Los Angeles Dump Fees & Disposal Guide for Junk Removal Operators
LA County tipping fees from $99–$120/ton amid the post-Chiquita capacity crisis. Facility access, routing, and margin protection in 2026.
Last updated: Mar 2026
$99–$120/ton
Typical dump fee range
Fee basis
Per ton at all major facilities
Common materials
Biggest cost trap
The Chiquita Canyon Landfill closure on January 1, 2025 eliminated 34% of LA County's disposal capacity overnight — rates at remaining facilities have been climbing and wait times at Sunshine Canyon can exceed 1–2 hours on peak mornings.
Typical Costs in Los Angeles
Baseline pricing before you dig into individual facilities.
MSW (Household Junk)
$99–$120/ton
$60+ (facility-dependent)
Basis: Per ton
infoSunshine Canyon (Republic Services) posts $120/ton MSW as of July 2024 — the highest posted gate rate in the metro. LACSD facilities run approximately $99/ton. Both rates include embedded state, county, and city fees. Budget $100–$130/ton for disposal in LA County. Rates have been rising rapidly since the Chiquita Canyon closure and may continue to climb.
1Route to LACSD facilities (~$99/ton) instead of Sunshine Canyon ($120/ton) when within the correct wasteshed — $21/ton savings on every load
2Divert reusable items to donation centers (Habitat ReStore, Goodwill, Salvation Army) — at $120/ton, every 500 lbs diverted saves $30 in dump fees
C&D (Construction Debris)
$99–$120/ton
$60+ (facility-dependent)
Basis: Per ton
infoC&D is typically charged at the same per-ton rate as MSW at Sunshine Canyon and LACSD landfills. California requires at least 65% diversion on permitted C&D projects — operators must keep diversion documentation. Route sorted C&D materials to recycling facilities for lower rates on clean concrete, wood, and metals.
1Separate clean concrete, wood, and metals from mixed C&D before arriving — recyclers charge significantly less for sorted materials
2Keep diversion documentation for CalGreen/LEED compliance on permitted C&D projects (65% minimum diversion required)
Green & Yard Waste
$125/ton
$60+ (facility-dependent)
Basis: Per ton
infoGreen waste at Sunshine Canyon is $125/ton — MORE than MSW at $120/ton. This is unusual nationally and catches operators off guard. Green waste must be clean loads: brush, tree trimmings, grass, and certain yard waste only. No palm logs or trunks, loads that are majority palm fronds, MSW, concrete, dirt, or plastics mixed in. Contaminated green waste loads get charged at even higher rates or rejected.
1Price green waste jobs higher than standard junk removal — at $125/ton, yard waste disposal costs more than household junk in LA
2Keep green waste loads strictly clean to avoid contamination surcharges — no palm logs, no MSW, no concrete mixed in
Surcharges & Specialty Items
$85–$275+ each
Per-item fees apply
Basis: Per item or per load
infoSunshine Canyon surcharges are aggressive: appliances $115 each, computers/monitors $85 each, hard-to-handle/bulky waste $275 each plus disposal, contaminated soil $200/load (pre-approval required), certificate of disposal $225/load. The $19.71/load environmental fee applies to every load. Untarped load penalty is $175/load — California Vehicle Code §23115 requires all loads to be covered. Safety vest and hard hat are mandatory on-site ($12.50 each if you forget yours).
1Stock safety vests and hard hats on every truck — $12.50 each if you show up without them at Sunshine Canyon
2Always tarp loads — $175/load untarped penalty at Sunshine Canyon is a state law (CA Vehicle Code §23115), not just a facility rule
Facilities in Los Angeles
Recommended facilities first, then additional options.
Top Recommended (3)
Sunshine Canyon Landfill (Republic Services)
MSW and general junk removal loads — LA County's largest active landfillRate
$120/ton MSW, $125/ton green waste, $150/load asphalt
1-ton minimum on all materials
Hours
Mon–Fri (cash/credit at scales by 5PM), Sat (at scales by 11AM)
Area
Sylmar (north LA County)
LA County's largest active landfill at 12,100 TPD permitted capacity, temporarily expanded to 15,000 TPD for 2025 fire debris. Safety vest AND hard hat required for all persons on site — $12.50 each if you do not bring your own. Untarped load penalty is $175. Post-Chiquita closure, Monday through Wednesday mornings are the worst for wait times — queues can exceed 1–2 hours during peak periods. Includes embedded taxes and fees: LA County Business Tax (10%), Solid Waste Management Fee ($1.50/ton), AB 939 Fee ($1.40/ton), City of LA Franchise Fee (12%), and more. Cash or credit card accepted.
Calabasas Landfill (LACSD)
MSW for operators working western LA County — lower per-ton rate than Sunshine CanyonRate
~$99/ton residential refuse (2025 LACSD rate)
Call for current minimums
Hours
Call (818) 889-1365 for current hours
Area
Agoura Hills (western LA County)
LACSD-operated landfill serving western LA County. The residential refuse tipping fee is approximately $99.16/ton as of 2025 (up 5.5% from $93.99). Wasteshed restrictions apply — verify your service area before driving. Uncovered load surcharge is $4.40/ton or $4.40/load minimum. Clean dirt is NOT free here — charged at MSW rate. Payment: cash or pre-arranged credit. Penalty of at least $500 for bringing prohibited waste.
SA Recycling (Multiple Locations)
Scrap metal, appliances, and ferrous/non-ferrous recycling — get paid instead of payingRate
Market rates — call (800) GOT-SCRAP for current pricing
No minimum — all quantities accepted
Hours
Varies by location — call ahead
Area
Multiple locations across LA County
Largest scrap operation in Southern California with multiple locations across LA County. At $120/ton disposal costs, diverting metals to SA Recycling turns a disposal expense into revenue. California scrap rules require photo ID for all transactions. Payment by check (mailed to your address) for copper, catalytic converters, and certain other high-theft materials per California Penal Code §21608.5. Establish a relationship for better rates on regular deliveries. Also check independent yards in Commerce, Vernon, and Sun Valley industrial corridors.
Rules & Restrictions
Know before you go — avoid rejected loads and fines.
No hazardous waste, liquids, batteries, paint, used oil, antifreeze, asbestos, or explosives at any LA County landfill or transfer station.
Chiquita Canyon Landfill is permanently closed as of January 1, 2025 — do not route loads there. All waste previously sent to Chiquita must go to Sunshine Canyon, LACSD facilities, or transfer stations.
Lopez Canyon Landfill (City of LA) is NOT open to commercial haulers or self-haulers — municipal trucks only.
Safety vest and hard hat are mandatory at Sunshine Canyon. $12.50 each if you do not bring your own. No exceptions.
Set up an HDAP (Hauler Disposal Authorization Program) account with LACSD for credit-based billing across all their facilities — eliminates cash handling at the scale.
Fire debris from the 2025 LA wildfires requires non-hazardous certification per LA County order. Unburnt green waste from high winds is accepted without certification.
California Vehicle Code §23115 requires all vehicles hauling refuse to cover loads. This is state law — penalties range from $4.40/load (LACSD) to $175/load (Sunshine Canyon).
Green waste is MORE expensive than MSW at Sunshine Canyon ($125/ton vs. $120/ton) — unusual nationally. Price yard waste jobs accordingly and keep green waste loads strictly clean.
Calabasas and Scholl Canyon have geographic wasteshed restrictions — they will NOT accept waste from outside their designated service areas. Verify before driving.
The Chiquita Canyon closure eliminated 34% of LA County's disposal capacity overnight. Remaining facilities are absorbing redirected waste, driving up rates and wait times across the board.
California SB 1383 requires 75% reduction in organic waste disposal. Separate all organic material from every load — enforcement is increasing and penalties are escalating.
Cost-Saving Tips
Margin protection playbook — sorting, timing, and routing.
Sorting Strategy
At $120/ton, every pound diverted from the landfill directly improves margin. Separate metals, appliances, wood, and recyclables from every job before heading to the scale. A typical residential cleanout has 20–40% donatable or recyclable content that can be diverted at zero cost or for scrap revenue.
Route reusable furniture and household goods to Habitat for Humanity ReStore LA, Goodwill Southern California (80+ locations), or Salvation Army (free pickup available at (800) SA-TRUCK). At $120/ton, diverting a 500-lb couch to Goodwill instead of the landfill saves $30 per item. Scale that across 10 jobs per week and it is $300/week in avoided dump fees.
Pull all scrap metals and sell to SA Recycling or independent yards in Commerce, Vernon, and Sun Valley. California requires photo ID and pays by check for copper and catalytic converters per Penal Code §21608.5.
Timing Strategy
Avoid Monday through Wednesday mornings at Sunshine Canyon — post-Chiquita closure, morning queues can exceed 1–2 hours during peak periods. Thursday and Friday mornings are consistently faster.
Arrive at Sunshine Canyon before 5PM on weekdays and 11AM on Saturdays to clear the scale before cutoff. Late arrivals get turned away regardless of queue position.
Routing Strategy
Use LACSD facilities (~$99/ton) instead of Sunshine Canyon ($120/ton) whenever your job falls within the correct wasteshed — that is $21/ton in savings. On a 3-ton load, that is $63 per trip.
For jobs in central and south LA, Puente Hills MRF or South Gate Transfer Station may be faster than driving to Sylmar even if the per-ton rate is similar. Factor in drive time, fuel, bridge tolls, and crew labor costs — not just the tipping fee.
Set up a Hauler Disposal Authorization Program (HDAP) account with LACSD for efficient credit-based billing across all their facilities.
Best Practice
Track dump fees per job and per facility in ScaleYourJunk to monitor your disposal cost as a percentage of revenue. In LA County at $99–$120/ton, dump fees can consume 15%+ of gross revenue if unmanaged — well above the 6% target and 8–11% industry average. The platform logs every dump run so you can identify which facilities, routes, and material types are eating your margin and adjust accordingly.
Track Every Dump Fee in LA County
ScaleYourJunk logs disposal costs per job, per facility, and rolls them into per-truck P&L reports. At $99–$120/ton, untracked dump fees will destroy your margins.
Dump Fees in Los Angeles: FAQ
Related Resources
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GuidePricing Strategy Guide
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FeatureRoute Optimization
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Track Every Dump Fee Automatically
ScaleYourJunk logs disposal costs per job, per facility, and rolls them into per-truck P&L reports. In LA County at $99–$120/ton, untracked dump fees will destroy your margins.
Dump fee tracking included in all plans — Starter $149/mo