Understanding the Different Types of Dumpsters

You may use a waste management company for your trash pickup and recycling, but you probably haven’t spent much time thinking about the different types of dumpsters. Dumpsters vary by size, how they load, and how they are transported. If you’re planning on renting a dumpster in Atlanta, keep reading to learn about the different types of dumpsters that are available.

Front Load Dumpsters
Front loading dumpsters are typically between two cubic yards and eight cubic yards in size. They have a slot on each side that the garbage truck or dump truck can stick its spikes into. These spikes then lock into place, allowing the arms of the truck to lift the dumpster over the truck and dump the trash into the truck’s trash bin.

Rear Load Dumpsters
Rear loading dumpsters are also around two to eight cubic yards. These dumpsters use a hinge system and a winch to dump trash into a garbage truck. Two poles extend from the dumpster and lock into place on the back of the garbage truck. The winch on the garbage truck has a hook, which fastens to a hole on the back of the dumpster. The hook pulls the dumpster upwards until the trash contained within it falls into the truck’s trash bin.

Roll Off Dumpsters
Roll off dumpsters are the largest dumpsters that you can rent from a waste management company. These dumpsters are generally about 40 cubic yards. They are loaded into a garbage truck using a robotic arm, or a winch and a metal sled. The robotic arm attaches to a hook on the end of the dumpster, and pulls the dumpster up into the bed of the garbage truck. When using the winch and metal sled process, a metal sled is lifted off of the bed of the garbage truck at a 45-degree angle. The dumpster then attaches to the winch, and is pulled up the metal sled. While the dumpster is being pulled up the sled, the sled begins to level out to a horizontal position.