A roll off box, sometimes called a roll off dumpster, is a must-have on a variety of residential, construction and industrial projects for collecting and transporting waste such as construction debris, industrial concrete, sludge, spills and runoff.

You might think a box is a box, but not all roll off boxes are created equal. The type of waste material you’re dealing with dictates the best type of box for the task, one that will help you remain in compliance with waste disposal regulations and prevent an environmental incident.

First, what is a roll off box? It’s different from a standard dumpster in that it:

• Is longer and therefore more rectangular; sizes vary, but a 25-yard roll off box is the most common
• Has a hinged door with a gasket
• Typically has a tarp or lid to cover the box
• Has wheels for rolling onto and off trucks that carry them to a disposal facility or landfill
• Comes in different types for containing different kinds of waste

Here are five types of roll off boxes and their common uses.

1. Open top/roll tarp box

An open top roll off box is open at the top for easy loading of bulky materials such as demolition debris and trash. These containers are equipped with hooks for adding a heavy-duty tarp to keep the materials dry and secure.

Roll tarp boxes are useful for containing and transporting loose loads such as grain and stone and for storing waste materials from environmental remediation projects and oil and chemical refineries. The tarp can be rolled to one side to provide access to the interior or to keep liquids from splashing out during a dewatering operation. These boxes are not appropriate for transporting free liquids offsite, which can splash and leak during transport.

For small dewatering applications, a roll off box can be used in place of a more expensive dewatering box by adding a liner and opening the door for drainage. Roll off box liners are available in mesh and cloth, with a variety of size and cloth options. Your equipment vendor can help you choose the best liner for your application.

Whether you’re collecting wet solids or liquids, a liner will help you keep box clean and avoid cleaning fees.

2. Roll off box with lid

A roll off box with a plastic or metal lid provides secure storage for transporting materials such as trash, construction debris and soil from environmental projects. Containers with lids help prevent unauthorized access, contain odors and keep out pests.

A roll off box with a metal lid can be used for containing both non-hazardous and hazardous materials. The sliding lid has rubber seal gaskets and provides a tight lock to prevent spills. These boxes are commonly used in refinery and industrial plant applications.

3. Vacuum roll off box

Dry materials such as resin and pellets and wet materials such as sludge and oil can be siphoned or pumped into a 25-yard vacuum roll off box, then hauled away to a disposal site. The design of the box helps prevent overfilling and spills, making it useful for containing and transporting hazardous and environmentally sensitive materials.

The box has a very small opening (manway) at the top for filling, and ports for connecting the box to a vacuum truck on one end and the product on the other end.

Vacuum roll off boxes are ideal for supporting clean-up operations, environmental remediation jobs and maintenance of refinery and chemical plants units.

4. Dewatering box

A dewatering roll off box, also called a dewatering container or sludge box, is designed for dewatering solid sludge and slurry. The box traps solids with a mesh screen or cloth filter and discharges liquids through drains at the bottom. Gravity does the work of compressing the material. The result is a dry waste product.

These boxes are often used for sludge control in pipeline applications, refineries and wastewater treatment plants, and for dewatering solids built up in ponds. They can also be used to dewater wet/dry mixtures such as mud, lime and plaster of Paris.

A vacuum truck can dump sludge into the box, or the box can be connected directly to a vacuum truck or sludge pump through a flanged filling point.

A full-service rental provider such as United Rentals can suggest an appropriate filter. The right filter depends on the particle size of the material, measured in microns. If the particles are too big, the cloth will clog. In some cases, United Rentals will perform a bench test onsite using a sample cloth to identify the cloth micron rating needed. For larger particles, a dewatering screen will work better.

The additional cost of these specialized boxes may be offset by savings on transport and disposal fees due to the reduced weight of the materials after dewatering.

Dewatering roll off boxes can be customized for different applications. For instance, a hard top can be added for safely containing potentially hazardous materials during transport.

Choosing the right box

Not sure which box you need? Talking with a United Rentals Fluid Solutions representative will help you arrive at the best box, lid and filtering system for the material and application as well as the right pump if needed.

The representative will ask questions about the product (is it a liquid, a solid, a finish product or waste stream product?) and what goal you’re trying to accomplish. They will recommend a liner if applicable and other possible customizations. They will also provide guidance around what not to put in the box. Acidic materials, for example, can damage the box and potentially lead to damage charges.

Roll off boxes may seem like simple containers, but choosing the right type is important to facilitating a safe, efficient, successful operation.

Visit our online marketplace to browse our inventory of roll off boxes or contact your local branch to speak with one of our Fluid Solutions experts.