How Do I Know What Waste Bin Size I Need?

When calls come in about overflowing bins, there’s a pattern we’ve noticed through our years providing waste disposal services to Alberta companies. More often than not, the problem isn’t how often waste pickup is scheduled, but a sizing issue. Whether it’s on remote sites or in the middle of downtown Calgary or Edmonton, choosing the right-sized bin keeps your site sanitary and prevents the need to schedule emergency pickups.   

At FenceLine Rentals Ltd., our waste bins come in a wide range of sizes. That means we’ve got bins that will fit on every type of construction, demolition, or event site. Let’s take a look at the different bin sizes and which sites they are right for.How Do I Know What Waste Bin Size I Need? | FenceLine

What Bin Size Options Are Available?

At FenceLine Rentals, we offer five different waste bin sizes for both lidded and uncovered waste bins. Here’s a quick rundown of what we have available:

Roll-Off Bins

Bin Type	Size (cubic yd)	Typical Dimensions (L x W x H)	Typical Weight Limit	Best For
Lidded	12	~12′ x 8′ x 3.5′	~2–3 tons	Outdoor events, small home renovations/junk removal, tight urban sites
Uncovered	12	~12′ x 8′ x 3.5	~2–3 tons	Small renovation work with limited debris, fast waste removal, tight urban sites
Lidded	18	~16’–18′ x 7.5′ x 4	~2–3 tons	Small-to-medium renovations, sites with fast-changing weather
Uncovered	18	~16’–18′ x 7.5′ x 4	~2–3 tons	Renovation and cleanup projects, small roofing jobs, confined construction sites
Lidded	20	~22′ x 7.5’–8′ x 4.5′	~3–4 tons	Medium renovations, smaller construction or roofing projects
Uncovered	20	~22′ x 7.5’–8′ x 4.5	~3–4 tons	Medium-to-large projects, multi-room renovations, sites with consistent waste removal
Lidded	30	~22′ x 7.5’–8′ x 6′	~4–5 tons	Major renovations in windy areas, large events, light commercial/industrial projects
Uncovered	30	~22′ x 7.5’–8′ x 6′	~4–5 tons	Demolitions, commercial roofing, large furniture collection, full-home renovations
Lidded	40	~22′ x 7.5’–8′ x 7’–8′	~5–6 tons	Large commercial sites needing security, industrial sites limiting debris, teardowns in windy areas
Uncovered	40	~22′ x 7.5’–8′ x 7’–8′	~5–6 tons	Demolitions, commercial construction needing fast, unrestricted loading

Beyond volume, footprint matters just as much on tight sites—see the dimensions column above to check clearance before booking.

Totes & Hoppers

Bin Type	Size	Best For
Self-dumping tipping hopper	3-4 cubic yds	Active work areas generating frequent waste throughout the day
Garbage tote	110 L	Small trailers, offices, or light waste zones
Garbage tote	220 L	Larger work zones, multi-area events needing several collection points

What to Know About FenceLine Rentals’ Waste Bin Sizes

Roll-Off Garbage Bins

Sizes Offered: Five sizes are available, from 12 to 40 cubic yards.

When These Bins Are Useful: When you’re going to be dealing with a lot of waste, these are the bin sizes for you. Roll-off garbage bins are perfect for both long-term waste management and short-term construction and demolition waste because they’re strong, versatile, and can handle a lot of waste.

On demolition or construction jobs, you won’t need to worry about overflow or constantly having to dispose of waste because these heavy-duty roll-off waste bins can handle up to 12 MT of weight and can also be combined with compactors to get even more waste.

These waste bins can be used in lots of other situations, though, including:

• Municipal or commercial sites where bulk waste removal is necessary
• Industrial facilities with ongoing waste management needs
• Large events where waste can be collected from garbage totes placed around the event site and brought to these roll-off garbage bins for storage until collection.

Lidded Roll-Off Bins

Sizes Offered: Multiple sizes available to meet your requirements.

When These Bins Are Useful: Waste bins are great for keeping waste organized and in one place. In Alberta, though, where the wind can often pick up in an instant and create havoc, sometimes you need a lid to keep garbage from blowing away. 

We’ve seen enough windy job sites to know that lidded bins aren’t a luxury; they can be the difference between a productive, clean job site and one where contractors lose precious time chasing down garbage. Available in multiple waste bin sizes, lidded roll-off bins are a great option for sites that require extra protection from the elements. 

Lidded bins also prevent pests from entering your waste bins and creating a mess, and, in urban areas, can deter people from rummaging through them. Whatever waste bin sizes you’re looking for, a lidded roll-off bin is ideal for:

• Jobsites in areas that are exposed to the elements and might get windy
• Jobsites near airports, where the wind is a constant concern
• Sites that require a little extra security, both for keeping pests out of your waste bins and potentially people, as well.

Garbage Tote Rentals

Sizes Offered: 110L and 220L.

When These Bins Are Useful: Bigger doesn’t always mean better when it comes to waste bin sizes, and there are lots of scenarios where garbage totes are all you’ll need. Garbage tote rentals are easy to set up around event sites or construction sites. They don’t get in the way, are easy to move around your site, and can be emptied into larger waste bins if necessary.

They’re also made of heavy-duty, industrial-grade plastic that can withstand the challenges of Alberta’s often difficult climate. With wide openings, four handles, sleeve lift bars, lids, and rugged wheels, they can be conveniently set up around sites and moved easily. 

They are perfect for:

• Concerts, fairs, and festivals that need mobile trash collection set up around their sites
• Construction sites that require easy-access waste disposal
• Businesses that require lightweight waste management options

Variables That Determine Bin Size

You’ve got lots of options when it comes to waste bin sizes from FenceLine, but it’s important to carefully consider what’s right for your job site or event. Numerous factors that can influence your decision. 

Bigger bin sizes might require fewer pickups for disposal, but if your site is too small for a 40-cubic-yard waste bin, you may find that it gets in the way of the work that needs to be done. Conversely, we’ve found that sites that order bins with a little extra room are often better prepared for how their jobs evolve over time. 

Here are a few variables that you should consider when shopping for bin sizes:

How Big Is Your Site?

This is probably the most important variable that impacts the bin size you need. You don’t want a bin size that is going to get in the way of the work that’s being done on a construction site, so it can often be prudent to pick a smaller roll-off garbage bin and take advantage of one of FenceLine Rentals’ Waste Disposal Programs to regularly empty your waste bins.

For renovation jobs, renting garbage totes can make life easier, too, as they can be filled and then easily taken to larger bins when needed.

For events, strategically placing garbage totes around your site will help keep it clean. Having an easy-to-access waste bin nearby is ideal for emptying those totes when necessary, but you might not want to have trucks coming in and out of your site regularly. A larger roll-off waste bin is best.

What Are the Weather Conditions?

In Alberta, we always need to consider how our often-extreme weather will impact job sites and outdoor events. That’s definitely true when it comes to bin sizes, too.

If you’ll be working in windy conditions, we recommend lidded roll-off bins. Nobody wants to have to collect garbage that’s flown out of the top of a waste bin.

Where Is Your Site?

In residential neighbourhoods, one thing we hear a lot is that neighbours are impacted by large waste bins as much as anything else on the site. Smaller roll-off bins can be less of an issue with neighbours, and we do find that sizing and placement are just as important for optics as for function.

Many of the clients we work with have sites in downtown Calgary and Edmonton, and in dense urban areas, you’ll need to consider how your bin will fit in tight spaces. We’ve found again and again that tight urban lots do better with smaller bins and frequent pickups instead of oversized bins that may be hard to manoeuvre.

In rural areas, there is generally more flexibility and space, which provides more options for bin sizes. In our experience working with rural job sites, though, it’s not always that simple. Yes, there’s more flexibility, but rural sites can also have sudden weather changes that nobody sees coming. It’s why we often recommend lidded roll-off bins.

Delivery & Pickup Considerations

Bin size doesn’t just affect your site; it affects how we get the bin there. Larger bins (30 and 40 cubic yards) require more truck clearance for delivery and pickup, which can be a challenge on narrow downtown streets in Calgary or Edmonton. In these cases, we may recommend a smaller bin with more frequent pickups instead of one large bin that’s difficult to place or retrieve.

If you’re placing a bin on a public street or sidewalk rather than your own site, most municipalities require a permit. Our team can help confirm what’s needed for your location before delivery day.

Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Waste Bin Size

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution when choosing the size of a waste bin, and our team is happy to help when it’s time to set up a site. We’ve got portable toilets and temporary fencing, too, so we can work with you to create a site layout that works best. 

When you’re thinking about renting a waste bin for your job site or outdoor event, ask yourself:

• How often will I schedule pickup? You don’t need a bin that will handle all your site’s waste, and in our experience, the question we hear most is “How often should I get the bins emptied?” It’s a great place to start when selecting a waste bin size.
• How much waste is my site likely to produce? Come up with an estimate and then look for a bin that allows for slightly more. In our experience, choosing a bin that’s too small is rarely the issue. Instead, it’s not considering how your site’s needs will change and evolve as your project moves along.
• What weather is your site likely going to face? We know this can be hard to predict in Alberta, but planning for challenging conditions is important.
• How will my site separate waste? Will you have separate bins for recycling? If there’s asbestos or industrial waste on site, that needs to be kept separate, as well.

Get Waste Bin Sizes Right for Your Site

Whether you’ve got a job site with tight constraints or are hosting an event with specific waste needs, selecting bin sizes is an important decision that can make the difference between success and failure. At FenceLine, we offer a wide range of bin sizes and can guide you through the decision-making process to ensure your bin sizes are perfect for your site.

For more information or to rent waste bins, contact us today.

FAQs About Waste Bins