Pender County, NC Trash & Recycling: Recycling Rules (2026)

Chapter 26, the Pender County Solid Waste Management Ordinance adopted by resolution August 21, 2023 under authority including G.S. 153A-136, runs the county's recycling system through its network of convenience centers rather than curbside pickup. Section 26-9(b)(7) makes it unlawful to dispose of used oil, white goods, aluminum cans, whole or scrap tires, lead acid batteries, paper, steel, #1 and #2 plastics, glass, or cardboard at a convenience center except in a container designated for that specific material, or in a recycling facility area the county has set up for those purposes; the same subsection cross-references any additional item identified under G.S.

130A-309.10(f). Section 26-16(h) separately bars putting banned solid waste, such as garbage, food or furniture, into a container that is clearly marked for recycling only. Section 26-6 defines 'recyclables' as materials identified by an appropriate governmental authority as capable of being recycled at a recycling facility, and defines a 'recycling center' as a facility that collects and separates recyclables into reusable raw materials. Access to any convenience center requires a county-issued decal under Section 26-10, and the county's solid waste officer, created under Section 26-5, enforces the chapter with civil penalties and any other remedy available in law or equity.