Wake County

Solid Waste Management Division

July-August 2016
Next Meeting
South Wake Landfill Citizens Committee

The next South Wake Landfill Citizens Committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, October 5 from 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm at the Holly Springs Cultural Center , located at 300 West Ballentine Street, in Holly Springs.

To be sure there is enough seating, please notify us ahead of time if you are planning to attend this meeting.
Landfill Tours
New Fall 2016 Tour Dates
Residents taking a landfill tour for Earth Day
Join us for  a free tour of the South Wake Landfill and learn where the trash of 1,000,000 people goes when it leaves the curb. Public t ours are a vailable on the following dates:

- Friday, September 9
- Saturday, October 15
- Tuesday, November 15
- Saturday, December 3

Available to Wake County residents eight years of age and older. To learn more or to register, click here .
Food Waste Pilot
Drop-off Program

Food Waste Drop-off Location

Did you know that 25% of Wake County household trash consists of organic material, such as food scraps, paper plates, napkins and pizza boxes that can all be composted? 

Wake County Solid Waste is piloting the first food waste drop-off program in Wake County. Residents interested in joining the pilot can bring their food waste to four designated drop-off locations:
 

1. Convenience Center #4, 3600 Yates Mill Pond Road, Raleigh

 

2. Multi-Material Recycling Facility, 9029 Deponie Drive, Raleigh

 

3. Convenience Center #8, 2001 Durham Road, Wake Forest

 

4. Convenience Center #10, 5216 Knightdale-Eagle Rock Road, Knightdale

 

All locations are open seven days a week from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. For more information, click here for 

Yard Waste
Not An Accepted Material 

While a large variety of items can be brought to Wake County Waste Facilities, YARD WASTE is not among them. But good news!  Each municipality within  Wake County  has its own yard waste management program for its residents. Listed below you will find information about yard waste management in the towns nearest the South Wake Landfill:
 
Stay Informed
Get Involved

We are all citizens and understand the importance and value of receiving citizen feedback. The  South Wake Landfill Citizen Committee was established in 2006 prior to the opening of the landfill with the purpose of:
  • Providing a forum for neighbors of the landfill to have a voice in its continuing development
  • Providing a conduit for information between Solid Waste staff and the neighboring community regarding activities at the landfill
If you are interested in becoming a member of the South Wake Landfill Citizens Committee email your request  here.
Stay Connected
Join us on Facebook
Wake County Solid Waste Management Division is on Facebook sharing information on waste reduction, reuse, recycling and waste disposal services in Wake County. To stay up-to-date on the latest news and events connect with us on  Facebook .

Have Questions?
Telephone: 919.856.6424
Address: Wake County, Solid Waste Management Division, P.O. Box 550, Raleigh, NC 27602
Director: John W. Roberson,  PE 
Landfill Odor Control Update
New Berm Being Tested
Odor control berm constructed north of the working face 
Waste Industries and Wake County are working continuously to minimize landfill related odors at South Wake LandfillA  25 foot tall, 65 foot wide, 1000 foot long berm has been constructed at the north end of the active waste cell in an effort to divert wind  blowing in a southerly direction up and over the working face, which is  the area of the landfill  where freshly tipped waste is exposed. This method should prevent southerly winds from picking up malodors from the waste and carrying them away from the landfill and  towards surrounding neighborhoods .
In addition to the berm, other efforts to minimize odors include,  reducing the size of the working face to decrease the surface area of waste exposed to prevailing winds, c ontinued expansion and improvement of the landfill gas collection system , and primarily using soil to cover freshly tipped waste at the end of every day.
A new online   odor report form  to help neighbors quickly and easily report odors to operations staff is now available for use.  If you notice objectionable odors please  notify us  immediately using the new form (complete all fields and hit 'submit'). In addition o dor checks will continue to be performed daily  by operations staff  throughout  adjacent neighborhoods, shopping centers and public areas    
South Wake Solid Waste Facilities
Construction Projects Starting This Fall
Redesigned Convenience Center #7

The relocation and redesign of Convenience Center #2 at 6025 Old Smithfield Road, in Apex is due to commence work in December 2016.  It is anticipated that the construction of the new Convenience Center will cause a change in traffic flow patterns for customers using the Multi-Material Recycling Facility and Household Hazardous Waste Facility. Residents using the facilities are asked to be cautious and remain patient while work is underway. Construction is expected to last 14 months.

Once open for use,  the relocated and redesigned Convenience Center will host seven individual bays, each with multiple parking spaces for residents to pull up and unload their waste and recycling with ease. Each bay will be clearly signed, and sheltered with extra lighting. The new center will look similar to the redesigned Convenience Center #7 in north Raleigh. Send any  questions about the new center or traffic flow changes to Wake County Solid Waste.  
Tree Planting Program Update
Request for Citizen Input
The South Wake Landfill Tree Planting Program, sponsored by Wake County Solid Waste, will provide neighbors of the South Wake Landfill with trees that will beautify their neighborhood and in time mask the view of the landfill from homes. 
OBS Landscape Architects is  in the process of presenting a proposal to Wake County Solid Waste to implement the tree planting program. The group has  worked with local municipalities, including the City of Raleigh, on similar projects.  The proposal is expected to be ready by the fall 2016.
Citizen input will be a vital component of the program from design through to implementation. Wake County Solid Waste is working to establish a planning team with OBS Landscape Architects and the Town of Holly Springs. Members of the South Wake Landfill Citizens Committee are encouraged to join the planning team and can email here to express an interest. 
Reduce Your Waste at Home
20 Easy Tips on How to Reduce Your Waste
R educing your waste is as simple as thinking twice before you accept and buy things. By shopping smart and by making simple lifestyle changes, you can make a big impact on the amount of waste you make every day. To help you, we have put together our top 20 tips on reducing waste:
  1. Make a grocery list and buy what you need  
  2. Check expiration dates for food before purchasing
  3. Read product reviews before purchasing
  4. Choose reusable products, e.g. reusable bottles, bags 
  5. Choose refillable products, e.g. hand soap, dish soap
  6. Buy in concentrated form, e.g. bleach, detergent
  7. Pack a lunch in a reusable box/bag
  8. Go paperless, e.g. bills, statements, receipts, tickets
  9. Sign up here to stop receiving junk mail
  10. Maintain and repair instead of replace, e.g. reheel shoes
  11. Repurpose items, check out Pinterest for ideas
  12. Sell unwanted items on craigslist or eBay
  13. Donate unwanted items
  14. Buy used, e.g. Goodwill or Salvation Army
  15. Buy recycled content products, e.g. paper products
  16. Borrow, rent, or share items used less often, e.g. tools 
  17. Recycle right, check with the Town of Holly Springs
  18. Recycle plastic bags at your nearest drop-off location
  19. Recycle more items here, than you can leave curbside
  20. Compost at home, learn how here.
Wake County Solid Waste encourages residents to reduce their waste by providing a range of educational resources and programs. Click here for more information.  
Waste Statistics
Average Number of Garbage Trucks

Month Trucks/Day Trucks/Month
May
140
3,652
April
134
3,496
March
136
3,662
February
125
3,129
January
126
3,149
December
139
3,625

The above table shows the number of garbage trucks tipping at the South Wake Landfill over the last six months. The landfill is open Monday through Saturday from 7:00 am until 4:00 pm.