Ordinary remodel and cleanout debris loads without trouble: framing lumber, drywall, stucco, plaster, flooring, roofing, tile, cabinets, doors, windows, furniture, carpet, and cardboard are all fine, and clean concrete and block belong in the smallest unit.
California sets the firm limits, and the state is blunt that putting hazardous waste in the garbage is illegal. Two items on the state list come up constantly on Redondo jobs.
Treated wood is the first. Lumber treated with chemical preservatives against insects and rot has to be handled as hazardous waste in California. In a beach city that means almost every deck, balcony rail, fence, and planter tear-out, so tell your account manager if treated lumber is going in and it gets routed properly rather than turning a whole load away.
Asbestos is the second. The state names older cement, roofing, flooring, and siding as the usual places it hides, which on 1950s Redondo stock is worth a test before demolition begins.
Beyond those, the state keeps out all batteries, fluorescent and LED lighting, oil and latex paint, solvents and thinners, acids and pool chemicals, pesticides, antifreeze, motor oil and filters, compressed gas cylinders including propane bottles, electronics of every kind, and tires.
There is also a paperwork duty that catches homeowners, not just contractors. Anyone applying for a building permit in Redondo Beach, including a resident, has to file a waste management plan with the City before the work and a completed recycling report with receipts and weight slips afterward. The building division advises when a plan is not needed. We keep the weight slips you will need.
If an item is borderline, a part can of stain, an old water heater, a propane bottle, ask your account manager before it goes in.