Richmond Dump Fees & Disposal Guide for Junk Removal Operators
Central Virginia disposal from $88.50–$98/ton. County-operated and private facilities serve the metro.
Last updated: Mar 2026
$88.50–$98/ton
Typical dump fee range
Fee basis
Per ton
Common materials
Biggest cost trap
Richmond-area MSW rates of $88.50–$98/ton are above the national average ($62.28/ton). Virginia does not require state-level solid waste transporter licenses.
Typical Costs in Richmond
Baseline pricing before you dig into individual facilities.
MSW
$88.50–$98/ton
$45–65 min load
Basis: Per ton
infoRichmond-area facilities: $88.50–$98/ton based on research data. Above national average $62.28/ton. Multiple facilities serve Henrico County ($88.50/ton), Chesterfield County ($92/ton), and City of Richmond ($98/ton). Minimum loads typically 1,000-1,500 lbs at most facilities. Private facilities like Waste Management may offer volume discounts for operators doing 15+ tons/month. Expect gate fees plus scale house charges of $2-4 per transaction.
1Compare county and private facility rates — $9.50/ton spread between low/high saves $190/month on 20-ton volume
2Virginia no state hauler license simplifies entry — save $500-1,200 annually vs other states
3Henrico County offers quarterly payment terms for established commercial accounts, improving cash flow
4Weekend surcharges add $8-12/ton at some facilities — schedule Monday-Friday dumps when possible
C&D
$75–$88/ton
$40–55 min load
Basis: Per ton
infoC&D accepted at area facilities with rates typically $10-15/ton below MSW. Chesterfield Resource Recovery facility quotes $75/ton for clean C&D, $88/ton for mixed loads. Concrete and asphalt often accepted at $45-55/ton. Sorting wood, metal, and concrete on-site can reduce disposal costs by 30-40%. Some facilities charge contamination fees of $25-50/ton for C&D loads with >10% household waste mixed in.
1Separate clean C&D for $15-20/ton savings over MSW rates
2Route concrete/asphalt to specialized processors at $45/ton vs $88 MSW rate
3Pre-sort wood for biomass facilities — potential $25/ton savings
4Bundle C&D loads to hit 3-ton minimums and avoid per-load fees
Scrap Metal
$0.05–$0.85/lb
50 lbs min
Basis: Per lb
infoRichmond scrap yards pay current market rates: steel $0.05-0.08/lb, aluminum $0.65-0.85/lb, copper $2.85-3.15/lb, brass $1.45-1.65/lb. Major yards include Atlantic Scrap Metal, Commonwealth Scrap Metal, and James River Recycling. Most require 50+ lb minimums. Appliance disposal through scrap yards generates $15-35 per unit vs paying $5-15 disposal fees. Clean loads get premium pricing — contaminated metal penalized 20-30%.
1Metal diversion essential at $88–$98/ton disposal costs — saves $176-196 per ton diverted
2Strip copper and aluminum from appliances for premium pricing — adds $25-60 per appliance
3Batch metal loads to 500+ lbs for better per-pound rates
4Separate ferrous/non-ferrous on truck for faster processing and higher prices
Surcharges
$1–$15/item
Per item
Basis: Varies
infoTire surcharges $3-5 each for passenger tires, $8-15 for truck tires. Freon appliances $10-25 each for removal certification. Electronics $5-12 per unit at some facilities. Mattresses $8-15 each due to recycling mandates. Paint cans $2-5 each for hazardous waste processing. Propane tanks $5-8 each. Budget 8-12% of total disposal costs for surcharges on typical mixed loads. Some facilities waive surcharges for high-volume commercial accounts.
1Budget for per-item surcharges on tires and appliances — typically $25-45 per truck load
2Route electronics to Best Buy/Staples for free disposal vs paying facility fees
3Separate mattresses for dedicated recyclers — avoid $15/each disposal surcharges
4Remove Freon from appliances before disposal to avoid $25/unit fees
Facilities in Richmond
Recommended facilities first, then additional options.
Top Recommended (5)
Henrico County East Henrico Landfill
Primary MSW disposal — $88.50/ton (lowest area rate)Rate
$88.50/ton MSW, $75/ton clean C&D
$45 minimum load
Hours
Mon-Fri 7:00am-4:00pm, Sat 7:00am-2:00pm, Closed Sun
Area
4134 Darbytown Road, Henrico, VA 23231
Henrico's primary facility offers area's lowest MSW rate. Commercial accounts available with monthly billing. No weekend surcharge on Saturday. Scale house processes loads efficiently — typical wait times under 10 minutes. Accepts cash, check, or account billing. Popular with local operators for consistent pricing and reliable hours.
Chesterfield Resource Recovery Facility
C&D disposal and recycling — $75/ton clean C&DRate
$92/ton MSW, $75/ton C&D, $45/ton concrete/asphalt
$50 minimum load
Hours
Mon-Fri 6:30am-4:30pm, Sat 7:00am-3:00pm, Closed Sun
Area
120 Courthouse Road, Chesterfield, VA 23832
County-operated facility with good C&D rates and concrete recycling program. Requires commercial account setup for billing. Contaminated C&D loads subject to MSW rates. Well-maintained scales and fast processing. Saturday hours convenient for weekend cleanouts. Separate concrete/asphalt area for direct unloading.
Waste Management Southeastern Landfill
High-volume operators — negotiated commercial ratesRate
Call for commercial pricing — typically $85-95/ton
Negotiated based on volume
Hours
Mon-Fri 6:00am-5:00pm, Sat 6:00am-3:00pm, Closed Sun
Area
15292 Courthouse Road, Dinwiddie, VA 23841
Private facility 25 minutes south of Richmond. Offers volume discounts for 20+ tons/month. Longer hours than county facilities. Accepts wide range of materials. Commercial account setup required. Good backup option during county facility closures. Extended Saturday hours help with weekend overflow.
Atlantic Scrap Metal Processing
Metal revenue — current market ratesRate
Steel $0.06/lb, Aluminum $0.75/lb, Copper $3.05/lb
100 lbs steel, 50 lbs non-ferrous
Hours
Mon-Fri 7:30am-4:00pm, Sat 7:30am-11:30am, Closed Sun
Area
3501 Williamsburg Avenue, Richmond, VA 23231
Richmond's largest scrap processor with competitive rates and fast service. Certified scales and immediate payment. Separate processing for clean vs contaminated loads. Popular with junk removal operators — knows the business. Appliance processing available with Freon removal service. Good location for combining with Henrico landfill runs.
ReStore Richmond & Donation Centers
Free diversion of reusable itemsRate
Free donation pickup or drop-off
No minimum
Hours
Varies by location — most open Mon-Sat 9:00am-6:00pm
Area
Multiple locations: Habitat ReStore, Goodwill, Salvation Army
Free diversion saves $88-98/ton in disposal costs. Habitat ReStore accepts building materials, appliances, furniture in good condition. Tax receipts available for customer use. Some locations offer free pickup for large donations. Plan route to hit donation center before dump run. Quality standards vary — call ahead for large items.
Rules & Restrictions
Know before you go — avoid rejected loads and fines.
Virginia does not require state-level solid waste transporter licenses for general junk haulers — saves $500-1,200 annually vs licensed states.
Hazardous materials (paint, chemicals, batteries, electronics) prohibited at most facilities — route to household hazardous waste centers or retailers.
Asbestos and medical waste require special handling permits and certified disposal facilities — refer to specialists.
Load covering required on public roads per Virginia DOT regulations — uncovered loads subject to $250+ fines.
Commercial account setup required at county facilities — bring business license, insurance certificate, and tax ID for billing setup.
Waste manifest forms required for loads over 5 tons or special waste materials — available at facility scale houses.
Driver ID and vehicle registration checked at most facilities — ensure drivers carry proper documentation.
Richmond at $88–$98/ton is 40-57% above national average — aggressive sorting and diversion essential for maintaining margins.
County facilities offer better rates than city facility — route to Henrico ($88.50) or Chesterfield ($92) vs Richmond city ($98) when possible.
Saturday hours limited at most facilities — Henrico closes at 2pm, Chesterfield at 3pm, Richmond at noon on Saturdays.
Cost-Saving Tips
Margin protection playbook — sorting, timing, and routing.
Sorting Strategy
Separate metals for scrap revenue at $88–$98/ton disposal rates — saves $176-196 per ton plus generates $50-150 revenue per ton of mixed metals
Route reusable furniture and appliances to donation centers — saves $88-98/ton disposal costs on 20-30% of typical residential loads
Pre-sort C&D from household waste — clean C&D rates $15-23/ton lower than MSW rates
Strip copper and aluminum from appliances before scrap yard delivery — adds $25-60 per appliance in revenue
Separate concrete and asphalt for dedicated processors — saves $43-53/ton vs MSW disposal rates
Timing Strategy
Schedule dumps Monday-Friday to avoid weekend surcharges of $8-12/ton at some facilities
Hit facilities during mid-morning (9-11am) for shortest wait times — avoid 7-8am rush and 3-4pm closing rush
Plan Henrico runs before 3:30pm — facility closes earlier than others and processes loads faster
Use Saturday morning hours strategically — Chesterfield open until 3pm, others close by 2pm or noon
Routing Strategy
Compare Henrico ($88.50), Chesterfield ($92), and Richmond ($98) rates — saves up to $9.50/ton by choosing optimal facility
Combine scrap metal stops with Henrico landfill runs — Atlantic Scrap Metal located 2 miles from East Henrico Landfill
Route donation center stops before dump runs — ReStore and Goodwill locations convenient to major disposal facilities
Use WM Southeastern for weekend overflow when county facilities closed — longer Saturday hours worth extra cost
Best Practice
Track dump fees per job in ScaleYourJunk at $88–$98/ton Richmond rates — monitor facility-specific costs to optimize routing and maintain 60%+ gross margins on disposal-heavy jobs.
Track Every Dump Fee in Richmond
ScaleYourJunk logs disposal costs per job, per facility, and rolls them into per-truck P&L reports. Stop guessing your margins in Richmond's above-average disposal market.
Dump Fees in Richmond: FAQ
Related Resources
Virginia Junk Removal Market Guide
Statewide market data, licensing requirements, and competitive landscape for Virginia operators.
DataVirginia Beach Dump Fees
Disposal guide for Virginia Beach and Tidewater region.
GuideDump Run Efficiency Guide
Optimize dump run routing, load batching, and material sorting to minimize disposal costs in high-rate markets like Richmond.
FeatureRoute Optimization
Automatically optimize job sequencing and dump run routing to minimize drive time and fuel costs between Richmond area facilities.
Track Every Dump Fee Automatically
ScaleYourJunk logs disposal costs per job, per facility, and rolls them into per-truck P&L reports. Stop losing margin to untracked dump fees in Richmond's high-cost disposal market.
Dump fee tracking included in all plans — Starter $149/mo