Fresno Dump Fees & Disposal Guide for Junk Removal Operators
CARTS at $90/ton is the go-to facility, but free mattresses, metals, and concrete save real money. Plus a $26/load surcharge trap.
Last updated: Mar 2026
$65–$90/ton
Typical dump fee range
Fee basis
Per ton plus per-load surcharges at CARTS
Common materials
Biggest cost trap
CARTS charges $90/ton PLUS a $26/load surcharge ($16 environmental fee + $10 fuel surcharge) on every single load. On small loads near the minimum, that $26 adds 30–50% to your effective per-ton cost. Batch small pickups into combined dump runs to minimize the surcharge impact.
Typical Costs in Fresno
Baseline pricing before you dig into individual facilities.
MSW (Household Junk)
$90/ton
Varies + $26/load surcharge at CARTS
Basis: Per ton + per-load surcharge
infoCARTS (Cedar Avenue Recycling and Transfer Station) is the primary disposal facility at $90/ton for MSW, C&D, green waste, and wood — all charged the same per-ton rate. Add the mandatory $26/load surcharge ($16 environmental + $10 fuel) to every load. American Avenue Disposal Site (county landfill) historically has significantly lower per-ton rates than CARTS, but is ~30 miles west of central Fresno. Download the current fee schedule at cleanupfresnocounty.com or call (559) 600-4259.
1Batch small pickups into combined dump runs — the $26/load surcharge at CARTS hurts most on light loads
2Route large MSW-only loads to American Avenue landfill for significantly lower per-ton rates despite the ~30-mile drive
C&D (Construction Debris)
$90/ton
$160/load (hard-to-handle minimum at CARTS)
Basis: Per ton + $26/load surcharge
infoC&D at CARTS is charged at the same $90/ton rate as MSW. Critical restriction: the American Avenue county landfill does NOT accept C&D loads over 3 cubic yards per County Ordinance 8.25. C&D over 3 CY must go to transfer stations or recycling facilities. Both Fresno City and County require Waste Management Plans with a minimum 65% diversion for C&D on permitted projects. Clean concrete and asphalt are free at CARTS — always separate before the scale.
1Separate clean concrete and asphalt from mixed C&D — free at CARTS versus $90/ton for everything else
2Do NOT bring C&D over 3 cubic yards to American Avenue — it is banned by county ordinance and your load will be rejected
Green & Yard Waste
$90/ton
Varies + $26/load surcharge
Basis: Per ton
infoGreen and yard waste at CARTS is $90/ton — the same rate as MSW and C&D. Unlike Sacramento and San Jose where green waste commands a premium or discount, Fresno charges a flat rate across all waste types at CARTS. The county landfill may offer lower rates for green waste loads — call (559) 600-4259 for current pricing.
1Check American Avenue county landfill rates for green waste — may be significantly cheaper than CARTS' flat $90/ton
2Commingled recyclables at CARTS are $65/ton — $25/ton cheaper than the $90/ton refuse rate. Sort recyclables from green waste where possible.
Surcharges & Free Categories
$0–$410/load
Per-item and per-load fees
Basis: Per item or per load
infoFREE at CARTS: clean concrete/asphalt, clean metal, and mattresses/box springs/futons (up to 10/day in acceptable condition). Paid surcharges: severely damaged/soiled mattresses $60 each, sofas/bed frames/recliners/tables $60 each, appliances with freon $45 each, appliances without freon $20 each, auto tires without rim $25 each, auto tires with rim $30 each, truck tires $40 each, tractor tires $55 each, bulk tire loads (10+) $410/load with waste hauler permit required, e-waste $25 each or $400/ton.
1Leverage free mattress disposal at CARTS (up to 10/day in acceptable condition) — sort mattresses out of the general load before the scale
2Clean concrete, asphalt, and metals are ALL free at CARTS. A load containing these items costs zero if separated from refuse.
Facilities in Fresno
Recommended facilities first, then additional options.
Top Recommended (2)
Cedar Avenue Recycling and Transfer Station (CARTS)
Primary disposal for all waste types — centrally located with the widest material acceptance and longest weekday hoursRate
$90/ton MSW/C&D/green/wood, $65/ton recyclables, $65/ton brick, free clean concrete/asphalt/metal
See per-item rates for specialty items
Hours
Mon–Fri 7AM–5PM, Sat 7AM–2:30PM, Sun closed
Area
South Fresno (Cedar Avenue)
Most-used facility for junk removal operators in Fresno — centrally located, widest material acceptance, and longest weekday hours (until 5PM). Operated by Caglia Environmental (private, locally family-owned). The $26/load surcharge ($16 environmental + $10 fuel) adds up on small loads — batch loads when possible. Free mattress disposal (up to 10/day in decent condition) and free clean concrete/metal are major cost-savers. Sort these out before arriving. CRV redemption items not accepted — take those to a CRV buy-back center.
Habitat for Humanity ReStore Greater Fresno
Reusable furniture, appliances, building materials — free drop-off with tax receiptRate
Free drop-off; tax-deductible donation receipt provided
No minimum
Hours
Mon–Sat 9AM–5PM (verify at (559) 237-7867)
Area
1631 Railroad Avenue, Clovis, CA 93612
Accepts furniture, appliances, building materials, and household items in good condition. At $90/ton disposal costs, diverting reusable items here eliminates tipping fees and provides marketing value. Also leverage Fresno's Free Dump Day events at CARTS (6 weekends per year — Spring 2026 dates: March 21–22, May 2–3, June 6–7) for residential customer referrals.
Rules & Restrictions
Know before you go — avoid rejected loads and fines.
American Avenue county landfill does NOT accept C&D waste over 3 cubic yards — banned per County Ordinance 8.25. Loads will be rejected. Route C&D to CARTS or recycling facilities.
No household hazardous waste at any Fresno disposal facility — HHW goes to the Fresno County Environmental Compliance Center at 1327 W. Dan Ronquillo Dr.
Bulk tire loads (10+) at CARTS require a waste hauler permit and tire manifest. Pre-approval from Environmental Health at (559) 600-3357 required for 9+ tires at American Avenue.
CRV redemption items (beverage containers) are NOT accepted at CARTS — take to a CRV buy-back center.
Both City and County of Fresno require Waste Management Plans with a minimum 65% diversion for C&D on permitted projects. Keep diversion documentation.
American Avenue requires pre-approval for non-friable asbestos disposal. Treated wood waste requires TWW/EPA ID number. Call (559) 600-4259.
California SB 1383 mandates organic waste diversion from landfills. Separate organics from every load.
Fresno's franchise system splits the city at Ashlan Avenue: Republic Services handles commercial collection north of Ashlan, Mid Valley Disposal handles south of Ashlan. Know your zone.
The $26/load surcharge at CARTS ($16 environmental + $10 fuel) is charged on EVERY load regardless of size. On a light load, this surcharge can add 30–50% to your effective disposal cost. Batch loads to minimize trips.
Free Dump Day events at CARTS happen 6 weekends per year (Spring 2026: March 21–22, May 2–3, June 6–7). Residential only — not for commercial use, but useful to know when advising homeowner customers.
Cost-Saving Tips
Margin protection playbook — sorting, timing, and routing.
Sorting Strategy
Separate free materials at CARTS before disposal. CARTS offers free disposal for clean concrete/asphalt, clean metal, and mattresses/box springs (up to 10/day in acceptable condition). On a typical residential cleanout, mattresses and metal can represent 15–25% of load weight. Sorting these out before the scale saves significantly at $90/ton. Clean recyclables at CARTS are also cheaper ($65/ton vs. $90/ton for MSW).
Use American Avenue for large MSW-only loads. The county landfill historically has significantly lower per-ton rates than CARTS ($90/ton). Even with the ~30-mile drive from central Fresno, loads over 2–3 tons can save enough per ton to justify the fuel and time. Download the current fee schedule at cleanupfresnocounty.com or call (559) 600-4259. Remember: no C&D allowed.
Divert reusable items to Habitat for Humanity ReStore (1631 Railroad Avenue, Clovis, (559) 237-7867, Mon–Sat 9AM–5PM). Pull scrap metals and sell to local yards. Also leverage free mattress disposal at both CARTS (10/day) and Rice Road (5/customer) to eliminate per-item disposal costs on mattress-heavy jobs.
Timing Strategy
Mid Valley Disposal opens at 6AM — earliest in Fresno. Use for early-morning dump runs before your first job. CARTS opens at 7AM weekdays, Rice Road at 7AM, American Avenue at 7AM.
American Avenue closes at 3PM weekdays — plan your county landfill runs for the morning. CARTS has the longest weekday hours, closing at 5PM.
Routing Strategy
For north Fresno and Clovis jobs, Rice Road Transfer Station saves significant drive time versus CARTS in south Fresno. Compare their rates against CARTS' $90/ton plus $26/load surcharge.
For south Fresno jobs, CARTS is closest and most convenient. Mid Valley Disposal on Elm Avenue is also in south Fresno with the earliest opening time.
WM's Fresno Transfer Station on Villa Avenue has the latest weekday closing time (6PM) — use for late-afternoon emergency dumps when other facilities have closed.
Best Practice
Track dump fees per job and per facility in ScaleYourJunk to monitor your true disposal cost including the $26/load surcharge at CARTS. The platform logs every dump run so you can compare the per-load surcharge impact on light versus heavy loads and optimize your batching strategy to keep disposal costs below the 8–11% of revenue target.
Track Every Dump Fee in Fresno
ScaleYourJunk logs disposal costs per job, per facility, including per-load surcharges. Stop guessing your true disposal cost.
Dump Fees in Fresno: FAQ
Related Resources
California Junk Removal Market Guide
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DataSacramento Dump Fees & Disposal Guide
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GuideDump Run Efficiency Guide
Optimize dump run routing, load batching, and material sorting to minimize disposal costs and drive time.
FeatureRoute Optimization
Automatically optimize job sequencing and dump run routing to minimize drive time and per-load surcharge impact.
Track Every Dump Fee Automatically
ScaleYourJunk logs disposal costs per job, per facility, including per-load surcharges. Stop losing margin to untracked dump fees and surprise surcharges.
Dump fee tracking included in all plans — Starter $149/mo