If you've gotten a junk removal quote in Nashville lately and thought the price felt higher than you expected — you're not imagining it. Starting around 2022, disposal costs for commercial haulers in Middle Tennessee began rising in ways that were quiet, structural, and largely invisible to the average homeowner. This post explains what changed, why it matters, and what Junk Busters does to keep your estimate as competitive as possible.
Until 2022, Nashville's independent junk removal companies — including Junk Busters — had access to Waste Management's Southern Services C&D landfill in Bordeaux, a neighborhood in northwest Davidson County. It was the only commercial construction and demolition (C&D) landfill in Davidson County. "C&D debris" includes everything generated by renovation and demolition work: drywall, lumber, concrete, roofing, and large mixed loads from property cleanouts.
A C&D landfill accepting third-party commercial loads is a critical piece of infrastructure for any city with an active housing market. Nashville has one of the most active housing markets in the country. And then that access went away.
Around 2022, Southern Services began restricting access to preserve remaining capacity for WM's own fleet. Third-party haulers — every independent junk removal company in the city — were effectively locked out. This wasn't widely publicized. It showed up on haulers' bills, not on the news.
Then in September 2023, the Tennessee Court of Appeals denied Southern Services' permit to expand the landfill. Without expansion and without third-party access, the situation became permanent rather than temporary. WM has announced plans for a recycling transfer facility to partially offset the loss, but it doesn't solve commercial C&D disposal for independent haulers in the near term.
The result: every independent junk removal company in Nashville must now drive to a landfill in Williamson, Sumner, Rutherford, Wilson, Cheatham, or another surrounding county to dispose of C&D debris and large mixed loads. That means longer drives, more fuel, and higher tipping fees — all of which factor into the price of your estimate.
The Southern Services situation didn't just affect Nashville haulers. It added volume pressure to every surrounding county's landfill. And some of those facilities have had their own challenges:
On April 14, 2024, a hydraulic hose burst caused a fire in the tipping area at the Resource Authority of Sumner County — the primary disposal facility for Gallatin, Hendersonville, Portland, and all of Sumner County. The facility closed for repairs. Since reopening, Sumner County now charges for both mattresses AND box springs separately — not just mattresses. Current rates: $75/ton for in-county waste and $85/ton for out-of-county waste. The extra mattress and box spring charges are something we pass through at cost on any relevant job.
Middle Point Landfill on Landfill Road in Rutherford County is one of the largest disposal facilities in Middle Tennessee. It currently serves 34 counties. The problem: it is projected to reach capacity within 4–6 years. The Rutherford County Commission has proposed capping the amount of out-of-county waste — particularly from Davidson County — it accepts, in order to extend the landfill's operational life for Rutherford County residents. Current gate rate: $99/ton minimum. Junk Busters maintains a commercial account with volume-based rate reductions, but the base rate is what it is. When Middle Point limits intake or closes, every hauler in the region will have fewer options and prices will rise further.
Williamson County Landfill charges $75/ton — the highest general tipping rate in our primary Tennessee service area. Effective April 1, 2024, the county began charging $20 per mattress and $20 per box spring separately. Jobs in Franklin, Brentwood, Spring Hill, and Nolensville are routed here, and we're transparent about it on every estimate.
| County | Facility | Rate | Mattress / Box Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davidson, TN | Omohundro (residential only; commercial routed out-of-county) | $20/2 cu yd max | Varies |
| Sumner, TN | Resource Authority of Sumner County | $75/ton in-county · $85/ton out-of-county | Charged separately (post-fire policy) |
| Williamson, TN | Williamson County Landfill | $75/ton | $20 each (eff. April 2024) |
| Montgomery, TN | Bi-County Solid Waste | $48/ton (>2,500 lbs) | $10 each |
| Rutherford, TN | Middle Point Landfill | $99/ton minimum (volume discount acct) | Charged separately |
| Wilson, TN | Wilson County Landfill | $18/cu yd C&D · $100/ton shingles | Charged separately |
| Cheatham, TN | Cheatham County Solid Waste | $77/ton (eff. July 2025) | Charged separately |
| Robertson, TN | Robertson County | $65/ton in-county · $75/ton out-of-county | Charged separately |
| Logan, KY | Logan County Solid Waste | $38/ton (eff. Sept 2024) | Charged separately |
| Simpson, KY | Simpson Co. Convenience Center | $45/yard C&D · $25 large truck load | Charged separately |
| Allen, KY | Allen County Landfill | $51.50/ton | Charged separately |
| Warren, KY | Benson Valley Landfill | Commercial tonnage (quote required) | Charged separately |
Beyond the base tipping rate, certain items carry additional per-item fees at the gate. These aren't Junk Busters fees — they're fees set by the county landfill that we pass through at cost:
Tennessee law requires all loads to be covered. Uncovered loads can result in fines of $20–$50 per violation. We tarp every load — not just because the law requires it, but because debris falling from an uncovered truck is a genuine road hazard. We've never cut this corner and we never will.
We've been dumping at facilities across this region every week for years. We know the gate staff at Middle Point. We know the weigh-in procedures at Sumner County. We monitor facility policy changes — like the Sumner fire and the Williamson mattress fee — as they happen, not months later. That operational knowledge is what lets us quote accurately.
The waste disposal situation across Middle Tennessee is genuinely complicated right now. Southern Services is locked. Middle Point is running out of room. Sumner County had a fire. Williamson County rates are high. We can't fix any of that. What we can do is be honest about it — and give you an accurate quote that reflects reality so you're not surprised at the end of a job.
Ready to get an estimate? Call 615-881-2505 or submit a quote request online. We serve Nashville, Clarksville, Bowling Green KY, and communities across Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky. We'll tell you exactly what the job costs — including any applicable disposal fees — before we start.
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