Indianapolis Dump Fees & Landfill Guide for Junk Removal Operators
Current 2026 tipping fees for Indianapolis-area landfills and transfer stations. South Side Landfill at $24/cu yd with published rate card. Indiana avg $43.56/ton.
Last updated: Mar 2026
$19.75–$56+ per load (volume-based at South Side) · $43–$65/ton (landfills)
Typical dump fee range
Fee basis
Per cubic yard at South Side Landfill, per ton at WM and Republic facilities
Common materials
Biggest cost trap
Freon appliance disposal at South Side Landfill is $150/unit — five times the rate in many other metros. Quote appliance jobs with this surcharge or lose your margin.
Typical Costs in Indianapolis
Baseline pricing before you dig into individual facilities.
MSW (Household Junk)
$19.75–$25/cu yd (South Side) · $43–$65/ton (landfills)
$19.75 (car load at South Side)
Basis: Per cubic yard at South Side Landfill, per ton at WM and Republic
infoIndiana's average MSW tipping fee of $43.56/ton is roughly 30% below the national average of $62.28/ton — making Indianapolis one of the cheapest disposal markets in the country. South Side Landfill's $24/cu yd for open-top loads is the operator's baseline.
1South Side Landfill at $24/cu yd with a published rate card is your primary facility — the only one in Indy with transparent pricing
2Clean fill (rocks, bricks, concrete, dirt) is only $12/cu yd at South Side — always separate heavy clean materials from mixed loads
3Indiana's $0.60/ton state solid waste fee is minimal compared to Minnesota's 17% or Ohio's $4.75/ton
C&D (Construction & Demolition)
$24–$27/cu yd
Same as MSW at South Side
Basis: Per cubic yard
infoC&D and drywall at South Side is $24/cu yd — same as MSW. Shingles are $27/cu yd. Clean fill (rocks, bricks, concrete, dirt) drops to $12/cu yd. Always sort clean fill from mixed C&D loads.
Bulky Items & Surcharges
$16–$200 per item
$16 for small tires
Basis: Per item
infoSouth Side Landfill has some of the highest appliance surcharges in the Midwest: $150 per Freon unit (fridge, freezer, A/C) and $70 per non-Freon appliance (washer, dryer, stove). Tires range from $16 (passenger) to $200 (large equipment). E-waste is NOT accepted at any landfill — Indiana law prohibits landfill disposal of covered electronics.
Clean Fill & Specialty Materials
$12–$27/cu yd
$12/cu yd for clean fill
Basis: Per cubic yard at South Side
infoClean fill (rocks, bricks, concrete, dirt) at $12/cu yd is half the MSW rate. Shingles at $27/cu yd are the most expensive common material category. Always sort loads by material type to route each to the cheapest per-yard rate.
Facilities in Indianapolis
Recommended facilities first, then additional options.
Top Recommended (3)
South Side Landfill
Only facility in Marion County with published rates — the operator default for Indianapolis junk removalRate
MSW car load: $19.75 · Open-top solid waste: $24.00/cu yd · Compacted waste: $25.00/cu yd · C&D/drywall: $24.00/cu yd · Shingles: $27.00/cu yd · Clean fill: $12.00/cu yd
$19.75 (car load)
Hours
Mon–Fri 5:00 AM – 7:00 PM · Sat/Sun hours not publicly listed — call (317) 247-6808
Area
Southwest Indianapolis (2561 Kentucky Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46221)
Privately owned, in continuous operation since 1971. The only Subtitle D MSW landfill within Marion County and the only facility with published volume-based pricing. The 5:00 AM opening is the earliest of any Indy disposal site — ideal for pre-route dumps. Staff measure load dimensions for flatbed, dump-bed, and box trucks to calculate cubic yard charges. Pull-off service available for an additional charge (customer provides attachment, signs liability release). Cash, check, and debit/credit accepted (no AmEx). Credit accounts available for commercial operators. Does NOT accept liquids, hazardous waste, infectious waste, or e-waste.
Zore's Recycling
Best scrap yard in Indianapolis — family-owned since 1927 with Saturday hours and full-service capabilitiesRate
Bare bright copper up to $3.75/lb · Yellow brass up to $2.20/lb · Aluminum avg ~$0.67/lb · Steel $150–$260/ton · Stainless avg ~$0.33/lb · Electronics avg ~$0.35/lb — call (317) 244-0700 for daily quotes
No minimum listed
Hours
Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM · Sat 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM · Sun CLOSED
Area
West Indianapolis (1300 N. Mickley Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46224)
Family-owned since 1927. BBB A+ rated. Certified flatbed electronic scales and XRF analyzers on-site for accurate grading. Cash paid on the spot. The widest acceptance criteria of any Indy scrap yard — takes everything from precious metals to farm equipment to junk cars. Saturday hours until 3 PM are the most generous weekend scrap hours in the metro. Commercial accounts available with roll-off dumpster rental and dumpster trailer rental for contractors running consistent metal volume. Free junk car removal service.
Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity ReStore
Free donation disposal with tax deduction — four metro locations with free pickup serviceRate
Free drop-off and free pickup
No minimum
Hours
Mon–Sat 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM · Sun CLOSED
Area
Main: 4129 W. Washington St, Indianapolis, IN 46241 · Also: Fishers, Avon, Greenfield locations
501(c)(3) nonprofit — tax-deductible donation receipt provided. Indiana Attainable Homeownership Tax Credit may provide 50% tax credit on donations up to $10,000. Free pickup service Mon–Sat 10 AM–5 PM, first-come first-served scheduling. Items must be in excellent working condition, free of damage/stains/odors. ReStore reserves the right to decline any item. Commercial donations: (317) 777-6078. Given South Side Landfill's $70 per non-Freon appliance and $150 per Freon appliance surcharges, routing working appliances to ReStore instead saves you $70–$150 per unit in disposal costs.
Rules & Restrictions
Know before you go — avoid rejected loads and fines.
Indiana law (IC 13-20.5) prohibits landfill disposal of covered electronics — e-waste must go through the eCycle program or RecycleForce. Do not include electronics in landfill loads.
Citizens Transfer Station is residential ONLY — cash only, Saturday only, Marion County residents only, maximum 2 trips/day. Not available for commercial junk removal operations.
South Side Landfill does NOT accept liquids, hazardous waste, or infectious waste. Water-based paints must be dried out completely before disposal.
South Side Landfill charges a variable monthly fuel surcharge based on DOE #2 Diesel average (typically 5–10% of total bill) — this is NOT included in the published per-cubic-yard rates. Factor it into your cost estimates.
WM Twin Bridges requires commercial accounts via wmsolutions.com and pre-approval for special/hazardous waste. Maximum truck length 41 feet.
In January 2026, Indianapolis awarded a new 10-year collection contract to LRS, replacing Republic and WM for 7 of 11 solid waste districts. Universal curbside recycling for all Marion County is planned for 2028.
Indianapolis relies on the Covanta/Reworld waste-to-energy facility more than almost any U.S. city — it processes 703,000+ tons/year and heats downtown buildings including Lucas Oil Stadium and Gainbridge Fieldhouse. This is NOT a drive-up facility for junk removal operators.
South Side Landfill is the ONLY Subtitle D MSW landfill within Marion County. If it reaches capacity or closes, all MSW must travel to Twin Bridges in Hendricks County or further — adding significant drive time to every dump run.
South Side Landfill's $150 Freon appliance surcharge is among the highest in the country — route working refrigerators and freezers to Habitat ReStore (free) and sell non-working appliances as scrap at Zore's instead of paying the disposal fee.
Cost-Saving Tips
Margin protection playbook — sorting, timing, and routing.
Sorting Strategy
Separate clean fill (rocks, bricks, concrete, dirt) from every load — $12/cu yd at South Side versus $24/cu yd for MSW. On a half-truck demo job, sorting clean fill saves $50–$75 per load.
Route all working appliances to Habitat ReStore (free pickup, free disposal, tax deduction) instead of South Side Landfill ($70–$150 per appliance). On a 3-appliance kitchen remodel, that is $210–$450 saved.
Pull all metals to Zore's Recycling — bare bright copper at $3.75/lb and brass at $2.20/lb makes metal sorting one of the highest-ROI habits for Indianapolis operators
Timing Strategy
South Side Landfill opens at 5:00 AM — the earliest of any Indy disposal facility. Dump before starting your route to maximize jobs per day.
Twin Bridges Saturday hours (6:00–10:00 AM) are your only weekend landfill option if South Side is closed — plan Saturday routes to allow an early morning dump run to Danville.
Zore's Saturday hours extend to 3:00 PM — the most generous weekend scrap window in the metro. Batch your weekly scrap metal for a Saturday afternoon drop.
Routing Strategy
Central and south Indianapolis jobs: South Side Landfill ($24/cu yd) + Zore's Recycling (3 miles away on Mickley Ave) — dump and sell scrap in one trip
West metro jobs (Avon, Plainfield, Brownsburg): Twin Bridges in Danville saves 30+ minutes compared to driving back to South Side for Hendricks County routes
North side jobs: Republic 96th Street Transfer Station for MSW, then Habitat ReStore at Fishers location for donatable items
Best Practice
Indianapolis has some of the cheapest MSW disposal in the country at $24/cu yd — but the appliance surcharges ($70–$150 per unit) can destroy your margin on cleanout jobs if you're not tracking them. An estate cleanout with 3 appliances adds $210–$450 in unexpected disposal costs. ScaleYourJunk logs dump fees per job including per-item surcharges so you can build accurate disposal costs into every quote.
Cheap Dump Fees Don't Mean Free — Track Per-Item Surcharges
ScaleYourJunk tracks disposal costs per job including appliance and tire surcharges that silently eat your margin on Indianapolis cleanout jobs.
Dump Fees in Indianapolis: FAQ
Related Resources
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FeatureLoad-Based Pricing Engine
Build per-item surcharges into every quote with volume-based pricing tiers.
Indianapolis Dump Fees Are Cheap — But Surcharges Add Up Fast
ScaleYourJunk tracks dump fees per job including per-item appliance and tire surcharges so you can quote accurately and protect your margin on every cleanout.
Dump fee tracking included in all plans — Starter $149/mo