Choose the Right Charlotte Drop-Off Center Before You Load the Car
Charlotte does not have one single municipal “recycling center.” Mecklenburg County operates four full-service recycling and disposal centers, one staffed recycling center, and several self-service recycling locations.
The correct location depends on what you have. Use a full-service center for household hazardous waste, electronics, yard waste, appliances, bulky items, tires and paid disposal loads. Use staffed or self-service sites only for the materials those locations specifically accept.
Fast answer for Charlotte residents
For most searches for a “Charlotte recycling center,” the best answer is one of Mecklenburg County’s four full-service drop-off facilities: Compost Central, Hickory Grove, Foxhole, or North Mecklenburg.
All four are currently listed as open Monday through Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.. County residents can take recyclables, yard waste, bulky waste, electronics and residential household hazardous waste to these centers, subject to material limits, source separation and applicable fees.
Mecklenburg County residents are asked to display a free blue entry sticker. You may be asked for a driver’s license or other proof that you live in Mecklenburg County.
On this page
- How Charlotte recycling works
- Hours
- 2026 holiday closures
- 4 full-service centers
- Which center should you use?
- Fees and blue sticker
- Trailer limits
- Accepted items
- Household hazardous waste
- Electronics
- Plastic bags & wrap
- Yard waste
- Enhanced recycling
- William R. Davie
- Self-service centers
- Curbside vs drop-off
- Business waste
- Before-you-go checklist
- Map
- Official sources
- FAQs
Charlotte Recycling Center Means Several Different Services
Mecklenburg County operates drop-off and processing services, while the City of Charlotte handles curbside collection for eligible city addresses. These are different systems.
Full-service centers
Use these for regular recycling plus enhanced recycling, trash, bulky furniture, yard waste, electronic waste, motor oil and residential household hazardous waste.
Staffed recycling center
William R. Davie accepts regular recyclables and many enhanced-recycling items but does not accept trash, HHW, scrap metal, appliances, tires, yard waste or bulky/C&D loads.
Self-service sites
Park-based self-service locations are for basic curbside-style recyclable materials only. Do not leave trash, furniture, chemicals or other prohibited waste there.
Charlotte Full-Service Recycling Center Hours
2026 Mecklenburg County Recycling Center Holiday Closures
Mecklenburg County publishes a specific annual holiday schedule for its full-service drop-off facilities and staffed recycling locations.
| 2026 holiday | Date | Published status |
|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | January 1 | Closed |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | January 19 | Closed |
| Good Friday observance | April 4 | Closed Saturday |
| Memorial Day | May 25 | Closed |
| Juneteenth | June 19 | Closed |
| Independence Day | July 4 | Closed |
| Labor Day | September 7 | Closed |
| Veterans Day | November 11 | Closed |
| Thanksgiving | November 26 | Closed |
| Day after Thanksgiving | November 27 | Open |
| Christmas Eve | December 24 | Open |
| Christmas Day | December 25 | Closed |
| Day after Christmas | December 26 | Closed |
Four Full-Service Charlotte / Mecklenburg Recycling Centers
Compost Central Disposal & Recycling Center
140 Valleydale Road
Charlotte, NC 28214
Strong west/northwest Charlotte option. Full-service recycling and disposal plus compost-related services.
Hickory Grove Disposal & Recycling Center
8007 Pence Road
Charlotte, NC 28215
Useful for east Charlotte residents needing full-service recycling, HHW, e-waste, yard waste and bulky disposal.
Foxhole Disposal & Recycling Center
17131 Lancaster Highway
Charlotte, NC 28277
Major south Charlotte / Ballantyne-area full-service facility. Trailer and landfill rules vary by load size.
North Mecklenburg Disposal & Recycling Center
12300 N. Statesville Road
Huntersville, NC 28078
Primary full-service route for north Mecklenburg County and north Charlotte-area residents.
Which Charlotte Recycling Center Should You Use?
| Your item or need | Best route | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Normal cardboard, cans, bottles, paper | Curbside, staffed or self-service recycling | A full-service center is not necessary unless you have additional materials. |
| Paint, gasoline, chemicals | Full-service center HHW area | Household hazardous waste needs controlled handling. |
| TV, computer, monitor | Full-service center | Electronics should not be placed in normal curbside recycling. |
| Plastic bags or wrap | Full-service or William R. Davie staffed center | County added a separate plastic-film recycling route in 2026. |
| Yard waste | Full-service center | Yard waste is not accepted at recycling-only sites. |
| Furniture or construction debris | Full-service center | Fee and trailer rules can apply. |
| Only enhanced recyclables | William R. Davie or full-service center | Davie accepts several items beyond basic curbside recycling. |
Blue Entry Sticker, Free Trash Limit and Disposal Fees
Mecklenburg County residents are asked to display a blue entry sticker when using full-service centers. The County states that blue stickers are free to County residents and are available at the fee booths.
County residents
Blue entry sticker: no charge.
Be prepared to show a driver’s license or another form of Mecklenburg County residency proof.
Household trash
County residents may currently dispose of up to 5 bags of household kitchen trash per day free of charge.
Paid material
Bulky waste, construction and demolition debris, larger yard-waste loads, commercial material and some special loads can have disposal fees.
Out-of-county residents
Residents outside Mecklenburg County can purchase an annual out-of-county residential sticker to receive the same disposal privileges as a County resident. Without that sticker, an out-of-county visitor must pay for each entry, including trips involving recycling.
Trailer and Oversized-Load Rules
Trailer length changes where a load can be handled and how fees are calculated.
Trailers over 8 feet
County rules say trailers longer than 8 feet must be weighed in and out or measured so the disposal charge can be calculated.
Hickory Grove & North Mecklenburg
These locations accept trailers up to 12 feet long for bulky and C&D waste. Larger vehicles may be redirected.
Compost Central
Compost Central accepts trailers up to 16 feet for bulky and C&D waste.
Foxhole
The Foxhole Landfill can accept trailers over 16 feet. The landfill operation is different from the general recycling drop-off area and the landfill portion is closed on Saturdays.
Items Accepted at Mecklenburg County Full-Service Centers
Full-service centers accept much more than normal curbside recyclables. The list below covers major current categories but does not replace item-specific rules or quantity limits.
Regular and enhanced recycling
- Aluminum cans, clean foil and trays
- Corrugated cardboard
- Milk, juice and soup cartons
- Paper and paperboard
- Glass bottles and jars
- Accepted plastic containers
- Plastic bags and wrap in the dedicated collection
- White rigid foam
- Shredded paper
- Books
- Textiles
Electronics and appliances
- Computers
- Laptops
- Monitors
- Printers
- Cell phones
- Electronic devices
- Televisions subject to limits and fees
- Stoves
- Refrigerators and freezers
- Washers and dryers
- Water heaters
Household and bulky material
- Furniture
- Mattress and box spring within limits
- Scrap metal
- Lawn mowers with hazardous fluids removed
- Construction and demolition debris
- Shingles
- Wood
- Yard waste
- Tires within current limits
Special and hazardous materials
- Antifreeze
- Motor oil
- Oil filters
- Gasoline within limits
- Paint within residential limits
- Rechargeable batteries
- Propane tanks within current limits
- Other accepted household hazardous waste
Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off in Charlotte
Residential household hazardous waste is accepted at the four full-service centers. It is not accepted at the William R. Davie staffed recycling center or at park-based self-service recycling containers.
Common accepted HHW
- Adhesives and glues
- Herbicides and pesticides
- Pool chemicals
- Paint thinners and solvents
- Mercury thermostats and thermometers
- Nail polish and remover
- Latex and oil-based paint
- Motor oil and transmission fluid
- Gasoline
- Road flares
- Residential propane tanks within limits
Not accepted as residential HHW
- Pressurized gas cylinders over 20 pounds
- Ammunition
- Gunpowder
- Explosives
- Radioactive material
- Bio-infectious material
- Pharmaceuticals
Current quantity examples
- Motor oil: up to 20 gallons per day per resident.
- Transmission fluid: up to 20 gallons per day per resident.
- Paint: up to 100 pounds from residents.
- Propane: one residential tank up to 20 pounds is currently listed at no cost.
Electronics Recycling in Charlotte
Mecklenburg County’s electronics program is primarily intended for residential electronics. Accepted equipment includes many computers, screens, peripherals and household electronic devices.
Common accepted electronics
- Laptops and desktop computers
- Tablets
- CRT and flat-screen monitors
- Printers and scanners
- Residential copiers and fax machines
- Digital cameras
- Keyboards and mice
- Cords and cables
- Speakers and stereo equipment
- Game consoles and controllers
- Telephones
- Televisions subject to limits and fees
Prepare electronics first
Remove batteries from electronic devices when practical, back up important files and delete personal information before drop-off.
Televisions can have limits or fees, so check the current e-waste page before transporting a large screen.
Check official Mecklenburg County e-waste guidance
You can also use the Electronic Recycling Center guide for preparation and data-security guidance.
Plastic Bags and Wrap Are Now Accepted at Drop-Off Centers
Mecklenburg County expanded its enhanced recycling program in 2026 to accept clean plastic bags and wraps at all four full-service centers and the William R. Davie Staffed Recycling Center.
Examples accepted
- Grocery and retail bags
- Bread and produce bags
- Ice bags
- Resealable bags
- Dry-cleaning bags
- Bubble wrap and air pillows
- Plastic shipping envelopes
- Stretchable product wrap
Examples not accepted in the film bin
- Frozen-food bags
- Candy wrappers
- Chip bags
- Mesh produce bags
- Pet-food bags
- Six-pack rings
- Vinyl shower curtains
- Shiny crinkly film
Yard Waste Drop-Off and Current Residential Fees
Leaves, grass, brush and eligible tree material can go to Mecklenburg County’s full-service centers, but larger loads are not automatically free.
| Residential yard-waste load | Current published fee |
|---|---|
| Fewer than 5 × 32-gallon bags or up to 6 kraft-paper bags | No charge |
| More than 5 bags, load not piled higher than 2 feet | $8 per unit |
| Built-up sides, more than 3 cubic yards, larger logs or trailer over 8 feet | Weighed; $40/ton or $16 minimum |
Typical accepted yard waste
- Leaves
- Brush
- Grass clippings
- Clean pallets under the current length limit
- Limbs under the published length limit
- Bamboo under the published length limit
- Small root balls smaller than a basketball
Enhanced Recycling Beyond the Curbside Cart
Mecklenburg County’s enhanced-recycling program provides separate collection routes for materials that should not simply be mixed into a normal curbside recycling cart.
Books & textiles
Hardback and softcover books, clothing, shoes and accessories can use designated enhanced-recycling containers.
Shredded paper & foam
Shredded paper and clean white rigid foam have dedicated drop-off systems.
Bicycles
Old and broken bicycles are accepted. Usable bicycles may be repurposed or donated.
Food scraps
Residential food-scrap collection is available at selected locations. Confirm the participating center before driving.
Clean wood
Selected clean wood and wooden furniture can be recycled through designated full-service-center bins.
Solar panels
Compost Central currently accepts up to 10 solar panels from residents and businesses; larger quantities require advance contact.
William R. Davie Staffed Recycling Center
William R. Davie Park now has a staffed recycling center at 4635 Pineville-Matthews Road, Charlotte, NC 28226.
Current hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.. It is closed Wednesday and Sunday.
Accepted at William R. Davie
- Plastic bottles, jugs, selected containers and cups
- Cardboard
- Aluminum and steel cans
- Milk and juice cartons
- Paper
- Glass bottles
- Rechargeable batteries
- Bicycles
- Books
- Textiles
- Shredded paper
- White rigid foam
- Food scraps
- Plastic bags and wrap through the enhanced program
Not accepted there
- Household trash
- Household hazardous waste
- Scrap metal
- Large appliances / white goods
- Tires
- Yard waste
- Bulky waste
- Construction and demolition debris
Charlotte Self-Service Recycling Center Locations
Self-service locations are intended for basic curbside-style recyclables. They are not full-service disposal facilities.
Innovation Barn
932 Seigle Ave.
Charlotte, NC 28205
McAlpine Creek Park
8711 Monroe Road
Charlotte, NC 28212
Park Road Park
6220 Park Road
Charlotte, NC 28210
Reedy Creek Park
2900 Rocky River Road
Charlotte, NC 28213
Charlotte Curbside Recycling vs County Drop-Off
City of Charlotte residents with municipal collection use the City’s green recycling cart on an every-other-week schedule. The County operates the recycling centers but does not provide Charlotte curbside collection.
Use curbside for normal accepted recycling
Place accepted materials loose in the recycling cart. Do not bag curbside recyclables in plastic bags.
Use County drop-off for special items
Electronics, HHW, plastic film, foam, textiles, yard waste and bulky disposal often need a County center rather than the green cart.
Business and Institutional Waste Uses Different Rules
Household hazardous waste at the four full-service centers is for residential households. The County states that hazardous waste generated by a business, school, company or church cannot be dropped into the normal residential HHW program.
Mecklenburg County periodically operates commercial hazardous-waste collection events for qualifying Very Small Quantity Generators.
Businesses with electronics should also use an appropriate commercial electronics processor rather than assuming the residential e-waste program applies.
Before-You-Go Charlotte Recycling Checklist
- Identify the exact material. Do not choose a center only because it is nearby.
- Choose full-service, staffed or self-service correctly.
- Check the current operating day. Full-service centers are normally Monday–Saturday.
- Check the 2026 holiday schedule.
- Bring proof of Mecklenburg County residency.
- Get the free blue resident sticker at the fee booth if needed.
- Separate yard waste, bulky waste and construction debris before arrival.
- Do not mix household chemicals.
- Remove batteries from electronics when practical.
- Erase personal data from computers and devices.
- Keep plastic bags out of the curbside cart. Use the dedicated drop-off collection instead.
- Check fees for bulky, C&D and larger yard-waste loads.
- Check trailer-length restrictions.
- Use a card for paid County transactions. Cash and checks are currently not accepted.
Charlotte Recycling Center Map
Charlotte has multiple official recycling centers, so the map below searches for Mecklenburg County recycling centers rather than presenting one location as the only Charlotte facility.
Official Charlotte and Mecklenburg Recycling Sources
Official locations, hours, stickers, trash limits, accepted materials and trailer restrictions.
Open official center listCurrent residential, business and non-county fee information.
Open current fee pageAccepted chemicals, quantity limits, packaging and prohibited materials.
Open HHW guidanceAccepted devices, battery preparation and residential program limitations.
Open e-waste guidanceFull-service and staffed recycling-center holiday closures.
Open holiday scheduleGreen/Orange curbside schedule, City collection rules and official recycling information.
Open City recycling pageFrequently Asked Questions About Charlotte Recycling Centers
What are the main Charlotte recycling centers?
Mecklenburg County operates four full-service centers: Compost Central at 140 Valleydale Road, Hickory Grove at 8007 Pence Road, Foxhole at 17131 Lancaster Highway, and North Mecklenburg at 12300 N. Statesville Road in Huntersville.
What are Charlotte recycling center hours?
The four Mecklenburg County full-service recycling and disposal centers are currently open Monday through Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., subject to holiday closures and operational notices.
Are Charlotte recycling centers open Sunday?
The full-service Mecklenburg County centers are normally closed Sunday.
Do Mecklenburg County residents need a sticker?
County residents are asked to display a blue entry sticker. Mecklenburg County currently provides the blue sticker at no cost and may ask for a driver’s license or other proof of county residency.
Is recycling free at Charlotte recycling centers?
Many source-separated recyclables can be dropped off without a disposal charge for qualifying County residents, but bulky waste, construction and demolition debris, larger yard-waste loads and other categories can have fees.
How much household trash can a Mecklenburg County resident bring for free?
The County currently states that residents can dispose of up to five bags of household kitchen trash per day free of charge at full-service centers. Larger quantities are routed through the fee booth.
Where can I recycle electronics in Charlotte?
Residential electronics can be taken to the four full-service Mecklenburg County centers. The County program accepts many computers, screens, printers, cables and household electronic devices. Televisions can have limits or fees.
Can I recycle plastic bags in Charlotte?
Yes, but not in the curbside recycling cart. Since 2026, Mecklenburg County accepts qualifying clean plastic bags and wraps at the four full-service centers and the William R. Davie Staffed Recycling Center.
Where can I take household hazardous waste in Charlotte?
Residential household hazardous waste can be taken to any of Mecklenburg County’s four full-service recycling and disposal centers. HHW is not accepted at ordinary self-service recycling sites or the William R. Davie staffed recycling center.
Can businesses bring hazardous waste to the full-service centers?
Not through the normal residential HHW program. Mecklenburg County states that the full-service centers are permitted to accept household hazardous material from residential households, not hazardous waste generated by businesses, schools, companies or churches.
Does William R. Davie accept trash?
No. The staffed William R. Davie center accepts recycling and several enhanced-recycling streams, but not household waste, household hazardous waste, bulky waste, C&D debris, yard waste, tires or large appliances.
Can I bring yard waste to a Charlotte recycling center?
Yes, to the four full-service Mecklenburg County centers. Small qualifying residential yard-waste loads can be free, while larger loads have flat or weight-based fees.
Can I pay cash at Mecklenburg County recycling centers?
Mecklenburg County currently says paid services accept debit cards and most major credit cards except American Express. Cash and checks are not accepted.
Can out-of-county residents use Mecklenburg recycling centers?
Yes. Out-of-county residents can buy an annual residential sticker for access to resident privileges. Without the sticker, the County says an out-of-county resident must pay for each entry, including recycling trips.
Is Recycling-Centre.org the official Charlotte recycling website?
No. Recycling-Centre.org is an independent information guide. Mecklenburg County and the City of Charlotte remain the official sources for hours, fees, holiday closures, collection schedules and accepted materials.
Best Way to Avoid a Rejected Charlotte Recycling Trip
Match the item to the facility before driving. Full-service centers handle the widest range of materials, while staffed and self-service sites have much narrower acceptance rules.
For mixed loads, separate recycling, yard waste, bulky material and construction debris before leaving home. For chemicals, keep containers sealed and separate. For trailers and paid loads, check the current County fee and length rules first.