Trash & Recycling in Onslow County, NC (2026)
7 rules for unincorporated Onslow County, North Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Bin Placement Rules
Anyone generating construction debris, business trash, garbage, household trash, or yard trash in unincorporated Onslow County must provide a suitable receptacle for it. Refuse must stay in a covered container with a tight-fitting lid at all times until it is collected.
Onslow County Trash Receptacle Requirements
Some RestrictionsOnslow County Code of Ordinances § 14-32
Every person in possession, charge, or control of any property or project from which construction debris, business trash, refuse generated from outdoor events and festivals, garbage, household trash, industrial waste, tree and shrubbery trimmings, yard trash, or other solid waste is accumulated or produced shall provide adequate and suitable receptacles and/or containers capable of holding all ...
Bulk Item Disposal
Onslow County lets oversized household trash go out next to the regular container only if securely bagged or bound, and requires white goods and yard trash to be separated and taken to the county landfill or a convenience site rather than curbside.
Onslow County Bulky Waste Disposal Rules
Some RestrictionsOnslow County Code of Ordinances § 14-5; § 14-33(5),(8); § 14-34(g)
Bulky waste: Large items of solid waste such as household appliances, furniture, mattresses, bedding, automobiles, large vehicle or machinery parts, trees, branches, stumps and other waste whose large size precludes or complicates its handling by normal solid waste collection, processing, or disposal methods. ... (5)Household trash. ... Any items of household trash that are too large for recept...
Recycling Requirements
Onslow County has no curbside recycling truck. Recyclables go to the county landfill or a convenience site, where Section 14-34(h) requires plastics, glass, aluminum and steel cans, newspapers, magazines, and cardboard to be clean and source-separated from ordinary solid waste.
Onslow County Recycling Drop-Off Requirements
Some RestrictionsOnslow County Code of Ordinances § 14-34(h)
The following items are accepted at the landfill or at convenience sites for recycling and shall be clean and source separated from solid waste: plastics, glass, aluminum cans, steel cans, newspapers, magazines, cardboard, and others as may be determined by the county solid waste department.
Illegal Dumping
Discarding solid waste on public property or someone else's private property is unlawful under Section 14-36, and unsightly litter or junk visible from a property must be cleared within seven days of enforcement notice. Unlawful disposal draws a civil penalty of $100 per ton, up to $500, plus possible misdemeanor charges.
Onslow County Illegal Dumping Penalties
Heavy RestrictionsOnslow County Code of Ordinances § 14-36
It shall be unlawful for any responsible person to encroach on the rights of others through the neglect of property by:(1)Causing or allowing unsightly litter, accumulated junk, foul odor, or potentially dangerous devices to remain in public view, or remain in view from adjoining properties, on or emanate from a property for any period in excess of seven days following notice by an authorized e...
Yard Waste Collection
Grass clippings, shrubbery cuttings, vine trimmings, and dry leaf rakings count as yard trash and must be kept separate from other solid waste at the county landfill. Residents without pickup service may burn leaves, trimmings, and yard trash on their own premises only under Section 14-183's listed conditions.
Onslow County Yard Waste Disposal and Burning Rules
Some RestrictionsOnslow County Code of Ordinances § 14-183(b)(1)
(1)Open burning of leaves, tree trimmings or yard trash, excluding logs and stumps, if all the following conditions are met:a.The material burned originates on the premises of a private residence and is burned on that premises;b.There are no public pick-up services available for the material identified for burning;c.The burning does not create a nuisance; andd.Material is not burned when any st...
Dumpster Rules
Onslow County requires nonresidential developments and multi-family or mobile-home park projects without individual trash pickup to provide a sized-to-fit solid waste collection area at least 25 feet from any exterior property line, screened behind the building line by a six-foot opaque fence or masonry wall.
Onslow County Commercial Dumpster Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsOnslow County Code of Ordinances §§ 10.2, 10.8
A. Solid waste collection and storage areas shall be provided for all nonresidential uses, as well as all multi-family and mobile-home park developments where each unit is not provided with individual solid waste collection service. B. Solid waste collection and storage areas shall be designed and sized to accommodate the reasonably expected amount of solid waste generated by the associated use...
Collection Schedule
Onslow County runs no residential curbside collection route in the unincorporated county. Section 14-31 puts the legal duty on each waste generator to store, collect, and dispose of their own solid waste, either by hauling it themselves to a county convenience site or landfill or by hiring a licensed commercial hauler.
Onslow County: No Curbside Pickup, Self-Haul
Some RestrictionsOnslow County Code of Ordinances § 14-31
(a)It shall be unlawful for any responsible person to maintain a residence, commercial establishment, or parcel of land where solid waste is permitted to accumulate in any manner that may:(1)Become a nuisance;(2)Cause injury to the health or welfare of residents in the vicinity;(3)Detract from the value of the property or neighboring property; or(4)Violate any provision of this chapter.(b)A gen...
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