; a separate cardboard container or baler can shrink the trash service.
- Agree any change in writing with the term unchanged (see service changes).
How is roll-off service priced?
Usually as a haul (or pull) charge each time the box is emptied, plus disposal by the ton, plus delivery and rent. Tehachapi's 2026 schedule, for example, lists a roll-off pull charge of $348.48, $71.60 a ton for municipal solid waste, a delivery fee of $160.67 and rental of $9.93 a day.[4] Scottsdale instead charges $677.09 per dump including the first 3 tons, then $51.19 a ton.[1] Republic's terms allow rent or a minimum lift charge if a roll-off isn't hauled at least once a month, and bill overweight loads on actual tonnage.[5]
Questions buyers ask
- What size dumpster does a restaurant need?
- It depends on volume, which is why you should measure fill levels before pickup. Many use front-load bins in the 2 to 8 cubic yard range on several pickups a week, often with a separate cardboard container.
- Is a bigger dumpster or more pickups cheaper?
- It depends on the local rate structure. In some published schedules a larger bin costs little more; in others the rate rises almost in proportion to size. Price both options.
Sources
- Commercial Services, City of Scottsdale, AZ, Solid Waste. Read 2026-10-28.
- City of Union City Commercial Rates, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027, Republic Services / City of Union City, CA. Read 2026-10-28.
- 2026 Commercial Garbage Rates, City of Kirkland, WA (serviced by WM). Read 2026-10-28.
- City of Tehachapi 2026-2027 Rate Schedule (effective July 1, 2026), City of Tehachapi, CA / WM. Read 2026-10-28.
- Customer Service Agreement: Terms and Conditions (Sacramento edition), Republic Services. Read 2026-10-28.