Alamance County, NC Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)

Section 4(1)(a) of the ordinance requires that garbage be stored only in containers that are durable, rust-resistant, nonabsorbent, watertight, rodent-proof, and easily cleanable, fitted with a close-fitting, fly-tight cover and adequate handles, and capped at 96-gallon capacity; storing perishable or offensive garbage in any container for more than one week is separately unlawful. Section 4(1)(b) then prohibits depositing, storing, or permitting solid waste to accumulate on any property in a manner that provides food or harborage for rodents, vermin, and other nuisance animals or insects, or that creates a fire or safety hazard.

C. Gen. §130A and its general-ordinance authority in §153A. The rule reaches every premises in the county, from single-family lots to multi-unit rental properties; Section 4(1)(g) separately requires the owner or manager of any residential building or manufactured home park with five or more units to arrange regular garbage collection for every unit, closing off the multi-family loophole that would otherwise let uncollected waste accumulate and attract rodents. Enforcement runs through the Health Director, who documents harborage conditions and can order correction before pursuing penalties.