Can I load an Ottawa bin above the top edge?

A common company rule is to load level with the top edge, with nothing hanging over the sides, and at least one Ottawa bin company says extra fees may apply when a bin is overfilled. That is a company rule, not a City or provincial law, so the answer for your bin is whatever the company you book puts in writing.

Because each company sets its own fill rule, ask before you start loading:

• What is the exact fill rule, and may anything sit above the rim?
• Is there a fee if the bin is overfilled, and how much?
• What may the bin hold by weight for the material you are putting in?

The weight question matters as much as the fill line. Heavy material such as soil, concrete and brick usually needs a small or dedicated bin, or a partly filled one, billed by weight, so a heavy load can reach the company's weight terms before it reaches the top edge.

Two Ottawa bin companies describe a 20 yard bin as roughly 8 pickup-truck loads, a rough guide to whether a load will stay level with the top edge of that size. If you are not sure the size you picked will hold everything level with the top, describe the material to the company and ask whether the next size up, or a second bin for heavy material, is the better fit.

Ask for the fill rule and any overfill fee in writing with the quote, so pickup day holds no surprises.