Junk Removal Cost in Cape Girardeau, MO

How junk removal is priced in Cape Girardeau

Full-service junk removal in Southeast Missouri is almost always priced by volume - how much space your items take up in the truck - not by the hour or the pound. When you call for a quote, we look at the pile, estimate what fraction of a truckload it fills, and give you an upfront price before any lifting starts. That price bundles labor, loading, hauling, and disposal or recycling fees into one number, so there are no surprises at the curb.

Because disposal costs are baked into every quote, it helps to understand what the local landfill and transfer station actually charge. The rest of this guide breaks down the real, published fees for Cape Girardeau so you can see where your money goes.

What the volume tiers look like

Most haulers, including us, use a simple sliding scale based on truck space:

We give volume-based estimates and confirm the price on site once we see the actual pile. Heavy debris such as concrete, dirt, or roofing shingles is quoted separately because of landfill weight charges.

Real Cape Girardeau disposal fees that affect your quote

The City of Cape Girardeau operates a Transfer Station at 2055 Corporate Circle where household junk, appliances, and bulky items are dropped for disposal. The city's published Rates as of 7/1/25 are:

• General disposal: $90.00/ton
• Limbs and brush: $90.00/ton
• White goods (appliances): $25.00 each
• Unsecured load fee: $25.00 (loads must be tarped/secured)
• Minimum charge: $25.00, plus a monthly fuel surcharge ($1.23/ton or each as of 07/01/2026)

The transfer station does not accept tires, batteries, motor oil, concrete, railroad ties, auto parts, pesticides, or oil-based paint, so those carry their own handling steps and costs (covered below).

What the city hauls at low or no cost

Before you pay anyone, know that City of Cape Girardeau trash customers get options built into their utility bill:

• Regular trash day bulk items: Furniture and similar bulk items can go out on your normal trash day if placed within 3 feet of the curb and light enough for two people to lift.
• Wednesday Special Pickups: Large loads - garage/basement debris, brush, and appliances - can be scheduled by calling (573) 339-6351 by 3 p.m. the Tuesday before. Each residential trash customer gets one free Wednesday Special Pickup per calendar year; additional pickups are billed.

If your timeline, volume, stairs, or item type make the city option impractical, that's where a full-service hauler earns its fee - we do the labor and handle disposal the same day.

Special-item fees to expect

• Refrigerators, freezers, AC units (freon): Appliances with refrigerant require certified recovery before disposal, which is why they cost more than a dresser.
• TVs and monitors: Cape's electronics recycler does not take TVs or monitors; they must go to the transfer station for disposal, so they carry a small extra charge.
• Tires: Not accepted at the transfer station. Missouri charges a 50-cent scrap-tire fee at retail, and tire shops or scrap recyclers take used tires for a per-tire fee.
• Mattresses: Bulky and low-density, so they take up truck volume out of proportion to their weight.

The easy option

For a no-obligation, volume-based quote in Cape Girardeau and Jackson, call (573) 266-2040. We lift, load, sweep up, and cover all disposal and recycling fees in one upfront price.

Sources

City of Cape Girardeau Transfer Station rates: cityofcapegirardeau.org. Special Pickups: cityofcapegirardeau.org. Missouri scrap-tire fee: dnr.mo.gov. Last verified 2026-08-01.