Sussex County, DE Trash & Recycling: Bulk Item Disposal (2026)

§ 91-9 sets special handling rules for bulky items so county disposal facilities keep capacity for ordinary garbage and rubbish. Anyone disposing of a building or any portion of a building larger than 250 square feet must first obtain a permit from the County Engineer's office; the county can require disposal at a facility other than the nearest one based on available space, and all demolished material must be reduced to flat sections, cleared of garbage and rubbish, and small enough to transport legally without a permit.

Disposing of more than four discarded car, truck or tractor tires also requires an advance County Engineer's permit. Trees trimmed or removed for land development or right-of-way clearing must have wood four inches or less in diameter chipped and larger wood cut into lengths no more than four feet, with roots trimmed flush to the stump base; a homeowner trimming trees at his own residence need not chip the wood but still must cut it to four feet or shorter. Refrigerators, freezers and similar appliances must have their doors removed before disposal at a county facility.

Fees track this system directly: § 91-8 charges $1 per 100 square feet of gross floor area for demolition debris from a building of 250 square feet or more, and 30 cents per cubic yard for other special-permit materials, with 75% of the estimated volume due on application and the balance billed once the job is complete.