Key Facts Ordinance Text Full Breakdown Violations FAQ Sources More in Pitt County

Pitt County, NC Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)

Some Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Separated materials: yard waste, tires, cans, white goods, batteries
Definition: leaves, limbs, grass trimmings, untreated wood, pallets
Curbside pickup: none county-run; use county site or hauler
Facility hours: posted at waste handling facility, recycling centers
Separation penalty: 3x tipping fee or $100 first offense

Summary

Pitt County's Solid Waste & Recycling Ordinance defines yard waste as leaves, limbs, grass trimmings and untreated wood, and requires anyone using the county's waste handling facility, transfer station or recycling centers to separate it from other waste. The county runs no curbside brush pickup; residents haul yard waste to a county site or a municipal or private collector instead.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Pitt County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

Yard Waste: Waste consisting of leaves, limbs, grass trimmings, unpainted and untreated wood, pallets and other vegetative material. ... Section 5. Recycling All persons, firms, or corporations using the waste handling facility, transfer station and recycling centers shall separate the following materials from their waste: A. Whole tires B. Aluminum cans C. Yard waste D. White goods E. Lead acid batteries F. Used oil G. Corrugated cardboard from nonresidential establishments (cardboard packaging, that is contaminated due to the nature of its contents, is exempt) H. Noncombustible construction debris I. Any other materials which the Pitt County Board of Commissioners may require to be separated

View official code

Full Breakdown

The ordinance's definitions section describes yard waste as 'leaves, limbs, grass trimmings, unpainted and untreated wood, pallets and other vegetative material' (§ 4). Section 5, titled Recycling, requires 'all persons, firms, or corporations using the waste handling facility, transfer station and recycling centers' to separate nine categories of material from their general waste stream before disposal, listing yard waste alongside whole tires, aluminum cans, white goods, lead-acid batteries, used oil, corrugated cardboard from nonresidential establishments, and noncombustible construction debris, plus 'any other materials which the Pitt County Board of Commissioners may require to be separated' (§ 5(I)).

S. 153A-136 but municipalities may run their own separate service. Anyone who brings mixed yard waste to a County site without separating it is subject to the waste-handling-facility rules under §§ 6 and 7, which let the Solid Waste Supervisor require a hauler to remove unacceptable or unseparated material before it is accepted.

Violations & Fines

Failing to separate yard waste from general refuse before dropping it at a County facility falls under § 16(B)(8)'s civil penalty for failure to separate waste: a first offense costs three times the prevailing tipping fee or $100.00, whichever is greater, rising to six times or $200.00 for a second offense and twelve times or $400.00 for later offenses. The Solid Waste Department may also let a violator perform cleanup work in lieu of prosecution or civil penalties.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Pitt County pick up yard waste at the curb?

No. The county's Solid Waste & Recycling Ordinance runs a waste handling facility and recycling centers instead of curbside brush pickup; residents haul separated yard waste to a county site themselves or arrange pickup through a municipal or private collector under § 8(G).

What counts as yard waste under Pitt County's ordinance?

Section 4 defines it as leaves, limbs, grass trimmings, unpainted and untreated wood, pallets and other vegetative material. It must be kept separate from garbage, tires, white goods and other listed recyclables whenever it's brought to the waste handling facility, transfer station or a recycling center under § 5.

What happens if I mix yard waste in with regular trash at the county facility?

Under § 16(B)(8), failing to separate materials required by § 5 carries a civil penalty starting at three times the prevailing tipping fee or $100, whichever is greater, and rising to twelve times the fee or $400 for repeat offenses; the Solid Waste Department can also require cleanup work instead.

Sources & Official References

[1]Pitt County Solid Waste & Recycling Ordinance No. 3

Other rules in Pitt County

Bulk Item DisposalSignificant Restrictions Parking Rules: Overnight ParkingSome Restrictions Dumpster RulesSome Restrictions Illegal DumpingSignificant Restrictions Bin Placement RulesSome Restrictions Pickup Rules & SchedulesSome Restrictions Recycling RequirementsSome Restrictions Parking Rules: Abandoned VehiclesSome Restrictions Parking Rules: Commercial & Oversized VehiclesSignificant Restrictions Parking Rules: Loading ZonesSome Restrictions Fence Regulations: Fence Permit RequirementsFew Restrictions Fire Regulations: FireworksHeavy Restrictions

All Pitt County rules

Compare Pitt County to another location·View the North Carolina trash & recycling overview

See something wrong?

Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.