San Jose Dump Fees & Disposal Guide for Junk Removal Operators
Silicon Valley disposal from $28–$168/ton. Kirby Canyon at $99/ton beats Guadalupe at $129/ton — but routing matters.
Last updated: Mar 2026
$20–$168/ton
Typical dump fee range
Fee basis
Per ton (landfills) or per cubic yard (Zanker)
Common materials
Biggest cost trap
Guadalupe Landfill charges $129/ton MSW — $30/ton more than Kirby Canyon at ~$99/ton. On a 2-ton load, routing to the wrong facility costs you $60. But Guadalupe is closer to central San Jose, so the math depends on load size and drive time.
Typical Costs in San Jose
Baseline pricing before you dig into individual facilities.
MSW (Household Junk)
$99–$129/ton
$85–$124 per vehicle
Basis: Per ton
infoKirby Canyon (WM) at ~$99/ton is the cheapest per-ton MSW disposal in the San Jose metro — $30/ton cheaper than Guadalupe (WM) at $129/ton. Guadalupe's commercial minimum is $124/vehicle; Kirby Canyon's is $114/vehicle. Both include an 18.9% Energy Surcharge plus Waste Water Management Fee. No cash accepted at either facility — Visa, MC, AmEx, Discover only with a $100 minimum credit card deposit per weighed load.
1Route full trucks to Kirby Canyon (~$99/ton) instead of Guadalupe ($129/ton) — $30/ton savings. The ~25-minute drive to Morgan Hill is justified for loads over 1 ton
2Set up a commercial account with WM for potential volume discounts — contact James Towner at jtowner@wm.com or (408) 442-4094 for Guadalupe
C&D (Construction Debris)
$46–$168/ton
$60 per vehicle
Basis: Per ton or per cubic yard
infoC&D rates vary dramatically by facility and material. Guadalupe charges $168/ton for C&D recycle. Kirby Canyon charges $123.23/ton. Zanker Recycling charges $46/cu yd for mixed C&D. Clean concrete ranges from $20/cu yd (Zanker) to $28.33/ton (Kirby Canyon) to $56/ton (Guadalupe). Pre-sort clean concrete and wood from mixed C&D for massive savings. San Jose requires 75% C&D diversion from landfill on permitted projects.
1Route C&D to Zanker Recycling at $46/cu yd mixed C&D — per-cubic-yard pricing benefits lighter/bulkier loads. Clean concrete is just $20/cu yd
2Clean concrete at Kirby Canyon ($28.33/ton) versus mixed C&D ($123.23/ton) is a $95/ton difference — sort aggressively
Green Waste & Clean Wood
$30–$110/ton
Varies by facility
Basis: Per ton or per cubic yard
infoClean wood at Guadalupe is $110/ton. Greenwaste at Guadalupe is also $110/ton. At Kirby Canyon, clean wood is $99.46/ton. At Zanker, clean wood is $30/cu yd and clean brush/yardwaste is also $30/cu yd — significantly cheaper for bulky, light loads. Mixed wood at Zanker is $46/cu yd. Treated wood commands a premium: $186/ton at Guadalupe, $133.53/ton at Kirby Canyon, $65/cu yd at Zanker.
1Route green waste and clean wood to Zanker at $30/cu yd — dramatically cheaper than $110/ton at Guadalupe for bulky, lighter loads
2Separate treated wood from clean wood — treated wood costs $53–$86/ton more depending on facility
Surcharges & Specialty Items
$20–$111 each
Per-item fees apply
Basis: Per item
infoMattresses: $100 each at Guadalupe, $69.15 at Kirby Canyon, first 4 free at Zanker. Appliances without freon: $52 at Guadalupe, $35.77 at Kirby Canyon, $50 at Zanker (with freon). Stuffed furniture: $49 at Guadalupe, $35.77 at Kirby Canyon. Tires: $61/passenger at Guadalupe, $35.77 at Kirby Canyon, $30 at Zanker. Carpet: $52 each at Guadalupe, $35.77 at Kirby Canyon, $44/cu yd at Zanker. Unsecured load fee: $34 at Guadalupe. E-waste: free at landfills (log required), $25 each at Zanker. PPE mandatory at Guadalupe.
1Route mattress-heavy loads to Zanker — first 4 mattresses free (Bye Bye Mattress program) vs. $69–$100 each at landfills
2PPE (high-visibility vest + hard hat) required at Guadalupe — stock your truck to avoid delays
Facilities in San Jose
Recommended facilities first, then additional options.
Top Recommended (3)
Kirby Canyon Recycling & Disposal Facility (WM)
Lowest per-ton MSW rate in the metro — best for full trucks from south San Jose, Campbell, or Los GatosRate
~$99.46/ton MSW, $123.23/ton C&D recycle, $28.33/ton clean concrete, $99.46/ton clean wood
$114/vehicle commercial, $85/vehicle residential
Hours
Mon–Fri 7AM–4PM, Sat 7AM–1PM, Sun closed; account holders Mon–Fri 6AM–4PM, Sat 6AM–1PM; commercial Mon–Fri 5AM–4PM
Area
Morgan Hill (~25 min south of San Jose)
Lowest-cost disposal option in the San Jose metro — MSW at ~$99/ton versus $129/ton at Guadalupe ($30/ton savings). Clean concrete at $28.33/ton is the cheapest in the county. Account holders get early 6AM gate access; commercial accounts get 5AM access. The ~25-minute drive to Morgan Hill is easily justified for full trucks. No cash accepted — Visa, MC, AmEx, Discover only with $100 minimum credit card deposit. Energy Surcharge and Waste Water Management Fee additional — call to confirm if 2025/2026 rate update has been released.
GreenWaste Zanker Resource Recovery Facility
C&D recycling, mattress diversion (first 4 free), and Sunday access — the only major facility open 7 daysRate
$46/cu yd mixed C&D/trash, $20/cu yd clean concrete, $30/cu yd clean wood/brush, $40/cu yd clean drywall
$60 per vehicle
Hours
Site 1: Mon–Fri 6AM–5:45PM, Sat 8AM–3:45PM, Sun 8AM–12:45PM; Site 2: Mon–Fri 6AM–4:45PM, Sat–Sun closed
Area
North San Jose (Los Esteros Road)
The only major San Jose facility open on Sundays (Site 1, 8AM–12:45PM). First 4 mattresses free under the Bye Bye Mattress program — massive savings versus $69–$100 each at landfills. Per-cubic-yard pricing benefits lighter, bulkier loads. Clean concrete at $20/cu yd is extremely affordable. Zanker's 75%+ diversion rate satisfies San Jose's C&D permit compliance requirements. Provides RCI-certified diversion documentation for CalGreen/LEED projects. Cash, check, or charge account accepted.
Habitat for Humanity ReStore San Jose
Reusable furniture, appliances under 7 years old, building materials — free drop-off with tax receiptRate
Free drop-off; tax-deductible donation receipt provided
No minimum
Hours
Wed–Sun 10AM–4PM
Area
1608 Las Plumas Ave, San Jose
Accepts furniture, working appliances under 7 years old, building materials, cabinets, and fixtures. At $99–$129/ton disposal costs, diverting reusable items here saves real money. Pull scrap metals (appliance frames, copper, aluminum) and sell to scrap yards in North San Jose. This combined donation-plus-scrap approach can reduce effective disposal costs by 30–50% compared to dumping everything unsorted at Guadalupe.
Rules & Restrictions
Know before you go — avoid rejected loads and fines.
Republic Services holds the exclusive franchise for commercial solid waste collection within San Jose city limits. C&D hauling is NOT under the Republic franchise — operators may choose their own hauler or self-haul to any facility.
No cash or checks accepted at Guadalupe or Kirby Canyon landfills — Visa, MC, AmEx, Discover only. $100 minimum credit card deposit per weighed load.
PPE (high-visibility vest + hard hat) required at all times on the tipping floor at Guadalupe. No exceptions.
No hazardous waste, liquid waste, or chemicals at any San Jose facility. E-waste cannot be landfilled in California — must go to certified recyclers.
San Jose requires at least 75% C&D debris diversion from landfills on permitted projects. Track diversion documentation from Zanker and other certified facilities.
Self-haulers of commercial waste must maintain receipts, weight tickets, and material documentation for at least 5 years per San Jose requirements.
California SB 1383 mandates organic waste diversion — San Jose environmental inspectors actively conduct compliance visits. Separate organics from every load.
The $30/ton gap between Kirby Canyon (~$99/ton) and Guadalupe ($129/ton) is the biggest routing decision in the metro. On a 2-ton load, routing to Kirby Canyon saves $60 per trip even with the 25-minute drive to Morgan Hill.
Zanker is the only major facility open Sundays (Site 1, 8AM–12:45PM) — essential for weekend job staging and Monday-morning dump avoidance.
C&D projects over $50,000 in San Jose must track diversion. Zanker's RCI-certified 75%+ diversion documentation handles this compliance requirement automatically.
Foam Recycling Center at Newby Island accepts polystyrene (Styrofoam) for free — divert packaging waste from cleanout jobs instead of paying per-ton disposal rates.
Cost-Saving Tips
Margin protection playbook — sorting, timing, and routing.
Sorting Strategy
Route large loads to Kirby Canyon for lowest per-ton rates. Kirby Canyon's MSW rate (~$99/ton) is $30/ton cheaper than Guadalupe ($129/ton). For a 2-ton load, that is $60 saved per trip. Even with the ~25-minute drive to Morgan Hill, savings are substantial for full trucks from south San Jose, Campbell, or Los Gatos.
Pre-sort loads and use Zanker for C&D and recyclables. GreenWaste Zanker rewards material separation: clean wood is $30/cu yd versus $46/cu yd for mixed C&D (35% savings). Clean concrete is only $20/cu yd. First 4 mattresses per visit are free under the Bye Bye Mattress program. Zanker's 75%+ diversion rate satisfies San Jose's C&D permit requirements.
Divert reusable items to Habitat for Humanity ReStore San Jose (1608 Las Plumas Ave, (408) 929-2203, Wed–Sun 10AM–4PM). Pull scrap metals from appliance frames, copper pipe, and aluminum and sell to North San Jose scrap yards. The combined donation-plus-scrap approach reduces effective disposal costs by 30–50% versus dumping everything unsorted.
Timing Strategy
Kirby Canyon account holders get 6AM gate access (vs. 8AM standard) and commercial accounts get 5AM access. Set up an account for early-morning dump runs that beat traffic and maximize your productive job hours.
Zanker Site 1 is open Sundays 8AM–12:45PM — the only major facility with Sunday hours. Use it to clear weekend staging loads without burning Monday morning job time.
Routing Strategy
For central/west San Jose jobs, Guadalupe is closest but most expensive. Calculate break-even: if hauling more than ~1 ton, the $30/ton savings at Kirby Canyon offset the extra drive time.
For north San Jose and Milpitas jobs, Zanker is the closest option with competitive per-cubic-yard pricing. For C&D-heavy loads, Zanker's rates and diversion documentation make it the clear choice.
For south San Jose, Campbell, and Los Gatos jobs, Kirby Canyon is both the closest and the cheapest — no trade-off required.
Best Practice
Track dump fees per job and per facility in ScaleYourJunk to identify your true disposal cost as a percentage of revenue. The $30/ton spread between Kirby Canyon and Guadalupe, combined with Zanker's per-cubic-yard pricing for C&D, means your routing choices directly determine profitability in the San Jose metro. The platform logs every dump run so you can compare facility costs and optimize your material-specific routing strategy.
Track Every Dump Fee Across Silicon Valley
ScaleYourJunk logs disposal costs per job, per facility, and rolls them into per-truck P&L reports. A $30/ton routing mistake adds up fast.
Dump Fees in San Jose: FAQ
Related Resources
California Junk Removal Market Guide
Statewide market data, licensing requirements, and regulatory landscape for California operators.
DataSF Bay Area Dump Fees & Disposal Guide
Facility-level dump fees and routing strategies across the 9-county Bay Area metro.
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 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 Silicon Valley at $99–$168/ton, routing decisions determine profitability.
Dump fee tracking included in all plans — Starter $149/mo