Brunswick County, NC Trash & Recycling: Collection Schedule (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Code § 1-11-23(4)a
- Service provider
- County-provided, vendor-operated
- Set-out window
- 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
- Receptacle ownership
- Belongs to the collection vendor
- Repeat violation fine
- $100/$200/$400 escalating
- Scope
- Unincorporated Brunswick County only
Summary
Brunswick County, North Carolina provides residential trash pick-up service to the unincorporated county under Code Sec. 1-11-23(4)a, using vendor-owned receptacles that residents must set out for pick-up between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. on their scheduled day.
The county provides residential trash pick-up service. Solid waste receptacles are the property of the vendor and may not be removed from the premises.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 1-11-23(4)a of the Brunswick County Code establishes that the county provides residential trash pick-up service in the unincorporated county, and specifies that the solid waste receptacles used for that service are the property of the county's collection vendor, not the resident, and may not be removed from the premises. The code does not print a public routing calendar of specific weekday assignments; instead it fixes the daily set-out window that applies on whatever day a household is scheduled: Sec. on scheduled pick-up days. Residents who need their specific route day should confirm it with the county's solid waste and recycling department, since the ordinance sets the rules for the service and the placement window rather than the calendar itself.
This mandatory collection service covers only unincorporated Brunswick County; Leland, Southport, Oak Island, Shallotte, Holden Beach, Ocean Isle Beach, Sunset Beach, Calabash, and Boiling Spring Lakes each contract for or run their own residential collection service inside town limits.
Violations & Fines
Because collection is county-provided, interfering with the vendor's receptacle, such as removing it from the premises, or failing to have it properly set out during the scheduled window, is treated as a violation of Chapter 1-11's collection and disposal rules, carrying a citation of $100.00 for a first offense, $200.00 for a second, and $400.00 for each subsequent offense per individual under Sec. 1-11-88(6).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Brunswick County provide trash pick-up for unincorporated residents?
Does the county code list which day my trash is picked up?
What happens if I miss my scheduled collection window repeatedly?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Brunswick County
Compare Brunswick County to another location·View the North Carolina trash & recycling overview
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