Where to Take Junk in Salem: Every Drop-Off Location and What It Costs
Wondering where to take junk in Salem? Marion County has more drop-off options than most people realize — a main transfer station, a second station up in Woodburn, a free hazardous waste facility, free electronics recycling, and a handful of donation and specialty sites. Here is the full rundown of every place to haul your stuff in the Salem area, what each one takes, and roughly what it costs.
Where to Take Junk in Salem: The Main Drop-Off Sites
Salem-Keizer Recycling & Transfer Station
3250 Deer Park Dr SE, Salem — This is the workhorse. It takes general household garbage, furniture, construction debris, yard waste, and appliances. Charges are by weight: roughly $102 per ton for mixed solid waste with about a $20 minimum for small loads. Appliances that contain refrigerant (fridges, freezers, AC units) carry a $25 fee for certified refrigerant removal — and no, draining it yourself is not allowed. Everything hauled here goes to Marion County’s Energy-from-Waste facility, where it is burned to generate electricity.
North Marion Recycling & Transfer Station (Woodburn)
If you live up toward Woodburn, the North Marion station saves you the drive into Salem. Same county operation, similar weight-based rates, with a recycling depot on site.
Household Hazardous Waste Facility — free
First building on the left at the Salem-Keizer transfer station. Paint thinner, pesticides, pool chemicals, old fuel — free for households in containers up to 5 gallons. Open Thursdays and the 1st and 3rd Tuesday. Businesses need an appointment.
Free electronics recycling
TVs, monitors, computers, and laptops are free at both county transfer stations, up to seven items per person per day. Beyond seven, Garten Services in Salem handles bigger e-waste loads.
Specialty and Donation Drop-Offs Around Salem
Mattresses: Oregon’s mattress recycling program gives you free drop-off sites for mattresses and box springs — find the nearest one at ByeByeMattress.com, or let our mattress removal crew grab it. Usable furniture and goods: Habitat for Humanity ReStore, Goodwill, Salvation Army, and Union Gospel Mission all take donations. Yard debris: smaller loads can go in your curbside cart; big cleanups are cheaper through our yard waste removal service than multiple truck trips. Paint: free through PaintCare drop-off sites at Salem paint and hardware stores. We covered everything that costs nothing in our free junk disposal in Salem guide.
What a Dump Run Actually Costs You
Say you have a garage-cleanout load: the tipping fee might be $30 to $60. Add a truck or trailer rental if you do not own one ($50 to $100), fuel, an hour of loading, the drive, the line at the scale, and unloading. Most people spend half a Saturday and $80 to $150 to dump one load. We ran the full comparison in Salem dump fees vs junk removal — for anything bigger than a single pickup load, hiring it out is usually the cheaper total.
Or Skip the Drive Entirely
EZ Junk & Hauling does the loading, hauling, dump fees, and donation runs for one volume-based price — $125 minimum, $750 for a full 12-yard trailer, everything included. Check our pricing page for the tier breakdown, or learn more about full-service junk removal in Salem.
We pick up across the whole map: Salem, Keizer, West Salem, South Salem, Woodburn, Silverton, Stayton, and Dallas.
Common Questions About Salem Dump Sites
What are the transfer station hours?
The Salem-Keizer station generally runs 7 days a week during daytime hours, closed major holidays. Rates and hours change, so check the Marion County site before loading the truck.
Can I bring hazardous waste with my regular load?
No — hazardous waste is prohibited in the paid disposal area. Take it to the separate Household Hazardous Waste Facility on the same property, where it is free for residents.
Do they take tires and concrete?
Yes, with separate per-item or per-weight rates. Tires and heavy materials like concrete and dirt cost more by weight, which is also why those items carry surcharges with any hauler.
One Call Instead of Three Trips
If sorting loads between the transfer station, the donation center, and the recycler sounds like a whole weekend, call or text EZ Junk & Hauling at (971) 226-7435 or grab a free quote. We sort it, haul it, and make sure the right stuff gets donated and recycled — usually same-day or next-day, 7 days a week.
