Catawba County, NC Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)
Key Facts
- Definition
- brush, grass, tree limbs, similar vegetative material
- Landfill rule
- barred except in a designated yard-waste container
- Convenience centers
- same designated-container rule applies
- Related term
- 'yard waste' also covers stumps, untreated wood
- Civil penalty
- up to $500/day for violations
Summary
Catawba County bars yard trash, meaning brush, grass, tree limbs and similar vegetative material, from the county landfill and its solid waste convenience centers unless it goes into a container specifically marked and designated to accept that waste, under Code of Ordinances § 32-6(c)(10) and § 32-6(i)(4)(j). Land-clearing debris such as stumps and untreated wood is grouped with yard trash as 'yard waste' under the chapter's definitions in § 32-1.
(c)The sanitary landfill of the county may be used for the disposal of solid wastes by any person who is a resident of the county during regular hours of operation of the landfill. Solid wastes shall be disposed of at the landfill in the manner and according to the procedures required by the landfill superintendent. The following wastes may not be disposed of in the landfill:...(10)Yard trash, except in a container marked and designated for landfills qualified to accept such waste as described by the appropriate regulations promulgated by state waste management or other appropriate governmental entities.
Full Breakdown
S. 130A-290, including stumps, limbs, leaves, grass and untreated wood. That vegetative material is treated differently from ordinary household garbage at every county disposal point: § 32-6(c), governing the sanitary landfill, lists yard trash among the categories of waste that 'may not be disposed of in the landfill' except when placed in a container marked and designated for landfills qualified to accept it under state waste management regulations, and § 32-6(i)(4), governing the county's solid waste convenience centers, repeats the identical restriction for those sites.
In practice this means a resident cannot simply toss loose brush, grass clippings or limbs into the general landfill tipping area or a convenience-center container alongside household garbage; it must go into whichever container or drop-off area the site has designated for yard waste before the site will accept it. Because yard trash and land-clearing debris are excluded from ordinary landfill deposit, the county also reserves the right under § 32-9 to require source separation of materials, including yard waste, before collection, and to require participation in an approved recycling program.
Violations & Fines
Depositing yard trash or land-clearing debris outside a designated yard-waste container at the landfill or a convenience center violates § 32-6(c)(10) and § 32-6(i)(4)(j), enforceable as a misdemeanor under § 1-14 and a civil penalty of up to $500.00 per day under § 32-8(b). Mixing yard waste into general dumping that lands on unauthorized property is separately punishable as illegal dumping under § 32-6(a)(5).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I throw grass clippings and branches in with my regular trash?
What counts as 'yard waste' under Catawba County's code?
Where do I take tree limbs or land-clearing debris?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Catawba County
Compare Catawba County to another location·View the North Carolina trash & recycling overview
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