Onslow County, NC Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)
Key Facts
- Yard trash definition
- Grass, shrubbery, vine cuttings, dry leaf rakings
- Landfill rule
- Separate from other solid waste (§14-34(g))
- On-site burning allowed
- Only if no pickup service exists
- Excluded from burning
- Logs and stumps
- Burn ban override
- No burning during state burn bans
- Misdemeanor penalty
- Up to $500 fine or 30 days jail
Summary
Grass clippings, shrubbery cuttings, vine trimmings, and dry leaf rakings count as yard trash and must be kept separate from other solid waste at the county landfill. Residents without pickup service may burn leaves, trimmings, and yard trash on their own premises only under Section 14-183's listed conditions.
(1)Open burning of leaves, tree trimmings or yard trash, excluding logs and stumps, if all the following conditions are met:a.The material burned originates on the premises of a private residence and is burned on that premises;b.There are no public pick-up services available for the material identified for burning;c.The burning does not create a nuisance; andd.Material is not burned when any state agency has banned burning for that time or area.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 10).
Full Breakdown
" The code narrowly defines yard trash as an "accumulation of lawn grass, shrubbery, vine cuttings or clippings, and/or dry leaf rakings that are free of dirt, rocks, large branches, bulky waste, or noncombustible materials," so logs and stumps do not qualify. Instead of disposal, residents may burn qualifying yard trash on-site under the county's open burning article, but only if every condition in Section 14-183(b)(1) is met: the material must have come from the same private residence where it is burned, no public pick-up service can be available for it, the fire cannot create a nuisance, and burning cannot occur during a state agency burn ban.
Logs and stumps are expressly excluded from this allowance. Open burning of yard trash is otherwise prohibited under Section 14-183(a), which bans burning any non-vegetative material, including garbage, refuse, household trash, lumber, or synthetic material, and confirms that any burning not specifically authorized must comply with separate state law and permitting requirements.
Violations & Fines
Solid waste violations of Sec. 14-34 fall under Sec. 14-52's civil penalty schedule: $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second, $500 for each subsequent offense, or misdemeanor prosecution with fines on the same scale or up to 30 days in jail. Unlawful open burning of yard trash under Sec. 14-183 carries its own identical civil and criminal penalty schedule under Sec. 14-185, with each day of burning a separate violation, enforced by the planning and development department, sheriff's department, and fire marshals (Sec. 14-184).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn yard waste on my property in Onslow County?
Do grass clippings have to be separated from regular trash?
Who enforces yard waste burning violations?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Onslow County
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