How to Dispose of Concrete: A Step-by-Step Guide to Responsible Removal
If you’ve recently completed a demolition, renovation, or landscaping project, you might be left with a pile of unwanted concrete. It’s heavy, bulky, and not something you can toss in the regular trash. At RCM Alabama, we help homeowners and contractors understand how to dispose of concrete properly—and how to recycle it for future use.
Here’s a closer look at the step-by-step process for concrete disposal.
Step 1: Sort and Clean the Concrete
Before anything else, inspect your concrete debris. To be recycled, the concrete should be:
Free of trash or large amounts of soil
Free from excessive metal (small amounts of rebar are usually okay)
Separated from wood, plastic, and hazardous materials
Clean concrete is easier to process and more valuable for reuse.
Step 2: Break It Down
Large slabs and chunks are difficult to transport. Use a jackhammer or sledgehammer to break the concrete into manageable pieces—ideally no larger than 2–3 feet in width. Smaller pieces are easier to load and process in recycling equipment.
Step 3: Transport to a Recycling Facility
Once the concrete is cleaned and broken down, you have two main options:
Self-haul: Bring the concrete directly to a local recycling facility like RCM Alabama, where it can be processed with our state-of-the-art equipment.
Remote crushing & screening: For larger jobs, RCM provides remote crushing and screening services. We can bring our equipment and staff to you for efficient and cost-effective recycling at the job site.
Step 4: Recycling the Concrete
At our facility, the concrete goes through a multi-step recycling process:
Screening & sorting – Material is screened and sorted to remove contaminants and ensure quality.
Crushing – The concrete is processed through industrial crushers to produce various sizes of aggregate.
Storage & reuse – The recycled concrete is stockpiled and made available for resale for use in new construction, road base, driveways, and fill material.
This process reduces landfill waste and gives the material a second life—making it the most environmentally responsible option.
Why Recycle with RCM Alabama?
✅ Full-Service Solutions – We offer off-site crushing and screening and onsite drop-off, in addition to resale of recycled concrete.
✅ Eco-Friendly – We divert tons of concrete from landfills each year and turn it into usable aggregate.
✅ Cost-Effective – Recycling concrete is often cheaper than landfill disposal—and supports local projects.
Disposing of concrete doesn't have to be a hassle.
At RCM Alabama, we make it easy, efficient, and environmentally smart. Whether you're a contractor managing site debris or a homeowner tackling a DIY project, our team is here to help.
📞 Contact us today to learn more about our concrete disposal and recycling services, or to purchase a load (or two) of recycled crushed concrete!