EPA conversion factor · read 2026-10-20

HVAC ductwork: weight per yard and dumpster size

EPA puts a loose cubic yard of hvac ductwork at 47 pounds (0 tons at the figure). That is light enough that every size from 10 to 40 yards can be filled to the top and stay inside its published weight capacity, so hvac ductwork is sized by volume.

1One cubic yard 47 lb
2Per 32-gal bag about 8 lb
3Fills level 10-yard and up
410-yard limit 10 of 10 yd

Per loose cubic yard

47 lb

Per 32-gallon bag

≈ 8 lb

One 8-ft pickup bed

118 lb

Heavier materials listed

23 of 25

HVAC ductwork filled level in each size at EPA's 47 lb per cubic yard, in tons. Highlighted bars stay within the low end of Republic Services' published weight capacity; "over" means a full box would pass it.

How much hvac ductwork fits in each dumpster

Size	Full box	Republic capacity	Yards before the low limit
10 yard	0.2 t	2–3 t	all 10
15 yard	0.4 t	2–3 t	all 15
20 yard	0.5 t	4–5 t	all 20
30 yard	0.7 t	6–7 t	all 30
40 yard	0.9 t	8–9 t	all 40

Because every size can be filled to the brim, the only question is volume: how many cubic yards of hvac ductwork you have. A cubic yard is a 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft cube, and Republic counts 6 full 32-gallon bags to the yard. It weighs 10.3 times less per yard than mixed construction debris.

Worked loads of hvac ductwork

Loose yards	Weight	Smallest size that takes it	Fill
2	94 lb (0 t)	10-yard, volume-limited	20%
5	235 lb (0.1 t)	10-yard, volume-limited	50%
10	470 lb (0.2 t)	10-yard, volume-limited	100%
20	940 lb (0.5 t)	20-yard, volume-limited	100%

"Takes it" means the volume fits and the weight stays at or below the low end of Republic Services' published capacity for that size.

Materials of similar weight

Cardboard (106 lb) · Carpet padding (62 lb) · Foam packaging and insulation (32 lb). Mixed loads take on the weight of their heaviest part, so a remodel load with shingles or tile in it should be sized as if it were mostly those. The guide to what you cannot put in a dumpster covers the items haulers refuse.

Source: U.S. EPA Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery, Volume-to-Weight Conversion Factors (April 2016), row "C&D · Metal · HVAC ducting" (EPA source note 18), read 2026-10-20. Size capacities: Republic Services size pages. Methodology.