Pittsburgh Dump Fees & Disposal Guide for Junk Removal Operators
PA average $85/ton MSW — but no Pittsburgh facility publishes rates. Dual-permit requirement, scrap pricing, and routing tips for 2026.
Last updated: Mar 2026
$85/ton (PA average — local rates negotiated)
Typical dump fee range
Fee basis
Per ton at all facilities
Common materials
Biggest cost trap
Pittsburgh operators face a dual-permit requirement: ACHD Waste Hauler Vehicle Permit (required for ALL commercial haulers regardless of vehicle size) PLUS PA DEP Act 90 Authorization (for vehicles over 17,000 lbs GVW). Operating without permits carries fines and vehicle seizure risk.
Typical Costs in Pittsburgh
Baseline pricing before you dig into individual facilities.
MSW (Household Junk)
$85/ton (PA state average)
Negotiated per account
Basis: Per ton
infoPA state average MSW tipping fee is $85.45/ton (±$22.26) per EREF 2024. Northeast regional average is $80.67/ton. No Pittsburgh-area facility publishes tipping fees — all rates are negotiated through commercial accounts. Direct-to-landfill is typically $10–$15/ton cheaper than transfer stations. Independent operators like Iron City Express may offer more competitive rates than WM/Republic corporate facilities. West Virginia landfills average $45.92/ton — some western PA waste ships cross-border.
1Call all facilities (Imperial, Monroeville, Kelly Run, Arden, Iron City Express) for competing quotes — rates are negotiated and vary by volume
2Direct-to-landfill is typically $10–$15/ton cheaper than transfer stations — route larger loads to landfills when feasible
C&D (Construction Debris)
Negotiated — not published
Negotiated per account
Basis: Per ton
infoC&D rates are not published by any Pittsburgh facility. Imperial Landfill (Republic), Monroeville (WM), Kelly Run (WM), and Arden (WM) all accept C&D. Iron City Express has dedicated C&D processing but requires pure C&D loads — contaminated loads are rejected at scale-in. Separate recyclable metals, clean concrete, and wood from mixed C&D to reduce tonnage.
1Route C&D to Iron City Express for dedicated C&D processing — but loads must be pure C&D with no contamination
2Pull scrap metals from C&D loads and sell to American Steel Processing — copper at $4.00/lb turns disposal cost into revenue
Scrap Metal Revenue
$0.06–$4.00/lb (paid to you)
No minimum at local yards
Basis: Per pound (market rate)
infoAmerican Steel Processing (Crescent, PA) publishes current pricing: Copper #1 $4.00/lb, Copper #2 $3.80/lb, Yellow Brass $2.20/lb, Red Brass $2.30/lb, Aluminum $0.70/lb, Stainless Steel $0.42/lb, Clean Radiators $1.80/lb, Sealed Units $0.17/lb. Ferrous pricing: P&S Prepared $14.00/100 lb, #1 Prepared $12.00/100 lb, Cast Iron $11.00/100 lb. D&D Metal Recycling in Lawrenceville and Tarentum also serves the metro.
1Route to American Steel Processing for published, transparent scrap pricing — accepts Apple Pay and credit cards for convenience
2Separate HVAC scrap (AC units, coils, compressors) at $0.17–$1.70/lb — common in residential cleanouts and worth extracting
Surcharges & Permits
$50–$500+ (permit fees and fines)
Per-vehicle permit fees
Basis: Per vehicle, per year
infoACHD Waste Hauler Vehicle Permit: required for ALL commercial haulers in Allegheny County regardless of vehicle size — per-vehicle permit, expires April 30 annually. PA DEP Act 90: $100/truck, $50/trailer for vehicles over 17,000 lbs GVW — sticker and cab card required at all PA disposal facilities. Monroeville Landfill requires PPE (hard hat, steel-toe boots, hi-vis vest). Kelly Run accepts check and credit accounts only — no credit/debit cards. All loads must be tarped at both state and county level.
1Obtain ACHD vehicle permits BEFORE your first job — operating without a permit in Allegheny County is a violation regardless of vehicle size
2PA Act 90 exempts vehicles under 17,000 lbs GVW and trailers under 10,000 lbs — most junk removal box trucks and pickups qualify for exemption
Facilities in Pittsburgh
Recommended facilities first, then additional options.
Top Recommended (4)
Imperial Landfill (Republic Services)
West-side Pittsburgh MSW, C&D, and yard waste — Saturday hours availableRate
Call (724) 695-0900 for commercial rates — not publicly posted
Negotiated per account
Hours
Mon–Fri 7AM–3PM, Sat 7AM–10AM, Sun closed; closed US federal holidays
Area
Imperial, PA (Findlay Township, Allegheny County — west of Pittsburgh)
Republic Services-operated landfill. Open to both commercial haulers and public. Saturday hours (7AM–10AM) provide weekend disposal access. Broad material acceptance including non-friable asbestos, contaminated soil, and medical waste. Contact (724) 695-0900 for commercial account setup and rate negotiation. Compare rates against WM's Monroeville and Kelly Run landfills.
Monroeville Landfill (WM)
East-side Pittsburgh MSW, C&D, and specialty waste — Saturday hours and credit card paymentRate
Call (412) 824-0678 for commercial rates — not publicly posted
Negotiated per account
Hours
Mon–Fri 7AM–3PM, Sat 7AM–12PM; manual unloading customers must arrive by 2PM weekdays
Area
Monroeville, PA (east of Pittsburgh)
WM-operated landfill serving the east side of the metro. PPE required to exit vehicle: hard hat, steel-toe boots, and high-visibility vest. Manual unloading customers must arrive by 2PM on weekdays — plan accordingly. Credit/debit cards and credit accounts accepted. Saturday hours until noon. Closed New Year's, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas.
American Steel Processing (Crescent, PA)
Scrap metal with published pricing — copper, brass, aluminum, ferrous. Accepts any load size.Rate
Copper #1 $4.00/lb, Copper #2 $3.80/lb, Yellow Brass $2.20/lb, Aluminum $0.70/lb, Stainless $0.42/lb, P&S Prepared $14.00/100 lb
No minimum — any size load accepted
Hours
Mon–Fri 7AM–3PM, Sat–Sun closed
Area
208 McGovern Blvd, Crescent, PA 15046 (near I-79, Routes 51 & 65)
Family-owned, woman-owned scrap yard relocated to a larger facility in July 2025. Published pricing on website — rare transparency for a scrap yard. Accepts Apple Pay, Android Pay, and credit cards. Full-service unloading with shearing machines, magnets, skid steers, and weighing stations. Roll-off containers (20–40 yd) available for commercial accounts. Free transport services available with restrictions. No appointment needed. Handles any size from single items to industrial loads.
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Pittsburgh ReStore
Furniture, working appliances, building materials, cabinets — free drop-off and free pickup serviceRate
Free drop-off and free pickup; tax-deductible receipt provided
No minimum
Hours
Tue–Sat 9AM–4PM (drop-off until 3:30PM), closed Monday
Area
7402 Church St, Pittsburgh, PA 15218 (Swissvale Shopping Center)
Accepts furniture AND working appliances — including refrigerators, freezers, washers, and dryers that Goodwill SWPA does NOT accept. Free pickup available for appliances, furniture, and large approved items — scheduled within ~2 weeks. Items must be disassembled and ready outside. Paid priority pickup through ReSupply partner available as soon as 1 business day. All items must be in working order with all parts. Does NOT accept mattresses, used toilets, TVs, or items with damage/odors/pet damage. Warning: leaving unapproved items is illegal and may result in fines.
Rules & Restrictions
Know before you go — avoid rejected loads and fines.
ACHD Waste Hauler Vehicle Permit required for ALL commercial waste haulers in Allegheny County — regardless of vehicle size. Per-vehicle permit, expires April 30 annually, nontransferable. Contact ACHD Fee and Permit Office.
PA DEP Act 90 Authorization required for vehicles over 17,000 lbs GVW and trailers over 10,000 lbs GVW. Sticker must be displayed, cab card carried. PA disposal facilities are prohibited from accepting waste from vehicles without valid authorization.
PA Act 108 bans covered electronics (computers, monitors, TVs, printers) from landfills. E-waste must be recycled separately. Noble Environmental handles City of Pittsburgh e-waste at $0.35/lb.
Waste stored in a transport vehicle for more than 24 hours is prohibited under ACHD regulations. Do not stage loads overnight in your truck.
Dual-permit requirement: ACHD Vehicle Permit + PA Act 90 Authorization (if applicable). Plus USDOT number if required by FMCSA, proof of insurance (GL, vehicle, workers' comp), and load covering/tarping at both state and county level.
Daily operational records required by PA Code: waste origin, transporter, transfer facility, destination, weight/volume, waste type, and handling problems. Vehicle signage must display hauler name, address, and waste type.
ACHD may require manifest documents for each load (generator info, hauler info, facility info, dates). All disposal must conform to the Allegheny County Municipal Solid Waste Management Plan (2019–2028).
No Pittsburgh-area facility publishes tipping fees. All rates are negotiated per commercial account. Call every facility for quotes and compare — independent operators (Iron City Express) may undercut WM and Republic.
Pittsburgh's narrow streets, steep hills, and historic row-house neighborhoods present unique access challenges for junk removal trucks. Plan routes and confirm access before committing to jobs in tight neighborhoods.
West Virginia landfills average only $45.92/ton — nearly half the PA average. Some western PA waste ships cross-border. Factor in drive time and fuel costs for the true comparison.
Multiple Pittsburgh junk removal companies advertise 60%+ diversion rates through donation, recycling, and repurposing. High diversion reduces tipping fees and commands premium pricing from eco-conscious customers.
Cost-Saving Tips
Margin protection playbook — sorting, timing, and routing.
Sorting Strategy
Route the diversion pipeline on every job: donatable items to Habitat ReStore or Salvation Army (free pickup at 1-800-SA-TRUCK), scrap metal to American Steel Processing (published pricing, any load size), pure C&D to Iron City Express, and remaining MSW to your negotiated landfill. Multiple Pittsburgh operators achieve 60%+ diversion rates with this approach.
American Steel Processing pays $4.00/lb for Copper #1, $2.20/lb for Yellow Brass, and $0.70/lb for Aluminum — all published on their website. At estimated $85/ton disposal costs, every pound of metal diverted both avoids tipping fees and generates revenue. Pull HVAC scrap (AC units, coils, sealed units) from every residential cleanout.
Route reusable furniture and working appliances to Habitat ReStore (7402 Church St, Swissvale, (412) 244-7100) — they accept refrigerators, freezers, washers, and dryers that Goodwill SWPA refuses. Salvation Army (1-800-SA-TRUCK) also accepts large appliances and furniture in working condition.
Timing Strategy
Avoid Monday mornings and days after holidays at all facilities — weekend backlog creates the longest wait times. Mid-week (Tuesday–Thursday) generally has shorter waits.
Monroeville Landfill requires manual unloading customers to arrive by 2PM on weekdays. Imperial and Monroeville both close at 3PM weekdays. Plan your last dump run to arrive by 2PM for maximum buffer.
Routing Strategy
For west-side Pittsburgh jobs, Imperial Landfill (Republic) is closest with Saturday hours (7AM–10AM). For east-side jobs, Monroeville Landfill (WM) with Saturday hours until noon. For south-side jobs, Kelly Run — weekdays only, check/credit account only.
Iron City Express in Crescent accepts cash and major credit cards — the only confirmed cash-accepting facility. Useful for operators without established commercial accounts at WM or Republic.
Compare all facility quotes including drive time and fuel. WM operates three landfills (Monroeville, Kelly Run, Arden) and Ambridge Transfer Station — negotiate a single commercial account that works across all WM facilities.
Best Practice
Track dump fees per job and per facility in ScaleYourJunk to identify your true disposal cost in a market with zero published rates. The platform logs every dump run so you can compare negotiated rates across facilities and verify that your commercial accounts are delivering the pricing you were promised. In Pittsburgh, the difference between the best and worst negotiated rate can be $15–$25/ton.
Track Every Dump Fee Across the Pittsburgh Metro
ScaleYourJunk logs disposal costs per job, per facility, and rolls them into per-truck P&L reports. In a market with zero published rates, tracking is the only way to know your real costs.
Dump Fees in Pittsburgh: FAQ
Related Resources
Pennsylvania Junk Removal Market Guide
Statewide market data, Act 90 requirements, and competitive landscape for Pennsylvania operators.
DataPhiladelphia Dump Fees & Disposal Guide
Facility-level dump fees, SECCRA rates, and disposal strategies for the Philadelphia metro.
FeatureRoute Optimization
Automatically optimize job sequencing and dump run routing to minimize drive time and fuel costs.
Track Every Dump Fee Automatically
ScaleYourJunk logs disposal costs per job, per facility, and rolls them into per-truck P&L reports. In Pittsburgh with zero published rates, tracking is the only way to protect your margins.
Dump fee tracking included in all plans — Starter $149/mo