Dumpster Rental Terms Glossary
Plain-language definitions for the terms that come up most in dumpster rental — pricing, delivery, and disposal.
Jump to a term: Roll-Off Dumpster · Hook Truck · Cubic Yard · C&D Debris · Weight Allowance · Overage · Tonnage · Swap · Tipping Fee · Transfer Station · Landfill · Certified Weight Ticket · Driveway Protection · Prohibited Materials · Hazardous Waste · Debris Box · Delivery Window · Dumpster Permit
Roll-Off Dumpster
An open-top container designed to be delivered and picked up by a specialized truck, rather than a fixed-location bin serviced on a regular schedule. "Roll-off" refers to how traditional cable-and-rail trucks unload the container by rolling it off the truck bed — the term stuck even as hook trucks became common.
Hook Truck
A delivery truck that uses a hydraulic arm to lift a container directly off the truck bed, rather than the cable-and-rail system a traditional roll-off truck uses. Hook trucks generally need less swing room and place containers more precisely. See our FAQ for how this affects delivery to tighter driveways.
Cubic Yard
A unit of volume — 3 feet by 3 feet by 3 feet. Dumpster sizes are named by their approximate volume in cubic yards (a "20-yard dumpster" holds about 20 cubic yards), not by weight.
C&D Debris
Shorthand for "construction and demolition" debris — the standard material generated by building, renovating, or tearing down a structure. Most of what's covered in our disposal guides falls under this category.
Weight Allowance
The amount of weight included in a container's base price before an additional per-pound charge applies. Weight allowance is why cubic yards alone don't tell the whole story — see our weight calculator to estimate this before booking.
Overage
The additional charge billed when a container's actual weight exceeds its included weight allowance, based on a certified weight ticket from the disposal facility.
Tonnage
Weight measured in tons (2,000 lbs each) rather than pounds — commonly used when discussing weight allowances and overage pricing for larger loads.
Swap
Picking up a full container and dropping off an empty one in the same visit, rather than requiring a new reservation — common on larger projects generating more debris than one container can hold.
Tipping Fee
The fee a disposal facility (landfill or transfer station) charges to accept and process a load, based on weight and material type. This is a real cost baked into dumpster rental pricing, not an arbitrary markup.
Transfer Station
A facility where waste is consolidated and sorted before being shipped to its final destination — a landfill, recycling facility, or specialized processor — rather than a landfill itself.
Landfill
A regulated site where waste is permanently buried, used for material that can't be recycled, composted, or otherwise diverted. See our disposal guides for what can realistically be diverted before defaulting to landfill disposal.
Certified Weight Ticket
An official record of a container's weight, generated at the disposal facility's scale both before and after unloading. This is how overage charges are calculated — not an estimate.
Driveway Protection
Boards or plywood placed under a container to help prevent scratching, cracking, or staining a driveway surface during a rental. NorthPoint includes this as standard on every delivery — see our FAQ for details.
Prohibited Materials
Items not accepted in a standard container regardless of project type — hazardous waste, certain electronics, and specific chemicals. See our full materials guide for the complete list.
Hazardous Waste
Materials that pose a risk to health or the environment if disposed of improperly — paints and solvents, certain batteries, asbestos-containing material, and similar items. Never accepted in a standard dumpster.
Debris Box
Another regional term for a roll-off dumpster, more common on the West Coast than in New England — functionally the same container.
Delivery Window
The scheduled timeframe (typically a range of hours, not an exact time) a container is expected to arrive on its delivery date, based on that day's overall route.
Dumpster Permit
A local permit sometimes required when a container needs to sit in a street, right-of-way, or other public space rather than private property. Requirements vary by town — see our NH permit guide for specifics.
Related Resources
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