Items Accepted and Not Accepted at the Collection Centers 

The following is a common list of items accepted at the Collection Centers or items that require special instructions. It is not meant to be a complete list.

Visit our online disposal guide for details on how to dispose of these and many other items. If you do not see guidance for your item on the "How Do I Dispose of…" guide, contact the Main Office Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm at (919) 542-5516 or email us anytime at recycle@chathamcountync.gov.  

The Collection Centers are for residents only, so only household trash and recycling can be disposed of at the Collection Centers. Businesses are not allowed to use any of the Collection Centers. Businesses are defined as any income-generating endeavor, which includes builders, contractors, developers, rental properties, farms, livestock, home businesses, etc. All business waste must go to a transfer station or landfill for disposal or contract with a private hauler for service.

If you have any questions please contact the Main Office Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm at (919) 542-5516 or email us anytime at recycle@chathamcountync.gov

Items Accepted at the Collection Centers

The following items are accepted at the Collection Centers with a current decal. Please note there might be limitations or special instructions for disposal of some items. 

• Appliances
• Batteries- household and vehicle batteries. Do not tape batteries. 
• Bulky waste- such as couch/sofa, mattress, desk, bookcase, etc.
• Clothing & shoes- can be recycled through the Green Zone recycling bin, near the Swap Shop. 
• Construction & demolition materials from small do-it-yourself home projects. Learn more about C&D at the Collection Centers. 
• Cooking oil- only available at Bonlee, Cole Park, Pittsboro, and Siler City. And the Main Facility.
• Electronics- 9 Collection Centers cannot accept TVs larger than 25 inches or any electronic item weighing more than 50 pounds. The Bonlee, Cole Park, and Pittsboro Collection Centers do not have the limitations. Learn more about what is and is not accepted in our Electronics Recycling program.
• Fluorescent Lightbulbs- compact and straight 4 feet or less. Other shapes and sizes should go to an Household Hazardous Waste event. 
• Glass bottles & jars- Learn more about what is and is not accepted in our recycling program.
• Motor oil and filters- limit of 5 gallons in a 7-day period. Can take other oils and fluids.
• Recycling- aluminum cans, steel cans, paper, cardboard, and plastic bottles, tubs, jugs, and jars. Learn more about what is and is not accepted  in our recycling program.
• Scrap metal- any item that is more than 90% metal
• Trash
• Tires- less than 20 inches; no rims; limit of 4 in a 6-month period

If the item you are trying to dispose of is not on this list, please visit our online disposal guide for a more extensive list. 

Please not that for all items brought to the Collection Centers, there is a large load limit. Residents may bring a maximum of one pickup truck sized load in a 7 day period to the Collection Centers. A pickup truck sized load is 120 cubic feet (8 ft. long x 5 ft. wide x 3 ft. high). Residents with large loads will be asked to sign a form to be able to dispose of any materials. 

Residents who have more than a large load can dispose of the equivalent of a large load and either bring the remaining back in 7 days or take the rest to a transfer station or landfill.

Items NOT Accepted at the Collection Centers

The following items are not accepted at the Collection Centers due to local or state bans or restrictions on disposal options. Alternative disposal options will be listed if available. Otherwise contact the Main Office Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm at (919) 542-5516 or email us anytime at recycle@chathamcountync.gov.

• Animals (i.e. pets, roadkill, carcasses)- If on the roadway or right-of-way, contact the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Otherwise, contact the Main Office for guidance.
• Antifreeze- Accepted at Household Hazardous Waste events if from a household. Businesses need to contact a hazardous waste company.
• Asbestos- Contact the Main Office for guidance.
• Ashes from burned material- Contact the Main Office for guidance.
• Brick, concrete, rock, clean dirt/soil/sand (inert debris)- Accepted at the Main Facility. 
• Concrete or concrete mix (inert debris)- Accepted at the Main Facility. 
• Explosives- Contact the Main Office for guidance.
• Firearms and ammunition- Contact the local Chatham County Sheriff’s Office but it may be best to simply find someone who can use the ammunition.
• Fire extinguishers- Accepted at the Main Facility and Household Hazardous Waste events if from a household. 
• Gasoline or mixed gas- Accepted at Household Hazardous Waste events if from a household. Businesses need to contact a hazardous waste company.
• Hazardous waste- Accepted at Household Hazardous Waste events if from a household. Businesses need to contact a hazardous waste company.
• Helium tanks-  Accepted at the Main Facility and Household Hazardous Waste events if it is from a household.
• Land-clearing debris- Accepted at the Main Facility.
• Medication- Accepted at some Household Hazardous Waste events if it is from a household. Medication can also be disposed of at Medication Drop Boxes available around the county, no questions asked. Visit Chatham Drug Free for more information.
• Paint- Latex paint can be accepted at the Collection Centers if it has been hardened. Learn more about latex paint disposal. Oil or water-based paints are accepted at the Household Hazardous Waste events.
• Propane tanks-  Accepted at the Main Facility and Household Hazardous Waste events if it is from a household.
• Radioactive materials- Contact the Main Office for guidance.
• Recyclables from businesses- Accepted at the Main Facility. Learn more about recycling for businesses. 
• Tanks (helium, propane, etc.)- Accepted at the Main Facility and Household Hazardous Waste events if it is from a household.
• Wooden pallets- unpainted/untreated- Accepted at the Main Facility.
• Yard waste (leaves, limbs, trees, shrubs, plants, brush, stumps, grass, etc.)- Accepted at the Main Facility. 

Swap Shops at the Collection Centers

Each Collection Center has a Swap Shop for residents to place, and take, gently used items. See below for a list of accepted items, unaccepted items, and policies.

Residents should only place items in the Swap Shops if one person can unload and load them. The Swap Shops are not designed for large items. Contact places like the PTA Thrift Stores, Habitat for Humanity, and Goodwill. 

Swap Shop Policies

Chatham County accepts no responsibility for the operating safety, condition, or ownership of items left in or taken from the Swap Shop. All items are offered without warranty of any kind.

• Residents may not block the entrance to the Swap Shop with their vehicle, even during unloading and loading. They need to park elsewhere and walk over.
• Items need to be in complete and good, working condition
• Items CANNOT be left outside the building.
• Items are available on a first-come, first-served basis. No items will be set aside for future pick-up.
• Residents should not take test items or take them apart on-site.
• Residents are limited to two 15-minute visits per day.
• Staff have the final say in accepting items. 
• Residents should not directly exchange items inside the Collection Center. Any exchanges should take place outside the gates.

Attendants are NOT permitted to remove items from the Swap Shop unless the items are on the “Not Accepted” list, the items have been in the Swap Shop for over 2 weeks, or the Swap Shop is full and the attendant is making room to accept better quality items.

• Art, films, music, etc.
• Books and magazines
• Clothes and shoes- in good condition
• Decorations
• Electronics- no TVs larger than 25 inches
• Kitchenware- plates, cups, Tupperware, etc.
• Small appliances- that can sit on the counter
• Sports equipment
• Tools
• Toys

• Items too large to fit in the Swap Shop or for one person to load or unload
• Adult material
• Bedding and pillows
• Dirty, torn, or wet clothing- can be put into the clothing recycling bin
• Food and beverages
• Furniture
• Hazardous waste- paint, chemicals, cleaners, etc. 
• Large electronics- larger than 25 inches or weighing more than 50 pounds
• Mattresses and box springs
• Medicine and medical devices
• Rugs and carpets
• Toiletries
• Undergarments
• Weapons and ammunition

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have additional questions about decals, the solid waste fee, or Collection Centers, visit the frequently asked questions.

If you have any questions please contact the Main Office Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm at (919) 542-5516 or email us anytime at recycle@chathamcountync.gov

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