North Dakota Statewide Rule

North Dakota Landfill Ban on Batteries, Oil, Appliances

Some RestrictionsApplies statewide across North Dakota (2026)

Key Facts

Statute: N.D.C.C. 23.1-08-08
Banned from landfill: Batteries, oil, appliances, turbine blades
Enforcer: ND Dept. of Environmental Quality
Retail duty: Accept battery trade-ins
Civil penalty: Up to $12,500/day

Last verified: July 31, 2026

Summary

North Dakota bars landfilling four waste streams outright: lead-acid batteries, used motor oil, wind turbine blades, and major appliances must go to resource recovery, not the dump. Retailers must accept old lead-acid batteries as trade-ins.

2. Except as provided in subsection 3, a person may not place in municipal waste or discard or dispose of in a landfill lead-acid batteries, used motor oil, wind turbine blades, or major appliances. 3. If resource recovery markets are not available for the items listed in subsection 2, the items must be disposed of in a manner approved by the department. 4. Lead-acid batteries must be accepted as trade-ins for new lead-acid batteries by any person who sells lead-acid batteries at retail.

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Full Breakdown

N.D.C.C. section 23.1-08-08 prohibits placing lead-acid batteries, used motor oil, wind turbine blades, or major appliances in municipal waste or a landfill; these items must be routed to recycling or resource-recovery markets. Only where no resource-recovery market exists may the material be disposed of in a manner the Department of Environmental Quality approves. Anyone selling lead-acid batteries at retail must accept spent batteries as trade-ins on new ones. The Department of Environmental Quality enforces the chapter and also requires certified municipal landfills to distribute public waste-reduction and recycling education materials under section 23.1-08-16.

Violations & Penalties

Civil penalty up to $12,500 per day per violation under N.D.C.C. section 23.1-08-23; a willful violation is a class C felony carrying up to five years imprisonment and a $10,000 fine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does North Dakota require households to recycle everything?

No. State law bans landfilling four specific streams (lead-acid batteries, used motor oil, wind turbine blades, major appliances) but sets no universal household recycling mandate for paper, glass, or plastics.

Where do I take a dead car battery?

Any North Dakota retailer selling lead-acid batteries must accept your used battery as a trade-in when you buy a replacement, under N.D.C.C. section 23.1-08-08(4).

Who enforces the landfill disposal ban?

The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality administers Chapter 23.1-08 and can impose civil penalties up to $12,500 per day per violation.

Sources

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