Denver Dump Fees & Landfill Guide for Junk Removal Operators
Executive Order 115 mandates Denver waste goes to DADS. Tower Landfill at ~$42/ton (2023) for suburban loads. 5 facilities mapped.
Use the guidance with your local numbers.
Resource pages explain the planning model, but local disposal rates, labor costs, truck setup, service area, and customer demand still decide the final operating choice.
Typical disposal costs
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Restrictions and paperwork
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Cost-saving playbook
Denver's Executive Order 115 means operators working both Denver and suburban jobs are forced to route by waste origin — you can't just go to the cheapest facility for every load. ScaleYourJunk logs dump fees per job automatically so you can see your actual blended disposal cost across DADS (Denver loads) and Tower/Foothills (suburban loads) — and whether the mandatory Republic surcharges make suburban disposal more expensive than it appears at the base rate.
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DADS (mandatory for Denver city waste) does not publish rates — call the Scalehouse at (720) 876-2624. Historical data suggests approximately $70–$95 per car/pickup load. For suburban waste, Tower and Foothills Landfills posted 2023 commercial rates at $42 per ton with a 3-ton minimum — but mandatory surcharges (FRF at 8–15%, ERF at $19.71/load, SWUF at $3.17/ton) add approximately $33–$39 per 2-ton load, bringing the effective rate to approximately $58–$62 per ton. Call (303) 371-5115 for current 2026 rates.
Executive Order 115 mandates that all waste generated within Denver city limits must be disposed of at the Denver Arapahoe Disposal Site (DADS) in Aurora, operated by WM. Junk removal operators picking up loads in Denver cannot legally use Tower, Foothills, or Front Range Landfill for that waste. Suburban waste from Aurora, Lakewood, Arvada, and other communities outside Denver city limits can go to any permitted facility. This creates a routing constraint since DADS is located far east in Aurora — hauling from west Denver adds significant drive time.
For suburban waste not subject to Executive Order 115, Tower Landfill in Commerce City and Foothills Landfill in Golden are the primary options, both operated by Republic Services with shared pricing. Tower at approximately $42 per ton commercial base rate (2023) suits north and east metro jobs. Foothills serves west metro jobs in Lakewood, Arvada, and Golden. Front Range Landfill in Erie (Waste Connections) serves the northern corridor with pricing from $46 per load. Always add mandatory surcharges to Republic base rates for true cost comparison.
DADS has Saturday hours from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM — the longest Saturday window. Tower Landfill runs continuously through Saturday until 3:00 PM. Foothills Landfill is open Saturday 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Cherry Creek Recycling is open Saturday 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM for free recyclable and compost drop-off. No facilities are open on Sundays. For Denver city waste, DADS is the only Saturday option. For suburban waste, Tower and Foothills provide alternatives.
Tower and Foothills Landfills (Republic Services) add three mandatory fees to every load: Fuel Recovery Fee at 8–15% of the load charge, Environmental Recovery Fee at $19.71 per load, and Solid Waste User Fee at $3.17 per ton. On a typical 2-ton commercial load, these add approximately $33–$39 in surcharges on top of the base rate. DADS surcharges are not publicly posted. All Colorado facilities also add the CDPHE Solid Waste User Fee at $1.50 per ton through June 2026. Uncovered loads incur double fees statewide.
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Executive Order 115 + Hidden Surcharges = Track Everything
ScaleYourJunk logs disposal costs per job so you know your true blended rate across DADS and suburban landfills — including every mandatory surcharge.