Responsibilities

The Department of Environmental Management oversees the operations of the Landfill and the Recycling programs.

In 1989, Environmental Management was underway closing the old landfill and constructing the new Subtitle-D Landfill on Campbell Road in Woodleaf.  This landfill was one of the first built in the state that met the new State requirements that allowed for the protection of the soil and groundwater around the area. At this time Rowan County, also, established the recycling program with the addition of staffed convenience centers. Rowan County was one of the first to implement recycling for its citizens in the state.

Background

The Rowan County Enterprise Fund is a self sustaining program that operates entirely by revenues generated within the program. Unlike other counties across the state of North Carolina, Rowan County does not charge household solid waste/recycling program availability fees. The Rowan County Landfill Enterprise fund relies on the surplus revenue generated from landfill tipping fees to fund non-landfill waste diversion activities such as North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR) landfill bans and recycling services.

In consideration of the fiscal impacts of our current economy, the source of revenue generated by the sales of recyclables remains unpredictable and only capable of supporting a small percentage of program costs. As recycling programs have become more successful through increased participation due in-part to the convenience of single stream recycling, the tonnage disposed of at landfills has decreased. This means that our revenue to fund our entire solid waste and recycling program has diminished.

The landfill tipping fee increase will allow us to continue to meet landfill permit environmental compliance, sustain our recycling/landfill banned and solid waste diversion programs.

Accepting Televisions

Rowan County is accepting Televisions free of charge. Televisions will only be accepted at this location. Please bring all televisions to our Rowan County Processing Center located at: 

East Spencer
1102 N Long Street Extension
Monday through Friday
7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Notice to the Farm Community

When purchasing seed products please be sure to speak with your seed vendor about allowing the vendor to take back emptied seed bags for proper recycling. Many local vendors will agree to reclaim bags from the seed products that they sell. Seed bags can in many cases be reused or recycled. It is our collective responsibility to use our purchasing power to help facilitate reuse and recycling mechanisms. Seed bags are an area where we can make a difference in our waste stream by keeping this usable material out of our landfill. Thank you for your efforts. Please don’t forget to cover your load.