Disposal and Recycling Centers
Mecklenburg County does not collect curbside materials. The collection at your home is the responsibility of the municipality in which you live. For residents wishing to haul their own materials, Mecklenburg County has two types of drop off centers: Full Service and Self Service.
Full Service Drop-Off Disposal and Recycling Centers
County residents can take their recyclable materials, yard waste, bulky waste, electronic waste, and household hazardous waste to any of the four full-service drop-off centers Monday - Saturday from 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. Restrictions apply.
Important Things to Know about the Full Service Drop-Off Disposal and Recycling Centers
- Mecklenburg County residents are asked to display a blue entry sticker when using the full service drop off centers. All entry stickers (residential, commercial, out-of-county) are available at the fee booths at the centers. Blue stickers are no cost to County residents. You will be asked to show your driver's license or other proof that you live within Mecklenburg County.
- Residents of Mecklenburg County can dispose up to 5 bags of household (kitchen) trash per day free of charge. If you have more than 5 bags, or if you are a commercial entity, you will need to go to the fee booth to be charged.
- Residential and commercial fees now apply for the disposal of bulky waste, construction and demolition, and yard waste. .
- We accept debit cards and most major credit cards except American Express as payment for services; we do not accept checks or cash.
- If your transaction is made using a business credit card and/or from a business or commercial vehicle the transaction will be charged at the business/non-residential rate.
- Non-Mecklenburg County residents may purchase a $100 annual sticker to receive same benefits as a Mecklenburg County resident. Purchase the sticker at any of the fee booths at the recycling centers.
- Please separate all yard waste, construction/demolition debris, and bulky trash prior to visiting a facility. Mixed loads are not accepted. Some items like yard debris are banned from landfilling. Please separate materials before you arrive at our facility. Mixed loads will be charged at the C&D rate.
- Aluminum (Cans, foil, trays with no food residue)
- Antifreeze (20 gal.)
- Appliances (stoves, refrigerators, washers, dryers, water heaters, etc.)
- Books (Text, soft and Hardback)
- Batteries (rechargeable to the Full-Service Recycling Center in Household Hazardous Waste area, only. All others are trash)
- Corrugated Cardboard
- Cartons (Juice, milk, and soup)
- Cell phones
- Cereal, snacks, and shoe boxes
- Clean foam clamshells (accepted only at the Full-Service Recycling Centers in Foam-a-Saurus Rex)
- Clothing and shoes
- Computer Equipment (CPU's, monitors, laptops, printers, peripherals) – Limit 2
- Construction & Demolition Debris
- Cooking Oil (20 lbs.)
- Electronics
- Empty Aerosol Cans
- Foam (White Rigid)
- Furniture
- Garbage (limitations apply)
- Gasoline (limit 10 gallons, per resident, per day)
- Glass (bottles, jars, any color)
- Household Hazardous Waste (residents, only)
- Lawn Movers (remove hazardous chemicals)
- Mattress/Box Springs (Limit 1 each)
- Motor oil (up to 20 gallons per day, per resident)
- Oil Filters
- Paint: oil and water-based (up to 100 pounds from residents)
- Rigid plastics (5 gal. buckets, soda crates, lawn furniture, carts, garbage cans w/or w/o wheels)
- Satellite dishes
- Scrap metal (bicycle frames, grills, mowers, pipes, etc.)
- Shingles
- Shredded paper
- Steel Food Cans
- Textiles
- Tin Cans
- Tires (5 tire Limit)
- Toilet/Cabinets
- White Goods (stoves, empty refrigerators/freezers)
- White rigid foam cups (Chick-Fil-A cups, etc. clean & empty. No straws or lids – place in Foam-a-Saurus Rex)
- Wood
- Yard Waste (root balls must be smaller than a basketball, Tree Diameters limited to either 24 inches or 48 inches in diameter
It is impossible to list all items that may not be accepted or able to be processed. The list below provides an overview of typical unacceptable items. It you have specific questions about the acceptability of an item, please email our team at [email protected] and include a photo of the item in question if possible. Responses will typically occur within 4 hours during weekdays.
- Plastic bags, plastic wrap or Plastic film (take to retail stores such as Harris Teeter or Walmart).
- Ceramics or glassware such as Pyrex, flower vases, picture frames etc. (if in good condition, please donate. If broken, please place in the trash).
- Paper plates, diapers, cat litter, aluminum cooking pans, napkins (please place in the trash can).
- Wire or plastic hangers (take back to the cleaners or donate to a recycling clothing store, such as Goodwill).
- Dirty Clamshells or Styrofoam products (trash can).
- Plastic food trays or paper/Styrofoam/plastic cups are accepted only at the Full-Service Recycling Centers (in Foam-a-Saurus Rex).
- Explosives, ammunition, or radioactive items.
- All trailers over 8 ft. long need to weigh in and out or be measured to calculate the disposal fee.
- Hickory Grove and North Mecklenburg accept trailers that are 12 ft. long or smaller for Bulky and C&D Waste. Oversized vehicles greater than 12 ft. will be redirected.
- Compost Central accepts trailers up to 16 ft. long for Bulk and C&D Waste.
- The Foxhole Landfill will accept trailers over 16 ft. long. Note: the landfill is different than the general drop-off area. The landfill portion is closed on Saturdays.
- The Foxhole Landfill directs all trailers 12 ft. and longer to the landfill's working face to unload after crossing the scales.
Self Service Recycling Centers
Solid Waste and Recycling operates five self service recycling centers that are limited to accept the same items that you can recycle with curbside cart recycling. These items include: aluminum and metal cans, cardboard, milk and juice cartons, glass bottles, paper, and plastic bottles and jugs.
