Junk removal services glossary

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

What are white goods?: White goods are large household appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, and ovens that require specialized removal and recycling due to their size, weight, and hazardous materials.
What is a convenience center on Oahu?: Convenience centers are City and County of Honolulu drop-off facilities where Oahu residents can dispose of bulky household items, yard waste, and recyclables.
What is a cubic yard in junk removal?: A cubic yard is a volume measurement (27 cubic feet) used by junk removal companies to estimate and price the space needed on a truck to haul away your debris.
What is a donation receipt (in-kind donation)?: A donation receipt is a tax document provided by a charitable organization when a donor contributes usable items (goods) rather than cash, detailing what was donated and its estimated fair-market value for tax deduction claims.
What is a landfill diversion rate?: Landfill diversion rate is the percentage of junk a removal company diverts from landfills through recycling, donation, or resale instead of disposing of it as waste.
What is a tipping fee?: A tipping fee is the per-ton or per-load charge that landfills and transfer stations assess waste haulers for accepting and disposing of debris.
What is a transfer station?: A transfer station is an intermediate facility where junk haulers and waste collectors consolidate and sort materials before sending them to landfills, recycling centers, or specialized disposal sites.
What is a truck load (minimum load fee)?: A truck load represents a measurement unit of cargo space in a junk removal truck, often divided into fractions (1/8, 1/4, 1/2, or full), with a minimum charge applied to jobs below a certain volume threshold.
What is biohazard cleanup?: Biohazard cleanup is the professional removal and decontamination of biological waste including blood, bodily fluids, and pathogenic materials from residential or commercial spaces, requiring state licensure and specialized protocols.
What is bulky item pickup?: Bulky item pickup is Oahu's municipal curbside collection service for large household items like furniture and appliances, scheduled by residents in advance at no charge.
What is C&D debris?: C&D debris comprises materials generated during construction, demolition, or renovation work, including wood, concrete, drywall, metal, and roofing materials.
What is curb alert and bulk trash day on Oahu?: Scheduled municipal bulk trash collection offered by Oahu's sanitation districts, where residents can place large items curbside for free pickup on designated days, subject to size and quantity limits that vary by district and zone.
What is demolition debris vs junk?: Demolition debris includes heavy structural waste like concrete, drywall, and lumber from building teardowns; general junk covers household and office items that many standard haulers accept but specialized crews may exclude demolition materials.
What is e-waste?: E-waste, or electronic waste, consists of discarded electrical and electronic devices such as computers, phones, televisions, and appliances that contain toxic materials and valuable metals requiring special handling and recycling.
What is ferrous vs non-ferrous metal?: Ferrous metals contain iron and are magnetic (steel, cast iron), while non-ferrous metals do not (aluminum, copper, brass). Scrapyards pay different rates for each group.
What is Freon reclamation?: Freon reclamation is the certified process of extracting refrigerant from air conditioning units and refrigerators before they are recycled or disposed of, required by the EPA to prevent environmental damage.
What is green waste?: Green waste is organic material from landscaping and yard work, such as grass clippings, tree branches, and leaves, that must be disposed of separately from general junk and household garbage.
What is household hazardous waste?: Household hazardous waste (HHW) is toxic or dangerous material commonly found in homes, such as paint, solvents, batteries, and pesticides, that requires special handling and cannot be taken by regular junk haulers.
What is load and haul pricing?: Load and haul pricing is a volume-based fee structure where junk removal cost depends on how much truck space your items occupy, rather than a fixed flat rate or per-item charge.
What is non-hazardous waste?: Non-hazardous waste is household or commercial debris that contains no toxic, flammable, radioactive, or biological materials and can be safely disposed of in standard landfills.
What is PVT Landfill?: PVT Landfill, located in Waimanalo Gulch, is Oahu's only active landfill and the primary disposal destination for household trash, construction debris, and bulky items removed by junk haulers.
What is scrap metal grading?: Scrap metal grading is the classification system scrap yards use to sort metals by material type and condition, which determines the price paid for each category.
What is the H-POWER facility?: H-POWER is a waste-to-energy facility operated by the City and County of Honolulu in Kapolei that incinerates municipal solid waste and converts it to electricity for the island's power supply.
What is the hoarding level scale?: A 1-5 scale used by junk removal and cleanout professionals to measure the severity of clutter or hoarding conditions and estimate labor, equipment, and hazard requirements for a property.