Chatham County, NC Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)
Key Facts
- Vehicle standard
- Covered, leak-proof, durable, sturdy construction
- Governing section
- § 50.05
- Hauler permit required
- Annual permit from Solid Waste Warden, § 50.06(A)
- Spill duty
- Collector must pick up spillage immediately
- Littering penalty
- $50 civil penalty per offense
- Enforcing agency
- Solid Waste Warden, County Solid Waste Department
Summary
In unincorporated Chatham County, any vehicle or container used to collect and haul garbage or solid waste must be covered, leak-proof, durable and kept clean and in good repair under Chatham County Code § 50.05. Loads must be secured so nothing falls, leaks or blows out, and a collector whose load spills must pick the material up immediately and clean the area or answer for littering.
Vehicles or containers used for the collection and transportation of garbage or refuse containing garbage shall be covered, leak proof, durable and of sturdy construction. These shall be cleaned as often as necessary to prevent a nuisance and shall be maintained in good repair. Vehicles or containers used for the collection and transportation of any solid waste shall be loaded and moved in a manner so that the contents will not fall, leak or spill therefrom and shall be covered or securely tied to prevent blowing of material. If spillage should occur, the material shall be considered litter unless picked up immediately by the solid waste collector and returned to the vehicle or container and the area properly cleaned.
Full Breakdown
06. S. Ch. 130A, Article 9 and Ch. 153A, Articles 6 and 15. That permit can be revoked, temporarily or permanently, for any failure to follow the chapter. 05 requires the collection vehicle or container itself to be covered, leak proof and sturdy, cleaned often enough to prevent a nuisance, and kept in good repair, and loads must be secured so nothing falls, leaks, spills or blows loose. 08(B) presumes the vehicle operator committed the offense whenever litter is released from a moving vehicle. 08(D).
Violations & Fines
A hauler that hauls in an uncovered, leaking or overloaded vehicle, or lets material blow or spill without cleaning it up, faces the same misdemeanor and civil penalty structure as any other violation of Chapter 50: up to 30 days in jail and a $500 fine under § 50.99(A), plus a civil penalty of $50 for littering or $100 for a commercial violation, due within 24 hours. The Solid Waste Department can also revoke the hauler's permit under § 50.06(C).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do garbage trucks in Chatham County have to be covered?
What happens if trash blows out of a collection truck onto the road?
Does a private trash hauler need a permit to operate in unincorporated Chatham County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chatham County
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