By Kathryn Jolly
Special to the Salisbury Post
The Rowan County Department of Environmental Management is responsible for operating the Rowan County Landfill, eight recycling/solid waste convenience centers, the Rowan County Recycling and Processing Center and the community recycling education program.
The Rowan landfill has been in operation since December 1989 and was the first “lined” Subtitle D facility in the state.
Unlike other county departments, the Department of Environmental Management operates as an N.C. General Statute “enterprise” accounting fund. The landfill, convenience sites and the recycling/education program are maintained solely by the revenues generated by the disposal of solid waste.
Locations:
– Solid Waste Landfill, 789 Campbell Road, Woodleaf; open Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Phone: (704) 278-2211
– Convenience centers are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the days listed.
Rock Grove Site, 255 Rock Grove Church Road, 704-855-1780, open Monday, Friday, Saturday
Julian Road Site, 1455 Julian Road, 704-637-5781, open Monday- Saturday
North Kannapolis Site, 614 W. 8th Street, 704-938-3213, open Monday, Friday, Saturday
Dunn’s Mountain Road Site, 1735 Dunn’s Mountain Road, 704-637-7399, open Monday, Friday, Saturday
Providence Site, 1985 Providence Church Road, 704-636-1798, open Monday only
Woodleaf Site, 9185 Cool Springs Road, 704-278-3006, open Monday, Friday, Saturday
Goodnight Road Site, 3282 Goodnight Road, 704-637-2115, open Monday, Friday, Saturday
Liberty Site, 8835 Stokes Ferry Road, 704-637-2745, open Saturday only
Processing Center, 1102 N. Long St., East Spencer, 704-638-3045, open Monday thru Friday, 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Banned items
The state and the Department of Environmental Management encourage each citizen to review those items that are banned from landfill disposal. For those citizens who don’t have curb-side recycling, the Rowan Department of Environmental Management provides recycling at each of the eight convenience sites across the county.
We ask that our citizens help us maintain compliance of these environmental laws. Violations of state solid waste laws can cost up to $15,000 per day and cause an increase in the cost of operating the county’s solid waste/recycling program.
Illegal dumping
This type of disposal is illegal and continues to be a serious problem throughout Rowan County. Illegal dumping carries serious fines and can be a Class I felony crime. Please help us by disposing of your waste properly.
“Illegal dumpsites often act as a magnet for more dumping and other criminal activities,” says the state environmental department. These activities decrease property values and make the area less attractive to commercial and residential developers. Sites that are not cleaned up promptly often attract additional illegal dumpers. It is quite common for a ‘little’ dump to turn into acres of trash in a matter of weeks.”
This is the state statue that we are legally required to abide by:
N.C. General Statute Law (G.S. 130A-309.10)
ITEMS BANNED FROM DISPOSAL IN NORTH CAROLINA LANDFILLS
No person shall knowingly dispose of the following solid wastes in landfills:
1. Used oil.
2. Yard trash, except in landfills approved for the disposal of yard trash under rules adopted by the commission. Yard trash that is source separated from solid waste may be accepted at a solid waste disposal area where the area provides and maintains separate yard trash composting facilities.
3. White goods.
4. Antifreeze (ethylene glycol).
5. Aluminum cans.
6. Whole scrap tires, as provided in G.S. 130A-309.58(b). The prohibition against landfilling whole tires applies to all whole pneumatic rubber coverings, but does not apply to whole solid rubber coverings.
7. Lead-acid batteries, as provided in G.S. 130A-309.70.
8. (Effective January 1, 2008) Beverage containers that are required to be recycled under G.S. 18B-1006.1. (This statute applies to commercial establishments selling beverages on-premises.)
9. (Effective October 1, 2009) Motor vehicle oil filters.
10. (Effective October 1, 2009) Recyclable rigid plastic containers that are required to be labeled as provided BELOW, that have a neck smaller than the body of the container, and that accept a screw top, snap cap, or other closure. The prohibition on disposal of recyclable rigid plastic containers in landfills does not apply to rigid plastic containers that are intended for use in the sale or distribution of motor oil.
n (a) For polyethylene terephthalate, the letters “PETE” and the number 1.
n (b) For high density polyethylene, the letters “HDPE” and the number 2.
n (c) For vinyl, the letter “V” and the number 3.
n (d) For low density polyethylene, the letters “LDPE” and the number 4.
n (e) For polypropylene, the letters “PP” and the number 5.
n (f) For polystyrene, the letters “PS” and the number 6.
n (g) For any other, the letters “OTHER” and the number 7.
11. (Effective October 1, 2009) Wooden pallets, except that wooden pallets may be disposed of in a landfill that is permitted to only accept construction and demolition debris.
12. Oyster shells.
13. (Effective January 1, 2011) Discarded computer and television equipment.