The primary disadvantage is that it is limited to rather small amounts of household wastes. A 40 cubic yard roll-off box can accomodate the household waste for about 1,000 people if the box is emptied daily. Communities in the range of 1,000 to 3,000 can be served by multiple boxes or an open top transfer trailer. With more than 3,000 people, one of the other type stations should be considered. It should not accept bulky items such as construction debris, appliances and furniture.
Hazardous wastes are difficult to detect.
Rodent problems can develop. Each household dumps their waste into the hatch of a roll-off box which is emptied about weekly at the Lincoln landfill. Larger towns may have to increase the frequency of emptying the box or increase the number of boxes. It has a smaller capacity and is usually limited to serving 100 families or less. These boxes are often used for apartment complexes but can be used at a central point in a rural area.