North Mecklenburg Recycling Center: Hours, Fees & Accepted Items

2026 Holiday Schedule

Holiday closures override normal Monday–Saturday hours. Mecklenburg County has published the following full-service-center schedule for 2026.

North Mecklenburg Construction and Site-Expansion Restrictions

North Mecklenburg is undergoing a facility-expansion project designed to add a covered recycling-acceptance area, new pavement, a noise wall and additional capacity.

The construction project also affects some special material streams. In particular, Mecklenburg County’s Enhanced Recycling page currently says that North Mecklenburg cannot accept wood waste for recycling because of construction.

Mulch and compost availability has also changed during the project. If your only reason for visiting is to buy mulch or compost, call first rather than assuming bulk product is available.

Blue Entry Sticker and Mecklenburg County Residency

Mecklenburg County residents are asked to display a blue residential entry sticker when using a full-service center. The blue sticker is free.

If you do not already have one, stickers are available at the facility fee booth. Be prepared to show a driver’s license or another accepted document proving that you live in Mecklenburg County.

Out-of-County Residents Can Use a Separate Sticker Program

People who live outside Mecklenburg County may purchase an annual out-of-county residential sticker that provides access to resident-style disposal privileges at full-service centers.

The sticker does not make every disposal category free. Current fee rules still apply to bulky waste, yard waste, construction debris and other charged materials.

If an out-of-county resident does not buy the annual sticker, Mecklenburg County says a fee is required each time material is disposed, including recyclables.

Fee-Booth Payment: Do Not Bring Cash

For paid disposal, Mecklenburg County accepts debit cards and most major credit cards except American Express.

Household Kitchen Trash: Five Bags Per Day Free for County Residents

Mecklenburg County residents may dispose of up to five bags of normal household kitchen trash per day without a disposal charge.

If you have more than five bags, use the fee booth. Do not treat the five-bag allowance as permission to mix construction debris, yard waste, chemicals or bulky items into household trash.

Regular Recycling Accepted at North Mecklenburg

Full-service centers accept normal Mecklenburg County recycling plus additional special streams. Standard recyclables should be clean, empty and placed in the correct recycling containers.

Enhanced Recycling Beyond the Curbside Cart

North Mecklenburg also participates in several enhanced-recycling programs.

• Bicycles
• Hardback and softcover books
• Plastic bags and wraps
• Shredded paper
• Textiles and shoes
• Clean white rigid foam

Bicycles that remain usable may be repurposed or donated. Worn bicycle frames can enter the scrap-metal stream.

Books have a separate recycling container. Remove plastic inserts, discs and unrelated items before dropping them into the book bin.

Food Scraps Are Not Currently a North Mecklenburg Drop-Off Stream

This is an easy point to misunderstand because Mecklenburg County sometimes holds food-scrap-bin giveaway events at North Mecklenburg.

However, the County’s current food-scrap program lists actual food-waste collection at:

• Compost Central
• Hickory Grove
• Foxhole
• William R. Davie Staffed Recycling Center

Wood Recycling Is Temporarily Unavailable at North Mecklenburg

Mecklenburg County has an enhanced clean-wood recycling program, but the current County page specifically says North Mecklenburg cannot accept wood waste at this time due to construction.

For recyclable clean wood, check another full-service center before driving. Normally accepted clean-wood examples elsewhere in the program include pallets, untreated lumber, plywood, OSB, particle board, wooden furniture and clean construction wood.

Pressure-treated lumber, telephone poles, rotten wood, railroad ties, MDF and laminate flooring do not enter that clean-wood recycling stream.

Yard Waste Rules, Tree Limits and Current Resident Fees

North Mecklenburg accepts yard waste including leaves, grass clippings, brush and eligible tree material. Keep yard waste separate from household trash, bulky waste and construction debris.

Accepted preparation

• Leaves, brush and grass clippings
• Limbs under five feet long
• Bamboo under five feet long
• Small root balls smaller than a basketball
• Eligible untreated pallets under five feet
• Trees up to 24 inches in diameter at North Mecklenburg

Furniture and Bulky Waste

Full-service centers accept residential bulky waste, including furniture and certain large household items. Bulky material must be separated from C&D and yard waste before arrival.

The current residential fee schedule distinguishes a very small resident bulky load from larger loads. Fees apply as the volume increases or when a load must be weighed.

Examples

• Sofas
• Chairs
• Tables
• Household furniture
• Mattresses and box springs, subject to limits
• Cabinets

The County’s accepted-item summary lists a limit of one mattress and one box spring for the standard residential category.

Construction and Demolition Debris Uses a Separate Fee Category

Home-renovation debris is not ordinary household trash. Examples include demolition lumber, drywall, shingles, cabinets, doors, windows and similar construction material.

Residential and commercial C&D fees apply. Mixed loads of yard waste, bulky material and C&D may be charged at the construction-and-demolition rate.

The County’s current residential schedule places a maximum full-service delivery limit on very large loads; loads exceeding the center limit should go directly to Foxhole Landfill. For a major demolition load, check the current fee PDF before hauling.

Appliances and White Goods

North Mecklenburg accepts large household appliances through its full-service system.

• Refrigerators
• Freezers
• Stoves
• Washers
• Dryers
• Water heaters
• Other eligible white goods

Empty refrigerators and freezers before arrival. Do not place food, household trash or hazardous material inside an appliance to avoid paying or sorting another disposal category.

Lawn mowers can also be accepted after hazardous fluids and chemicals are removed.

TVs, Computers and Electronic Waste

Mecklenburg County’s electronics program is primarily for residential electronics. Commercial and institutional users should use a commercial e-waste processor for most business equipment.

Accepted examples

• Desktop computers
• Laptops
• Tablets
• CRT and flat-screen monitors
• Televisions
• Printers
• Scanners
• Fax machines
• Keyboards and mice
• Digital cameras
• Speakers
• Stereos and radios
• VCRs
• Video-game systems
• Cords and cables
• Telephone equipment

Before recycling a device

Tire Drop-Off Limit

The County’s full-service accepted-item list currently shows a five-tire limit for the standard drop-off program.

Large commercial tire activity follows a different permitting and disposal system. If you have more than five tires, truck tires or tires from a business operation, contact Solid Waste before loading them.

Household Hazardous Waste Is Accepted From Residential Households

North Mecklenburg is a full-service center and accepts household hazardous waste from residents. This program is for waste generated by households.

Prepare chemicals safely

• Keep products in their original containers when possible.
• Make sure labels are readable.
• Tighten caps and lids.
• Never mix chemicals.
• Place containers upright in sturdy boxes.
• Prevent leaking during transport.
• Tell staff that the vehicle contains hazardous material.

Battery Rules: Rechargeables Need the Special Collection Area

Rechargeable and lithium batteries should not go into normal trash or curbside recycling because damaged batteries can start collection-truck and facility fires.

Mecklenburg County directs rechargeable batteries to the household-hazardous-waste/electronics area of full-service centers.

• Lithium-ion batteries
• Rechargeable tool batteries
• Nickel-cadmium batteries
• Small rechargeable batteries
• UPS batteries

Paint, Motor Oil, Gasoline and Other Quantity Limits

White Rigid Foam and Clean Foam Containers

Mecklenburg County recycles rigid polystyrene foam through the full-service-center “Foam-a-Saurus Rex” program.

Accepted examples

• White appliance/furniture packing foam
• Clean rigid EPS blocks
• Clean foam clamshells
• Clean, empty white rigid foam cups without lids or straws

Reject or trash

• Dirty foam
• Food-soiled foam
• Foam plates and bowls with contamination

Plastic Bags and Wrap: Special Bin, Never the Curbside Cart

Plastic bags and flexible film can be recycled through a dedicated full-service-center program, but they must not be mixed into ordinary curbside recycling.

Accepted

• Grocery/store bags
• Bread and produce bags
• Ice bags
• Resealable bags
• Dry-cleaning bags
• Bubble wrap and air pillows
• Plastic shipping envelopes
• Stretchable product wrap

Not accepted in the film program

• Chip and candy wrappers
• Frozen-food bags
• Net produce bags
• Pet-food bags
• Vinyl shower curtains
• Pool covers
• Shiny/crinkly non-stretch film

North Mecklenburg Fees: What Is Free and What Is Charged?

There is no single “recycling center fee.” The amount depends on residency, material type, load volume, vehicle/trailer size and whether the transaction is considered residential or commercial.

Open Mecklenburg County’s current disposal-fee page.

Trailer Length, Scale and Saturday Rules

Compost Central can handle longer trailers than North Mecklenburg, while very large landfill-style trailer loads may need Foxhole. The landfill portion of Foxhole has separate Saturday limitations.

Items Not Accepted or Commonly Put in the Wrong Stream

Other important wrong-bin items

• Diapers
• Cat litter
• Napkins
• Paper towels
• Wire/plastic hangers in normal curbside recycling
• Loose rechargeable batteries
• Food in recycling
• Hoses and ropes in normal recycling
• Sharps in recycling
• Propane cylinders in curbside carts

Before-You-Go Checklist

North Mecklenburg Recycling Center Map and Directions

The facility is at 12300 N. Statesville Road, Huntersville, NC 28078.

Open full Google Maps directions.

Related Recycling Guides

Official Mecklenburg County Sources

Frequently Asked Questions About North Mecklenburg Recycling Center