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

Rutherford County Code section 15-24 sets the operative storage rule for the unincorporated county; Rutherfordton, Forest City, Spindale, Lake Lure, Chimney Rock Village, Bostic, Ellenboro and Ruth enforce their own municipal codes instead. Subsection (1) requires that garbage be kept in a container that is durable, rust-resistant, nonabsorbent, water-tight, rodent-proof and easily cleanable, fitted with a close-fitting, fly-tight cover and handles or bails, and capped at 35 gallons when handled manually. Perishable or offensive garbage cannot legally sit in any container for more than one week.

Separately, subsection (2) makes it unlawful to let solid waste or garbage accumulate on any property in a manner that provides food or harborage for rodents and vermin, or that creates a fire or safety hazard, regardless of container compliance: an overflowing bin or trash pile that draws rats violates the ordinance even if the receptacle itself meets spec. The county solid waste director administers the article under section 15-22, and the health director can act where accumulated trash is judged a public health hazard, as under the parallel junk/appliance rule at subsection (3).

Violators face prosecution as a misdemeanor under section 15-19, and the county may separately recover its own cleanup costs from the violator under section 15-20 if county crews have to correct the condition. Because the state solid waste management rules under 10 NCAC 10G are incorporated by reference at section 15-21, a rodent-harborage complaint can also trigger a state rule violation alongside the county one.