Trash & Recycling in Rowan County, NC (2026)
8 rules for unincorporated Rowan County, North Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Unincorporated Rowan County runs no curbside trash pickup. County Code § 19-28(b) makes every owner, occupant, tenant or lessee responsible for storing and removing solid waste from their own property on a regular basis, hauling it themselves to one of the county's staffed greenbox container sites, which admit waste only during posted business hours under § 19-29(a).
Rowan County Trash Removal Rules
Some RestrictionsRowan County Code §§ 19-28(b), 19-29(a)
(b)The owner, occupant, tenant or lessee of any property shall be responsible for the storage, collection and disposal of solid waste and shall remove or cause to be removed all solid wastes from his property on a regular basis. ... Sec. 19-29. - Greenbox solid waste containers.(a)Solid waste containers are maintained at sites throughout the county for the convenience of county residents, and n...
Bin Placement Rules
At Rowan County's greenbox convenience centers, County Code § 19-29(b) requires every load to go inside the labeled solid waste container matching its designated waste type; nothing may be left outside the containers at the disposal site, and depositing waste in a container not authorized for that material is itself a violation.
Rowan County Container Placement Rule
Some RestrictionsRowan County Code § 19-29(b)
(b)All solid wastes intended for disposal in a solid waste container shall be deposited inside the solid waste containers. Each container shall be labeled with a designation of the specific type of waste authorized to be placed within the container, and no person shall deposit in such solid waste containers any garbage, waste or other matter except that which is specifically designated and auth...
Bulk Item Disposal
Rowan County limits how long bulky waste can sit outside a home. Code Section 19-28(f) bars anyone but a licensed junk dealer from leaving bulky items like furniture or appliances outside a building or dwelling for more than two weeks, and Section 19-49 requires wood and forest debris to be segregated for free disposal at the landfill.
Rowan County Bulky Waste Two-Week Limit
Some RestrictionsRowan County Code §§ 19-28(f), 19-49(a)
No owner, occupant, tenant or lessee of a building or dwelling, other than a licensed junk dealer, may place or leave, or cause to be placed or left, outside the building or dwelling any bulky wastes for longer than two (2) weeks. ... All forest/wood products derived from tree cuttings, brush, limbs, leaves or other wood products must be properly segregated in order to be disposed of in a prope...
Illegal Dumping
Rowan County treats illegal dumping as a solid waste violation with real teeth. Code Section 19-28(o) bans open dumping of solid waste outright, Section 19-31 bars leaving trash, garbage or debris anywhere but a designated container, and violators face a misdemeanor charge plus a civil penalty of up to $500 under Section 19-32.
Rowan County Illegal Dumping Penalties
Some RestrictionsRowan County Code §§ 19-28(o), 19-31, 19-32(b)
Open dumping of solid waste is prohibited. ... No person shall deposit trash, garbage, or debris on premises on which containers therefor are located except in such containers at locations in the county selected by the board of commissioners. No furniture, appliances, tires, or objects too large to fit into containers will be deposited in or outside of such containers. ... Any person or persons...
Yard Waste Collection
Yard debris cannot go straight into Rowan County's regular landfill; § 19-46(b)(10) bars it there, and § 19-49 requires tree cuttings, brush, limbs and leaves to be segregated into a designated forest and wood products area at no charge, or pay double the standard disposal price if they arrive unsorted.
Rowan County Yard Waste Segregation Rule
Some RestrictionsRowan County Code §§ 19-46(b)(10), 19-49
(b)The following wastes may not be disposed of in the landfill, nor in the county's solid waste containers: ... (10)Yard debris. ... Sec. 19-49. - Same—Forest/wood products.(a)All forest/wood products derived from tree cuttings, brush, limbs, leaves or other wood products must be properly segregated in order to be disposed of in a properly designated area at the county landfill. All segregated ...
Dumpster Rules
Any business classified as a special-requirement (SR) use in unincorporated Rowan County must keep its outdoor storage, including dumpsters and roll-off containers, out of the required setbacks and behind the building. County Code Sec. 21-55(10) also requires the storage area to be screened under Article IX before Planning & Development signs off on the site plan.
Rowan County Sets Dumpster Siting Rules
Some RestrictionsRowan County Code § 21-55(10)
(10)Outdoor storage. All outside storage areas including dumpsters shall be:a.Sited to the rear of the building;b.Not within the required setbacks;c.Outdoor storage shall be screened as provided in article IX for that use.
Collection Schedule
Rowan County makes every property owner responsible for getting rid of their own trash. Code Section 19-28(a)-(b) bars letting solid waste accumulate on a property and requires the owner, tenant or lessee to remove it on a regular basis, at a site or facility permitted to accept it, since the county runs no curbside pickup in the unincorporated area.
Rowan County Mandatory Solid Waste Removal
Some RestrictionsRowan County Code § 19-28(a)-(b)
No owner, occupant, tenant or lessee of any property may deposit, store or permit to accumulate any solid wastes upon his property that is not stored or disposed of in a manner prescribed by this article. ... The owner, occupant, tenant or lessee of any property shall be responsible for the storage, collection and disposal of solid waste and shall remove or cause to be removed all solid wastes ...
Recycling Rules
County Code § 19-28(e) requires recyclable cans, bottles, paper, cardboard, metal and rags to be kept in rodent-resistant, water-resistant containers, and § 19-32(c) fines a solid waste hauler who dumps a load that is 25 percent or more corrugated cardboard by weight or volume, starting with a written warning and rising to triple the tipping fee.
Rowan County Recycling Storage Rule
Some RestrictionsRowan County Code §§ 19-28(e), 19-32(c)
(e)Materials to be recycled such as cans, bottles, paper, cardboard, metal and rags shall be stored in rodent resistant, water-resistant containers. ... (c)Recyclable corrugated cardboard. Any solid waste hauler who disposes of waste containing twenty-five (25) percent or more by weight or volume of corrugated cardboard will be charged according to the following schedule:(1)First offense. Writt...
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