Junk removal services glossary

Short, plain-English definitions of the terms you'll meet when choosing a junk removal service provider in Ontario.

What are white goods?: White goods are major household appliances such as refrigerators, ovens, washing machines, and dryers that require specialized handling and disposal due to their size and weight.
What is a bin rental permit?: A permit issued by a municipality to authorize the temporary placement of a dumpster bin on public property such as a street, lane, or boulevard in Ontario.
What is a certificate of insurance?: A certificate of insurance is a document issued by an insurance company that verifies a junk removal business carries active general liability coverage for property damage or bodily injury claims.
What is a chemical wash?: A chemical wash is a specialized sanitization treatment applied to surfaces and structures after severe hoarding or biohazard cleanup to neutralize odours, bacteria, and contamination.
What is a cubic yard?: A cubic yard is a unit of volume equal to 27 cubic feet, used to measure the capacity of dumpsters and waste containers.
What is a curb alert?: A curb alert is the practice of placing usable but unwanted items at the curb with a "free" tag so that passersby can take them before a junk removal service hauls away the remainder.
What is a donation tax receipt?: A donation tax receipt is an official document issued by a registered charity that certifies the fair market value of goods donated during junk removal, allowing the donor to claim a tax deduction with the Canada Revenue Agency.
What is a hoarding level scale?: A standardized 1-to-5 rating system junk removal professionals use to classify the severity of hoarding or clutter in a space and estimate the scope of cleanup needed.
What is a landfill diversion rate?: A landfill diversion rate is the percentage of collected material that a junk removal company diverts to recycling, donation, or reuse rather than sending to landfill.
What is a roll-off dumpster?: A roll-off dumpster is a large, open-top rectangular bin mounted on a specialized truck that rolls on and off the vehicle, commonly used for construction debris, renovation waste, and bulk junk removal.
What is a tipping fee?: A tipping fee is the per-tonne or per-cubic-yard charge that a landfill or transfer station imposes on waste delivery, which junk removal companies pass along to customers in their quotes.
What is a transfer station?: A transfer station is a consolidation facility where collected junk is sorted and staged for transport to landfills, recycling centers, or disposal sites.
What is a WSIB clearance certificate?: A WSIB clearance certificate is a document from Workplace Safety and Insurance Board confirming an Ontario contractor has met all payroll assessment obligations and its workers are covered by WSIB insurance for workplace injuries.
What is asbestos abatement?: Asbestos abatement is the controlled removal and disposal of asbestos-containing materials by licensed professionals, performed ahead of demolition or major renovation work to prevent health hazards.
What is biohazard waste?: Biohazard waste is contaminated material like blood, bodily fluids, mold, or animal waste that carries pathogens and requires specialized handling and disposal to prevent infection or disease transmission.
What is bulky item pickup?: Bulky item pickup is the removal of large, heavy household objects like appliances, furniture, and mattresses that exceed standard curbside garbage collection size and weight limits.
What is C&D debris?: C&D debris refers to construction and demolition waste materials such as drywall, lumber, concrete, brick, shingles, and other building byproducts generated during renovation, construction, or demolition projects.
What is e-waste?: E-waste is discarded electrical and electronic equipment containing materials like lead, mercury, and copper that cannot be disposed of in standard landfills or curbside pickup.
What is household hazardous waste?: Household hazardous waste (HHW) is toxic or flammable material from homes-such as paint, solvents, propane tanks, and pesticides-that cannot be safely disposed of through regular junk removal and must go to a municipal depot.
What is refrigerant recovery?: Refrigerant recovery is the legally mandated extraction of Freon or other refrigerant gases from refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment before the unit is scrapped or recycled.
What is scrap metal recycling?: The process of extracting ferrous metals (iron, steel) and non-ferrous metals (aluminum, copper, brass) from waste streams for reprocessing rather than disposal in landfills.
What is truck load pricing?: Truck load pricing is a junk removal pricing model where companies charge based on the portion of truck space occupied (from 1/8 load to full load) rather than per item, with rates typically correlating to cubic yardage.
What is universal waste?: Universal waste is a U.S. EPA and Ontario regulatory classification for certain hazardous items like batteries, fluorescent bulbs, and mercury-containing devices that require specialized collection and disposal rather than landfill disposal.
What is waste hauler registration?: Waste hauler registration is the mandatory licensing requirement under Ontario's environmental regulations for companies that transport designated waste streams, such as hazardous waste, industrial waste, or other controlled materials.