Concrete Is Absurdly Heavy
A cubic yard of broken concrete weighs about 4,000 pounds -- two tons. That 10x12 patio you just demolished? Roughly 1.5 cubic yards, or about 6,000 pounds of rubble sitting in your yard. A driveway demolition? 10 to 20 cubic yards. That's 20 to 40 tons.
This matters because weight determines everything: what vehicle can haul it, what facility will accept it, and what you'll pay. Your regular trash service won't touch it. A standard pickup truck has a payload capacity of about 1,500 pounds -- so even a small patio demo requires multiple trips or a bigger plan.
And concrete dust gets everywhere. Into your garage, your car, your hair, the neighbor's yard. If you're breaking up concrete yourself, do it on a day when you can hose everything down afterward.
Concrete Recycling Is a Real Option
Here's the good news: concrete is one of the most recyclable construction materials. Broken concrete gets crushed into aggregate (called "recycled concrete aggregate" or RCA) and reused as road base, fill material, and drainage gravel. It's cheaper than virgin aggregate and keeps tons of material out of landfills.
Oregon concrete recyclers:
- Portland metro -- Multiple facilities along the Columbia Corridor and in Clackamas accept clean concrete for recycling. Recyclers typically charge far less per ton than landfill disposal.
- Salem area -- Several aggregate companies accept concrete for crushing. Call ahead for current pricing.
- Eugene/Springfield -- Lane County has concrete recycling options at select transfer stations and private facilities.
The key word is "clean." Recyclers want plain concrete -- no rebar (or rebar-ok at some facilities), no dirt mixed in, no wood, no plastic, no painted surfaces. Concrete with rebar is accepted at many facilities but at a higher rate because they have to separate the steel.
Metro's recycling directory lists concrete recyclers in the Portland metro area with current pricing and material requirements.
Other Disposal Options
If recycling isn't convenient for your location, here are the alternatives:
- Transfer stations -- Accept concrete as C&D waste. Metro Central and Metro South charge by weight; check current rates. More expensive than dedicated concrete recyclers, but they'll take mixed loads (concrete plus other demo debris).
- Dumpster rental -- A "heavy debris" or "concrete only" dumpster is priced as a flat rental with a weight cap. Standard dumpsters have weight limits (usually 2 to 4 tons) -- go over and you'll pay overage fees for every extra ton.
- Junk removal service -- A construction debris removal crew loads, hauls, and disposes. They know which facilities accept concrete and can handle the heavy lifting -- literally.
- Craigslist "Free" section -- Clean broken concrete is genuinely useful for fill, erosion control, and French drains. Post "free broken concrete, you haul" and someone will likely take it. This works best in metro areas.
Can You Haul Concrete Yourself?
If you have access to a heavy-duty truck or trailer, self-hauling to a recycler is the cheapest option. But be realistic about the weight:
- Half-ton pickup (F-150, Ram 1500) -- Payload 1,200 to 1,800 lbs. That's maybe 8 to 10 concrete chunks per trip. A small patio takes 3 to 5 trips.
- Three-quarter ton (F-250, Ram 2500) -- Payload 2,500 to 3,500 lbs. Better, but still multiple trips for anything bigger than a small slab.
- Utility trailer -- A single-axle trailer handles 2,000 to 3,000 lbs. A tandem axle, 5,000 to 7,000 lbs. Make sure your tow vehicle is rated for the weight.
Don't overload. Concrete is dense and shifts during transport. An overloaded truck with shifting concrete chunks is a hazard on the road, and Oregon State Police can cite you for an unsecured or overweight load. The fine is not small.
Cost Breakdown
| Method | Relative cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete recycler (self-haul) | Lowest per ton | Clean concrete, own truck |
| Free on Craigslist | Free | Small amounts, patient timeline |
| Transfer station | Higher per ton | Mixed demo loads |
| Dumpster rental (concrete-rated) | Flat rental with a weight cap | Large jobs, ongoing demo |
| Professional removal | Highest, labor included | No truck, heavy volume |
The price gap between self-hauling to a recycler and using a transfer station is large. If you have the means to self-haul, it's worth the effort. If not, a junk removal crew handles the weight so you don't have to.
Get the Rubble Out
Broken concrete sitting in your yard doesn't age well. It collects weeds, becomes a tripping hazard, and makes your property look like a demolition site. Whether you haul it yourself or hire a crew, deal with it while the motivation from the demolition is still fresh. Waiting three months won't make it lighter.
