Trash & Recycling in Catawba County, NC (2026)
7 rules for unincorporated Catawba County, North Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Bin Placement Rules
Catawba County bars residents from storing garbage in any container that is not durable, rust-resistant, watertight and rodent-proof, capped at 96 gallons, with a tight-fitting cover under Code of Ordinances § 32-6(a)(1). Perishable garbage cannot sit in any container for more than a week, and the standard applies to every property owner, occupant, tenant or lessee storing waste before collection.
Catawba County Garbage Container Standards
Some RestrictionsCatawba County, NC Code of Ordinances § 32-6(a)(1)
(1)It shall be unlawful for any person to store any garbage in any container that is not durable, rust-resistant, nonabsorbent, watertight, rodent-proof, and easily cleanable with a close-fitting, fly-tight cover in place with adequate handles or bails to facilitate handling, not to exceed a 96-gallon capacity, or other types of containers conforming to the intent of this chapter. It shall also...
Bulk Item Disposal
Catawba County requires its franchised solid waste haulers to provide 'special haul services,' the county's term for bulky-item and non-routine pickups, to every county resident at a rate the board of commissioners must approve under Code of Ordinances § 32-4(d). If a customer and hauler cannot agree on the service or price for such a pickup, either side can ask the board of commissioners to mediate the dispute at its next regular meeting.
Catawba County Special Haul Waste Services
Light RestrictionsCatawba County, NC Code of Ordinances § 32-4(d)-(e)
(d)The licensee shall provide special haul services to all persons within the county, at a rate approved by the board of commissioners.(e)For additional services and for commercial customers, the customer and the licensee may enter into an agreement satisfactory to them as to fees and the services to be rendered. If a licensee and customer are unable to agree upon the special services to be ren...
Recycling Requirements
Catawba County's board of commissioners has reserved the authority to require residents to separate recyclables from trash and to participate in an approved recycling program under Section 32-9 of the county code. Licensed haulers must already offer at-least-weekly curbside recycling collection alongside regular garbage pickup.
Catawba County Recycling Rules for Residents
Some RestrictionsCatawba County Code § 32-9
The board of commissioners expressly reserves the right to require the source separation of materials from solid waste prior to collection of the solid waste for disposal and require participation in a recycling program which has been approved by the board of commissioners.
Illegal Dumping
Catawba County makes it unlawful for anyone to throw, dump or deposit solid waste on their own property, someone else's property, any public street or highway, or any public park, except at a site specifically designated for waste disposal, under Code of Ordinances § 32-6(a)(5). Violators face a misdemeanor charge plus a civil penalty of up to $500.00 for each day the dumping continues.
Catawba County Illegal Dumping Ban
Heavy RestrictionsCatawba County, NC Code of Ordinances § 32-6(a)(5)
(5)No person shall throw, dump, deposit or cause to be thrown, dumped, or deposited solid waste on property owned by the person, another person, or on any public highway, street or road; upon public parks or recreation areas; or upon any other public property except property specifically designated for that use.
Yard Waste Collection
Catawba County bars yard trash, meaning brush, grass, tree limbs and similar vegetative material, from the county landfill and its solid waste convenience centers unless it goes into a container specifically marked and designated to accept that waste, under Code of Ordinances § 32-6(c)(10) and § 32-6(i)(4)(j). Land-clearing debris such as stumps and untreated wood is grouped with yard trash as 'yard waste' under the chapter's definitions in § 32-1.
Catawba County Yard Trash Disposal Rules
Some RestrictionsCatawba County, NC Code of Ordinances § 32-6(c)(10)
(c)The sanitary landfill of the county may be used for the disposal of solid wastes by any person who is a resident of the county during regular hours of operation of the landfill. Solid wastes shall be disposed of at the landfill in the manner and according to the procedures required by the landfill superintendent. The following wastes may not be disposed of in the landfill:...(10)Yard trash, ...
Dumpster Rules
Every new commercial, institutional, or multifamily building in unincorporated Catawba County must set aside a central solid-waste storage area, and if the dumpster sits outside a building it needs a screened, gated enclosure built to match the principal structure's front wall. Single-family and two-family homes are exempt under UDO Sec. 44-525.
Catawba County Dumpster Screening & Storage Rules
Some RestrictionsCatawba County Code of Ordinances § 44-525
All new buildings and uses, except for single-family and two-family dwellings, must provide facilities for the central storage of solid waste within the lot. Where facilities are provided outside of a building, they must be screened from public rights-of-way and adjacent property by an enclosure constructed of materials compatible with the materials on the front building wall of the principal b...
Collection Schedule
Catawba County requires its licensed solid waste haulers to collect roadside garbage and separated recyclables from every customer's premises at least once a week, with the monthly fee set by the board of commissioners under Code of Ordinances § 32-4(c). The county grants exclusive collection licenses by geographic area, and only the licensed hauler assigned to a customer's area may provide that weekly service.
Catawba County Weekly Roadside Trash Pickup
Some RestrictionsCatawba County, NC Code of Ordinances § 32-4(c)
The licensee shall collect and the customer shall pay a monthly fee, approved by the board of commissioners, for roadside collection and disposal of solid waste and for collection of materials separated for recycling from the customer's premises at least once a week.
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