Quick answer: We gladly accept appliances and batteries because we can recycle them! However, we cannot haul tires or hazardous waste like paint, fuel, propane tanks, or asbestos. Everything on our “no” list still has a legal home, and this guide points you to it.
What You Need to Know
- We DO accept appliances (white goods) and batteries—we keep them out of landfills by recycling them.
- We DO NOT accept tires, paint, fuel, pesticides, propane tanks, or asbestos.
- A short list of items cannot be hauled by anyone, including paint, fuel, pesticides, propane tanks, and asbestos.
- Refrigerators, freezers, and AC units are haulable, but need EPA-certified refrigerant recovery first.
- Tires carry a state fee of $2.25 to $10 each, and Louisiana landfills cannot take them at all.
- Every refused item has a legal route. When in doubt, text a photo and ask before we arrive.
Almost everyone who clears out a garage or a shed hits the same wall eventually: some things nobody will take. You load the trailer, and the refrigerator, the old tires, and the half-empty paint cans get left on the curb.
Being refused feels arbitrary, but it is not. It is regulation. Here is exactly what cannot be hauled in Louisiana, why, and where each item actually goes instead.
What Can’t Go in a Louisiana Landfill?
Louisiana landfills cannot accept four categories of material by law: tires, household appliances and other white goods, batteries, and hazardous waste. That rule comes from the state, per the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, not from any hauling company.
There are really two kinds of no. Some items are unlawful to landfill at all, and some are legal to haul only after special handling. Knowing which is which explains almost every refusal.
| Category | Examples | Why It’s Refused |
|---|---|---|
| Waste tires | Passenger, truck, off-road | Banned from landfills; carry a state disposal fee |
| White goods | Fridges, freezers, washers, AC units | Refrigerant and metal recovery required |
| Batteries | Car, lithium, household | Fire risk and heavy metals |
| Hazardous waste | Paint, fuel, chemicals, asbestos | Regulated under Louisiana law, needs special disposal |
Because of these laws, we cannot haul tires or hazardous waste like paint. However, we CAN haul away your household appliances and batteries because we route them to specialized recycling facilities instead of the landfill.
What We Can’t Haul, No Exceptions
A short list of materials is refused every time, because hauling them is unlawful or unsafe. These are the ones people are most surprised by, and they almost always live on the same shed shelf.
- Asbestos and materials that may contain it
- Paint, stains, solvents, and thinners
- Motor oil, fuel, gasoline, and antifreeze
- Pesticides, herbicides, and pool chemicals
- Batteries of every kind
- Propane tanks and any compressed gas cylinder
- Ammunition, fireworks, and firearms
- Medical waste, needles, and sharps
- Biohazard material and animal carcasses
- Fluorescent tubes and mercury devices
The full set is spelled out in our prohibited materials list. If you are not sure a particular item qualifies, ask before pickup day rather than after.
What We Can Haul, but It Costs Extra
Some items are legal to haul but carry a statutory fee or a handling requirement. We pass those costs through at cost, and we tell you about them before we arrive.
Refrigerators, freezers, and AC units. These hold refrigerant, and Section 608 of the Clean Air Act requires a certified technician to recover it before the unit can be scrapped. That recovery is a real cost, so appliances with a compressor carry a $35 fee.
Tires. Louisiana charges a waste tire fee of $2.25 for a passenger tire, $5 for a medium truck tire, and $10 for an off-road tire, per the LDEQ waste tire program, and we add a small handling charge on top. Louisiana landfills cannot take tires at all, so they have to go to a permitted facility.
Mattresses, televisions, and electronics. These are haulable and carry a separate handling or recycling fee, usually around $25 each, because they are processed separately at the transfer station.
Where Do These Items Actually Go?
Every refused item has a legitimate route, and most are cheap or free. Here is where the common ones go when they cannot ride in the trailer.
| Item | Where It Goes | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Tires | Tire retailer take-back at purchase, or a permitted waste-tire facility | State fee $2.25 to $10 each |
| Refrigerators, AC units | A scrap yard or hauler with Section 608 recovery | Refrigerant recovered first |
| Latex paint | Harden it with hardener or cat litter, then household trash | Dried latex only |
| Oil-based paint, solvents, chemicals | Parish household hazardous waste collection | Check your parish schedule |
| Batteries | Auto parts and hardware store take-back | Usually free |
| Propane and gas cylinders | Propane exchange retailer | Never in the trash |
| Electronics and TVs | Retailer electronics take-back, or haul with a recycling fee | Often free at retailers |
For the current Livingston Parish household hazardous waste collection schedule, call your parish government, or send us the item and we will point you to the right place.
Stuck with something nobody will take? Text a photo and we will tell you if we can haul it, what it costs, or exactly where it needs to go instead.
Why Does a Full Trailer Sometimes Weigh Too Much?
Weight, not volume, is the binding limit on heavy material. A trailer that looks half empty can already be too heavy to haul legally.
Concrete, brick, dirt, gravel, roofing shingles, and tile are the usual culprits. Our 7 by 14 foot trailer holds about 7 cubic yards of light household junk, but only about 4 cubic yards of dirt or gravel before it hits the weight limit. If a load mixes heavy debris with regular junk, it may need to be split or quoted by weight, and an overweight load can mean a fine or a reload charge.
Rule of thumb
If your load is mostly concrete, dirt, brick, or shingles, tell us before we come out. Heavy material is priced by weight, and knowing up front keeps the trip from turning into a second one.
What Happens if Prohibited Material Turns up Anyway?
The load gets refused, and it gets expensive. Prohibited material found mixed into a load can be turned away at the scale house, which means the trailer comes back, the material has to be sorted and rerouted, and someone pays for the extra trip.
That cost falls to the customer, and unlawful disposal can carry its own penalties. None of that is a problem when you tell us up front. Mention the questionable items when you book, and it is a non-event. Hide them in the middle of the pile, and it becomes a bill.
How Do You Prep a Load So Nothing Gets Refused?
Pull the chemicals and the pressurized containers, flag the heavy material, and do a quick valuables sweep. A few minutes of prep keeps pickup day simple.
Pre-pickup checklist
Set aside anything liquid, chemical, or pressurized. Separate concrete, brick, and dirt so we can quote it by weight. Walk the pile once for cash, jewelry, medication, documents, and firearms, since once it is loaded it is gone. Then point us at the pile and we handle the rest.
This guide is general information, not a compliance determination for your specific situation. When a material is regulated, we point you to LDEQ rather than making the call for you.
Common Questions About What We Can and Can’t Take
These are the item-specific questions people ask most. If you are holding something and not sure, the answers below usually settle it.
Can You Throw Away a Mattress?
Yes, we can haul a mattress or box spring, but it carries a handling fee of about $25 because it is processed separately at the transfer station rather than dumped with general trash.
How Do You Get Rid of an Old Refrigerator?
A refrigerator is haulable, but the refrigerant has to be recovered by a certified technician first under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act. We handle that step, and the unit carries a $35 fee to cover it. The same applies to freezers and window AC units.
Where Do You Take Old Tires in Louisiana?
Tires go to a permitted waste-tire facility, never a landfill. The state fee is $2.25 for a passenger tire, $5 for a medium truck tire, and $10 for an off-road tire, plus a small handling charge. A tire retailer will also take your old tires back when you buy new ones.
Can You Take Paint?
No. Latex paint can be hardened with a paint hardener or cat litter and then put in your household trash once it is solid. Oil-based paint and solvents are hazardous waste and go to a parish household hazardous waste collection.
Why Won’t You Take My Propane Tank?
Propane tanks and other compressed cylinders are pressurized, which makes them unsafe to haul or crush. Take them to a propane exchange retailer, which will accept the empty tank when you swap for a full one.
Do You Take TVs and Electronics?
Yes, with a recycling fee of about $25, since electronics are processed separately. Many electronics retailers also run free take-back programs, which can be the cheaper route if you are already making the trip.
When in doubt, just ask. Tell us what you are trying to get rid of, and we will tell you if we can haul it, what it costs, or where it needs to go instead. No surprises on pickup day.
