Eco-Friendly Junk Disposal in Savannah: How We Keep 60% Out of Landfills
When you picture junk removal, you probably imagine a truck backing up to a hole in the ground and dumping everything out.
For decades, that has been the standard operating procedure.
A truck comes to your house, loads up your unwanted items, and drives them straight to the nearest landfill.
At Coastal Junk Pros, we decided that the “industry standard” wasn’t good enough for Savannah.
Our 60 percent landfill diversion rate means that for every full truck we haul away, more than half of that volume never touches the landfill floor.
Instead, those items are donated to local families, recycled into new materials, or repurposed completely.
Here is exactly how we make that happen and why it matters for our community.
Why Landfill Diversion Matters
Chatham County faces a waste management challenge that most residents don’t see until it becomes a crisis.
Landfill space is a finite resource, and recent reports paint a concerning picture for our area.
According to 2023 state data, the Superior Landfill & Recycling Center in Savannah had an estimated remaining capacity of under six years.
That timeline shrinks every time a usable piece of furniture or recyclable appliance is buried instead of recovered.
While the Dean Forest Road Landfill has more capacity remaining, the pressure on our local infrastructure increases with every new housing development.
We see this as a practical necessity rather than just an environmental ideal.
Diverting waste extends the life of these facilities and keeps disposal costs lower for everyone in the long run.
Beyond the math, there is the simple fact that a perfectly good dining table shouldn’t be crushed just because the owner bought a new one.
We believe that bridging the gap between “unwanted” and “needed” is the most valuable service we provide.
Marcus Greene, our founder and Marine Corps veteran, built this resourcefulness into our DNA from day one.
He saw firsthand that waste is often just a resource in the wrong place, and we apply that logic to every job we tackle.
Our Sorting and Donation Process
The secret to hitting a 60 percent diversion rate isn’t what happens at the dump; it is what happens in the driveway.
Our crew begins evaluating items the moment they arrive at your property.
We separate materials into three distinct categories before the truck even leaves your neighborhood.
Donation stream: This includes furniture, working appliances, and household goods that can immediately serve another family. We prioritize items that are stain-free and structurally sound. These goods go to partners like the Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity ReStore or the Old Savannah City Mission.
Recycling stream: This category covers metals, cardboard, paper, and untreated wood. We route scrap metal from old appliances and bed frames to facilities like SA Recycling on Sonny Perdue Drive. Cardboard boxes from moving cleanouts are flattened and baled for paper recycling centers.
Disposal stream: This is the last resort for items that are chemically contaminated, broken beyond repair, or hazardous. We only use the landfill for items that truly have no other option.
Insider Tip: The “10-Year Rule”
Most donation centers in Savannah, including Habitat ReStore, have a strict policy for appliances.
“Dishwashers, stoves, and washing machines usually must be 10 years old or newer and in working order to be accepted.” If your appliance is older than that, we automatically route it to metal recycling to ensure it doesn’t get rejected at the donation dock.
Where Your Donated Items Go
Savannah has a robust network of nonprofits, but knowing exactly what they need is a full-time job.
When you use Coastal Junk Pros for residential junk removal, we match your items to the organization that needs them most right now.
Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity ReStore Located on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, this is our primary destination for building materials, cabinets, and quality furniture. The proceeds from selling your old kitchen table help fund new home construction for families in Chatham County.
Old Savannah City Mission This organization is vital for emergency support. We often deliver clothing and basic household goods here because they go directly to individuals facing homelessness or crisis situations.
Goodwill and Salvation Army For smaller household items, clothes, and bric-a-brac, these organizations provide consistent intake centers. Their thrift store revenues support job training programs that benefit the wider Savannah economy.
For a comprehensive guide to donation options in our area, see our post on Savannah donation centers and what they accept.
The Recycling Side of Diversion
Donation is the best outcome, but recycling is where the heavy lifting happens for diversion numbers.
We recover tons of raw materials that would otherwise take up massive amounts of landfill space.
Metal recycling This is the most efficient part of our operation. A standard washing machine might weigh 170 pounds, and nearly all of that is recyclable steel and iron. By taking these to a scrap yard, we keep that weight out of the landfill and put the metal back into the supply chain.
Electronics recycling (E-Waste) You cannot simply throw a computer in a dumpster in Georgia. Circuit boards contain gold and silver, while batteries contain lithium and lead. We ensure these go to certified e-waste processors who strip the valuable metals and safely neutralize the hazardous ones.
Cardboard and Paper Cleanouts often generate mountain ranges of cardboard boxes. We keep these dry and separate so they can be recycled directly, rather than rotting in a wet landfill pile where they release methane gas.
Material Value Comparison
Here is why we separate these materials:
| Material | Recyclable Content | Where It Goes |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerators | ~95% (Steel, Copper, Plastic) | Scrap Metal Yard |
| Computers | ~98% (Metals, Glass, Plastic) | Certified E-Waste Processor |
| Cardboard | 100% (Fiber) | Paper Mill / Recycling Plant |
What 60 Percent Diversion Looks Like in Practice
It is easy to throw around percentages, but let’s look at what this means for a real haul.
Imagine we are clearing out a garage in Ardsley Park.
The load includes an old sectional sofa, a rusty lawnmower, six boxes of books, a broken dryer, and a pile of mixed trash.
The “Old Way” of Junk Removal: The truck drives to the landfill. The driver pays the tipping fee. All 800 pounds of material are buried forever.
The Coastal Junk Pros Way: We spot that the sectional is worn but the frame is good, so it goes to a furniture bank for refurbishing. The books go to a local library sale or recycler.
The rusty lawnmower and broken dryer are heavy, but they are made of steel. We separate them for the scrap yard.
Only the mixed trash—maybe 300 pounds of the original 800—actually goes to the landfill.
We have successfully diverted more than 60 percent of that load without the homeowner lifting a finger.
How You Can Help Maximize Diversion
As a Coastal Junk Pros customer, you play a role in this success story.
You can help us divert even more by taking a few small steps before we arrive.
Group Your Items If you know something is working, set it slightly apart from the “trash” pile. A sticky note that says “Works Fine” on a lamp saves our crew time testing it and ensures it gets donated.
Handle Electronics Wisely Wipe your personal data from phones and laptops. While our recycling partners have strict data destruction protocols, doing it yourself adds an extra layer of security.
Know Your Batteries Automotive batteries are chemically different from household AA batteries. If you have old car batteries, let us know—they require special handling and are often collected at specific sites like the Chatham County Resource Conservation Education Center.
For larger projects like estate cleanouts or commercial cleanouts, we can conduct a pre-cleanout walkthrough.
We identify the high-value donation items early so they don’t get damaged during the removal process.
Choosing a Junk Removal Company That Cares
The sad reality is that responsible disposal takes more time and effort than dumping.
Many operators will charge you for “eco-friendly” service and then drive straight to the dump to save an hour of sorting time.
We recommend you ask three specific questions before hiring anyone:
- “What is your specific landfill diversion rate?”
- “Which local charities do you partner with by name?”
- “Do you have a separate process for e-waste and appliances?”
At Coastal Junk Pros, we answer these questions every day because we built our business on them.
We want you to feel good about reclaiming your space, knowing that your old items are helping a neighbor or being recycled responsibly.
Ready to clear out the clutter without the guilt?
Call Coastal Junk Pros at (912) 555-0247.
We will provide a free estimate and a clear plan for giving your junk a second life.
