Solid Waste
Landfill Procedures
The Rutherford County Landfill is located at the end of Laurel Hill Drive, which turns off Charlotte Road behind Hardee’s and Crowe’s Mortuary. The landfill will accept household garbage, demolition materials, brush and tree limbs, pallets, metal, white goods (which consists of refrigerators, stoves, washers, and dryers, hot water heaters, dishwashers, etc.), tires, cooking oil, motor oil, oil filters, batteries and dead animals. They will not accept other liquids, hazardous waste, insecticides, chemicals, stumps, sludge etc. The landfill also accepts used computers, TVs and asbestos.
Upon entering the landfill (speed limit is 10 mph), drive slowly over speed bump onto the scales; stop at the ‘stop’ sign and speaker on your window. An attendant will ask what you are hauling. You will then be directed where to put your items (exit scales slowly over bump). After emptying your items, slowly cross back over the scales so the scale operator can determine how much weight was left behind.
(1) Any house garbage, furniture, thick non recyclable plastic like bumpers or plastic car parts, fiberglass and painted pallets will go into the transfer station (the green building) on the left side of the road. Bays 3,4, and 5.
(2) Demolition materials will go to the #2 sign on the right, following the blue arrow signs to the orange barrels. During muddy conditions there are green containers next to the metal pile (directly across from the green building bay 1) that will be available to put your demolition in there.
(3) Yard waste (brush, limbs, tree clippings etc.) NO STUMPS! will go to the end of the pavement and follow the dirt road past the green building and to the right to the #3 sign. When dry drive in and dump on pile. During heavy muddy conditions dump from the pavement on to the area to prevent getting stuck.
Grass and leaves will be near the yard waste area. If bagged; empty bag in the leaf pile located near the brush and re-use bags or dispose of them in the green building bay 3,4 or 5.
Unpainted pallets will be disposed of near the tree limb pile. These will be all wood single pallets. (Pallets with plastic, metal or any other material will not be allowed here due to damaging chipper. consult with the scale operator if you are unsure of what type of pallet you have.
We do not take stumps, we are not permitted to take them. Any other items in the yard like water hoses, flower pots, netting, patio furniture or decorations, etc. will be taken to the transfer station.
(4) Any metal or white good will be put in the metal pile on the right (across from Transfer Station). Refrigerators, freezers and air conditioners will be placed separately beside the metal pile so coolants can be removed.
(5) Cooking/ Motor Oil Motor oil will be poured into the silver oil tank to the right of the metal pile. Oil filters will be placed in a 55 gallon drum at the far end of the shop. Cooking oil will be poured in the tank in transfer station.
(6) Batteries will be placed in front of the shop between the doors.
(7) Tires are to be “laced” into the tire trailers that are on the right upon entering the landfill. All people (residents and haulers) bringing tires must come across scales to be weighed and to the office to fill out/ turn in paperwork before unloading tires (see fee list below).
If the tires are coming from a tire business, a completed Tire Certification Sheet must be filled out by the store (only Part I) stating amount and size of tires, with business name and address, Signature, etc. (Part II) gets filled out by hauler only. Hauler is not to fill out any section in Part I.
(8) All CLEAN recyclables will be free of charge. we accept CLEAN; paper of any kind, cardboard, glass, plastic # 1-7, aluminum can, books.
If recyclables are not clean then the regular garbage rate applies as it will be going in the trash. Clean means no food residue like grease stains, food scraps, wood, plastic film or bags, styrofoam, etc.
(9) Fluorescent Lightbulbs and Mercury thermostats are accepted to properly dispose of them. Bring the lightbulbs in a box or store packaging or loose but we do not accept them taped up. Stop by the office to speak to the scale operator. They will let you know where to take them to unload. County residents do not pay for bringing fluorescent lightbulbs or mercury containing items to recycle. Businesses, schools and churches will pay $0.08 cents per foot.
Items include lamps containing mercury (LCMs) such as fluorescent light bulbs, ballasts, CFLs, tubes (4ft. and 8ft.) and Mercury containing devices (MCDs) such as barometers, thermostats, and other non-lamp mercury containing products.
County residents (anyone living outside any city limits) pay a Solid Waste fee of $154.00 per household on their tax bill every year. Residents are then permitted to use the 10 convenience centers free of charge. Municipal residents (anyone living inside city limits) do not pay the $154.00 Solid Waste fee. Therefore, they are NOT to use the convenience centers because they have trash pickup by their town or hauler services.
EVERYONE PAYS, (including churches & schools) when bringing items to the landfill.
The fees are:
*MSW $74.00 per ton (Household trash, furniture, flower pots, things cleaned up around the yard or shed, and dead farm animals) Cats & Dogs are free
*Construction/ Demolition $63.00 per ton (Brick, wood, concrete, anything that is being remodeled, shingles, siding, flooring etc.)
*Brush and Limbs $42.00 per ton (NO stumps please!)
*Metal $45.00 per ton
*Fluorescent lightbulbs/ mercury containing products: free to the public. Businesses, schools and churches will pay $0.08 cents per foot.
*Recycle from outside the county $130 per ton
Tires: The landfill cannot accept tires with the rims still attached to recycle. Those go on metal pile , please inform the scale operator that you have them.
***Tires with rims will need to go on metal pile and will be charged the metal price.***
Car (passenger) size: $3 each
Motorcycle size: $3 each
Truck (transfer) size: $10 each
Tractor size: $20 each
Mower: $1 each
Electronics: See examples
*As of July 1st, 2018, the Solid Waste Department will be accepting electronics free of charge to Rutherford County Residents only; all non-residential units will pay the current fee.
Cathode ray tube (CRT) Televisions or computer monitors: $15
Flat Televisions, or Flat computer monitors, printers and components: $5
*If electronics are stripped then the regular household rate will apply. ($64.00 per ton)
For Rutherford County residents to bring electronics free of charge, a valid ID must be presented to scale operator.
When bringing electronics stop on the scale next to "Stop" sign and inform the scale operator of what type of electronics you have and quantity of each type.
The scale operator will allow you to proceed with indications if needed of the electronics area. Please place the electronics in the ground in the electronics area, and return to scale. The scale operator will ask you to come to the window and show your ID; if there is no ID to proof Rutherford County residency the charges will be applied.
We accept cash, checks(with phone number and address), credit card; Master Card, Discover, Visa. (There will be a $2 fee applied when using card)
After crossing the scale upon entrance to the landfill, emptying your vehicle and crossing back on the scale, the attendant will then tell the resident what is owed and give a receipt upon payment.
ALL BUSINESSES MUST PAY Businesses are NOT to use the convenience centers. This includes anyone who may be doing a job for a neighbor that is being paid for their labor.
There are 10 convenience centers located around the county. They will accept household garbage, furniture, metal, motor oil, cooking oil (except Hollis), batteries, aluminum cans, glass, plastic, cardboard and newspaper and all other clean recyclables as mentioned above.
ELECTRONICS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED IN THE CONVENIENCE CENTERS.
Landfill Hours:
MON - FRI 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM
SAT 7:30AM - 12:30PM
656 Laurel Hill Dr. Rutherfordton NC 28139
CLOSED: Sunday and All Holidays listed below
Convenience Center Hours:
MON., TUES., THUR., FRI. 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM
SAT 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
**CLOSED: Wednesday & Sunday**
Hollis Center Hours:
MON & FRI 7AM - 6PM
SAT 8AM - 6PM
**CLOSED: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Sunday**
- Avondale Center: 2310 Ellenboro-Henrietta Rd. Ellenboro, NC 28040 828-657-6952
- Bills Creek Center: 2130 Bills Creek Rd. Lake Lure, NC 28746 828-625-8516
- Colfax Center: 1676 US 74 Business Ellenboro NC 28040 828-248-1268
- Danieltown Center: 1381 Bethany Church Rd. Forest City NC 28043 828-245-6524
- Gilkey Center: 2489 HWY 221 N, Rutherfordton NC 28139 828-286-8829
- Golden Valley Center: 6075 Bostic-Sunshine Hwy. Bostic NC 28018 828-245-1328
- Pea Ridge Center: 3892 Pea Ridge Rd. Bostic NC 28018 828-287-1358
- Green Hill Center: 204 Rainbow Rapids Rd. Rutherfordton NC 28139 828-286-8458
- Hollis Center: 4480 Hollis Rd. Ellenboro NC 28040 828-453-1021
- Shiloh Center:152 Richland Dr. Forest City NC 28043 828-245-6108
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Landfill: 656 Laurel Hill Dr. Rutherfordton NC 28139 828-287-6125
Google Maps
***Bills Creek, Gilkey, Golden Valley, Green Hill, Hollis, Pea Ridge, and Shiloh all have Swap Shop Sheds for your trash that is still in good shape. ***
***OUR SWAP SHOPS ARE OPENING MAY 1ST, 2021 WITH A MAXIMUM CAPACITY OF 4 PEOPLE AT ALL TIMES.***
***TEXTILE RECYCLING CONTAINERS ARE OPEN***
Do not put the following in the Swap Shop Sheds:
* Food items or Drinks
* Clothes or Shoes
* Upholstered Furniture
* Mattress or Box Spring
* Pillows and Bed Liners
* Stuffed Animals or Draperies
* Paint or Liquids
*TV's or Computers
* No Light Bulbs
Holiday Closings for all 10 Centers and Landfill
- New Years Day
- Martin Luther King, Jr Day
- Good Friday
- Memorial Day
- Fourth of July
- Labor Day
- Veterans Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Eve
- Christmas Day