What Can Go In the Container
Michigan bans specific material from landfill by statute, and the list is not the same as the neighbouring states. Worth ten minutes before the container arrives.
(607) 247-9634Ask us about anything unusualMost of what you are clearing is fine
Furniture, carpet, mattresses, plaster, lath, drywall, lumber, cabinets, shingles, siding, decking, fencing, toys, clothing, books, bagged household rubbish — all of it goes straight in. The banned list is short, specific and written into Michigan law, and almost every household clear-out contains two or three items from it.
Goes in without a second thought
- Furniture, mattresses, carpet and padding
- Plaster, wood lath, drywall and trim
- Lumber, plywood, cabinets and countertops
- Asphalt shingles, underlayment and flashing
- Siding, soffit, decking and fence panels
- Bagged household rubbish and general clutter
- Toilets, tubs, sinks and non-refrigerant fixtures
- Electronics — see the note below, this one surprises people
Banned from Michigan landfill
- Michigan deposit containers — the ten-cent bottles and cans
- Yard waste — grass, leaves, brush and clippings
- Whole tyres
- Used oil and other bulk liquids
- Empty drums over a certain size
- Lead-acid batteries — car, truck, tractor, marine
- Hazardous waste and low-level radioactive material
- Appliances holding refrigerant — must be reclaimed first
The statutory list sits in Michigan's Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act — Act 451 of 1994, at MCL 324.11514. It is the law, not a policy of ours, and there is no small-quantity exemption.
Electronics: not banned here
If you have cleared a house in Illinois, Wisconsin or Minnesota you will have been told that televisions and monitors are illegal to landfill. In Michigan the law took a different route. Rather than a disposal ban, Michigan built a manufacturer take-back programme — the obligation sits on the companies that made the equipment, not on you at the kerb.
Practically, that means a CRT television in a Jackson County clear-out is not the legal problem it would be one state west. We still think the take-back route is the better answer where you have the time, because a television is bulky and awkward and takes up container volume you would rather use. But if it goes in, it goes in.
Ask us anyway when you book. Facilities set their own rules on top of the statute, and the honest answer depends on where the load is going that week.
The things that turn up in nearly every Jackson clear-out
| Item | In the container? | What to do instead |
|---|---|---|
| Returnable cans and bottles | No | Michigan's deposit is ten cents and the ban is statutory. Bag them separately and take them back. |
| Grass, leaves and brush | No | Composting through your township or the county. Sort it before we arrive, not after. |
| Car or tractor tyres | No | Tyre retailers and the county's collection events. Four whole tyres will stop a load being accepted. |
| Fridge, freezer, window AC | Only after reclaim | Refrigerant must be recovered by someone certified to do it, and documented. |
| Washer, dryer, stove, dishwasher | Yes | No refrigerant, no problem. Heavy though — count them when you size. |
| Paint | Dried latex yes, wet or oil-based no | Leave latex tins open until solid. Oil-based goes to household hazardous collection. |
| Motor oil, antifreeze, fuel | No | Auto shops take oil. Fuel and antifreeze go to hazardous collection. |
| Car batteries | No | Any parts shop will take them. They are banned by statute. |
| Propane cylinders | No | Exchange points, or hazardous collection for the rusted ones. |
| Televisions and computers | Yes in Michigan | Manufacturer take-back is still the better route if you have the time. |
| Asbestos — tile, pipe wrap, old siding | No | Licensed abatement only. Common in pre-1980 Jackson houses; stop and ask. |
| Medical sharps, pharmaceuticals | No | Pharmacy take-back. Never loose in a container. |
Asbestos and lead in pre-1940 Jackson housing
Most of the housing inside the City of Jackson went up before 1940, and a great deal of the county's housing predates 1980. That matters for two materials.
Asbestos turns up in nine-inch floor tile and the black mastic under it, in furnace and pipe insulation, in some plaster skim coats, and in cement-board siding. It is legal to leave in place and dangerous to demolish. If you open a floor or a boiler room and find something you are unsure about, stop — a licensed abatement contractor is the only correct next step, and no container can take it.
Lead paint is near-universal in this housing stock. The debris itself is not banned from a container, but the dust is a genuine hazard, especially with children in the house. Wet the surface before you scrape, keep the material contained, and do not sand it dry. The federal renovation rules apply to anyone doing this work for hire in a pre-1978 building.
What people ask when they call
What happens if a banned item ends up in the load?
The facility can reject the whole container, which means it comes back to your property until it is sorted. That is the real reason we labour the point — one car battery can hold up an entire job.
Can I put a little yard waste in with everything else?
No. There is no small-quantity allowance in the Michigan ban, and loaders spot grass and leaves immediately because they sit on top.
Does the deposit ban really apply to a house clear-out?
Yes. It applies to the container, not to who filled it. Estate clear-outs in particular turn up decades of stored returnables in a basement or garage.
I think there is asbestos tile under my kitchen floor. Now what?
Leave it alone and have it tested. If it is asbestos, it needs licensed abatement and documented disposal. We cannot take it and would not try.
Can I burn the brush instead?
Open burning rules vary by township in Jackson County and are suspended outright in some conditions. Check with your own township before you light anything — it is not a disposal route we can advise on.
What about an old oil tank?
Not in a container. Tanks need to be emptied, cleaned and handled by someone who does that work. Raise it before the job starts.
Not sure about something in the pile?
Describe it on the phone. We would far rather answer now than have a load turned away later.
(607) 247-9634Mon–Sat 7am–5pmWorth reading before you book
