Pittsburgh Dump Fees & Disposal Guide for Junk Removal Operators

PA average $85/ton MSW — but no Pittsburgh facility publishes rates. Dual-permit requirement, scrap pricing, and routing tips for 2026.

Operator contextUpdated Mar 2026

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.

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Costs

Typical disposal costs

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Facilities

Facilities and transfer stations

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Imperial, PA (Findlay Township, Allegheny County — west of Pittsburgh)

Imperial Landfill (Republic Services)

Call (724) 695-0900 for commercial rates — not publicly posted Republic Services-operated landfill. Open to both commercial haulers and public. Saturday hours (7AM–10AM) provide weekend disposal access. Broad material acceptance including non-friable asbestos, contaminated soil, and medical waste. Contact (724) 695-0900 for commercial account setup and rate negotiation. Compare rates against WM's Monroeville and Kelly Run landfills. Mon–Fri 7AM–3PM, Sat 7AM–10AM, Sun closed; closed US federal holidays Negotiated per account MSW C&D debris Non-friable asbestos Waste carpet

Call (724) 695-0900 for commercial rates — not publicly postedImperial, PA (Findlay Township, Allegheny County — west of Pittsburgh)
Crescent, PA (northwest of Pittsburgh)

Iron City Express Transfer Station

Call (724) 457-2727 for rates — not publicly posted Independent transfer station operating since ~1990. Dedicated C&D processing and sorting on-site — but C&D loads must be pure C&D. Mixed loads contaminated with non-C&D materials are rejected at scale-in and bypass sorting. Serves commercial, industrial, and governmental customers. Roll-off dumpster rental available (15–60 yd). Accepts cash, Visa, MC, Amex — the only facility identified with confirmed cash acceptance. PA DEP licensed and fully insured. Mon–Fri 8AM–4PM (or 5PM — verify by phone), Sat–Sun closed Call for minimums MSW C&D debris (dedicated sorting on-site)

Call (724) 457-2727 for rates — not publicly postedCrescent, PA (northwest of Pittsburgh)
208 McGovern Blvd, Crescent, PA 15046 (near I-79, Routes 51 & 65)

American Steel Processing (Crescent, PA)

Copper #1 $4.00/lb, Copper #2 $3.80/lb, Yellow Brass $2.20/lb, Aluminum $0.70/lb, Stainless $0.42/lb, P&S Prepared $14.00/100 lb Family-owned, woman-owned scrap yard relocated to a larger facility in July 2025. Published pricing on website — rare transparency for a scrap yard. Accepts Apple Pay, Android Pay, and credit cards. Full-service unloading with shearing machines, magnets, skid steers, and weighing stations. Roll-off containers (20–40 yd) available for commercial accounts. Free transport services available with restrictions. No appointment needed. Handles any size from single items to industrial loads. Mon–Fri 7AM–3PM, Sat–Sun closed No minimum — any size load accepted Ferrous metals (steel, iron, cast iron) Non-ferrous (copper, brass, aluminum, stainless, lead, zinc) HVAC scrap (AC units, coils, compressors, sealed units) Wire/cables

Copper #1 $4.00/lb, Copper #2 $3.80/lb, Yellow Brass $2.20/lb, Aluminum $0.70/lb, Stainless $0.42/lb, P&S Prepared $14.00/100 lb208 McGovern Blvd, Crescent, PA 15046 (near I-79, Routes 51 & 65)
7402 Church St, Pittsburgh, PA 15218 (Swissvale Shopping Center)

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Pittsburgh ReStore

Free drop-off and free pickup; tax-deductible receipt provided Accepts furniture AND working appliances — including refrigerators, freezers, washers, and dryers that Goodwill SWPA does NOT accept. Free pickup available for appliances, furniture, and large approved items — scheduled within ~2 weeks. Items must be disassembled and ready outside. Paid priority pickup through ReSupply partner available as soon as 1 business day. All items must be in working order with all parts. Does NOT accept mattresses, used toilets, TVs, or items with damage/odors/pet damage. Warning: leaving unapproved items is illegal and may result in fines. Tue–Sat 9AM–4PM (drop-off until 3:30PM), closed Monday No minimum Furniture (couches, dining sets, dressers, bookshelves) Working appliances (refrigerators, freezers, ranges, washers, dryers) Building materials (plywood, trim, fencing) Kitchen/bathroom cabinets

Free drop-off and free pickup; tax-deductible receipt provided7402 Church St, Pittsburgh, PA 15218 (Swissvale Shopping Center)
Rules

Restrictions and paperwork

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01

Restrictions

ACHD Waste Hauler Vehicle Permit required for ALL commercial waste haulers in Allegheny County — regardless of vehicle size. Per-vehicle permit, expires April 30 annually, nontransferable. Contact ACHD Fee and Permit Office. PA DEP Act 90 Authorization required for vehicles over 17,000 lbs GVW and trailers over 10,000 lbs GVW. Sticker must be displayed, cab card carried. PA disposal facilities are prohibited from accepting waste from vehicles without valid authorization. PA Act 108 bans covered electronics (computers, monitors, TVs, printers) from landfills. E-waste must be recycled separately. Noble Environmental handles City of Pittsburgh e-waste at $0.35/lb. Waste stored in a transport vehicle for more than 24 hours is prohibited under ACHD regulations. Do not stage loads overnight in your truck.

03

Local quirks

No Pittsburgh-area facility publishes tipping fees. All rates are negotiated per commercial account. Call every facility for quotes and compare — independent operators (Iron City Express) may undercut WM and Republic. Pittsburgh's narrow streets, steep hills, and historic row-house neighborhoods present unique access challenges for junk removal trucks. Plan routes and confirm access before committing to jobs in tight neighborhoods. West Virginia landfills average only $45.92/ton — nearly half the PA average. Some western PA waste ships cross-border. Factor in drive time and fuel costs for the true comparison. Multiple Pittsburgh junk removal companies advertise 60%+ diversion rates through donation, recycling, and repurposing. High diversion reduces tipping fees and commands premium pricing from eco-conscious customers.

Savings

Cost-saving playbook

Track dump fees per job and per facility in ScaleYourJunk to identify your true disposal cost in a market with zero published rates. The platform logs every dump run so you can compare negotiated rates across facilities and verify that your commercial accounts are delivering the pricing you were promised. In Pittsburgh, the difference between the best and worst negotiated rate can be $15–$25/ton.

01

Sorting

Route the diversion pipeline on every job: donatable items to Habitat ReStore or Salvation Army (free pickup at 1-800-SA-TRUCK), scrap metal to American Steel Processing (published pricing, any load size), pure C&D to Iron City Express, and remaining MSW to your negotiated landfill. Multiple Pittsburgh operators achieve 60%+ diversion rates with this approach. American Steel Processing pays $4.00/lb for Copper #1, $2.20/lb for Yellow Brass, and $0.70/lb for Aluminum — all published on their website. At estimated $85/ton disposal costs, every pound of metal diverted both avoids tipping fees and generates revenue. Pull HVAC scrap (AC units, coils, sealed units) from every residential cleanout. Route reusable furniture and working appliances to Habitat ReStore (7402 Church St, Swissvale, (412) 244-7100) — they accept refrigerators, freezers, washers, and dryers that Goodwill SWPA refuses. Salvation Army (1-800-SA-TRUCK) also accepts large appliances and furniture in working condition.

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FAQ

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No Pittsburgh-area facility publishes tipping fees, so there is no definitive cheapest option without calling for quotes. The PA state average MSW tipping fee is $85.45/ton (EREF 2024). Direct-to-landfill is typically $10–$15/ton cheaper than transfer stations. Call Imperial Landfill (Republic, (724) 695-0900), Monroeville Landfill (WM, (412) 824-0678), Kelly Run (WM, (412) 384-7569), and Iron City Express ((724) 457-2727) for competing quotes. Independent operators may offer more competitive rates than WM/Republic corporate facilities. West Virginia landfills average $45.92/ton — factor in drive time for the true comparison.

Yes — Pittsburgh operators face a dual-permit requirement. First, the ACHD (Allegheny County Health Department) Waste Hauler Vehicle Permit is required for ALL commercial waste haulers in Allegheny County regardless of vehicle size. This is a per-vehicle permit that expires April 30 annually. Second, the PA DEP Act 90 Waste Transporter Authorization is required for vehicles over 17,000 lbs GVW and trailers over 10,000 lbs GVW ($100/truck, $50/trailer). PA disposal facilities are legally prohibited from accepting waste from vehicles without valid Act 90 authorization. Most smaller operators using pickups and box trucks under 17,000 lbs are exempt from Act 90 but still need the ACHD permit.

American Steel Processing in Crescent, PA (208 McGovern Blvd, (412) 771-7805, Mon–Fri 7AM–3PM) publishes current pricing on their website — rare transparency for a scrap yard. Current rates: Copper #1 $4.00/lb, Copper #2 $3.80/lb, Yellow Brass $2.20/lb, Aluminum $0.70/lb, Stainless $0.42/lb. Accepts Apple Pay and credit cards. No appointment needed, any load size. D&D Metal Recycling has two locations: Lawrenceville ((412) 781-9840, includes Saturday hours) and Tarentum ((724) 226-1227). Both serve commercial operators.

Most Pittsburgh landfills operate Monday through Friday with early afternoon closings. Imperial Landfill (Republic): Mon–Fri 7AM–3PM, Sat 7AM–10AM. Monroeville Landfill (WM): Mon–Fri 7AM–3PM, Sat 7AM–12PM (manual unloading by 2PM). Kelly Run (WM): Mon–Fri 7:30AM–3:30PM, no weekends. Arden Landfill (WM): Mon–Fri 7AM–3PM, Sat 7AM–11AM. Iron City Express: Mon–Fri 8AM–4PM. All facilities are closed Sundays. Only Imperial, Monroeville, and Arden offer Saturday hours.

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Pittsburgh ReStore (7402 Church St, Swissvale, (412) 244-7100, Tue–Sat 9AM–4PM) accepts furniture, working appliances including refrigerators and washers, building materials, cabinets, and fixtures. Free pickup available — scheduled within approximately 2 weeks. Salvation Army (1-800-SA-TRUCK) accepts furniture and working appliances with free pickup. Goodwill SWPA is less useful for junk removal — they do NOT accept large furniture at all locations, large appliances, building materials, or TVs. Habitat ReStore is the strongest option for typical junk removal load diversion in the Pittsburgh metro.

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