Solid Waste Division Operations

The Utilities Division is responsible for providing Winston-Salem and Forsyth County residents, businesses, industry, and contractors and developers access to facilities for the safe disposal of solid waste. Our Mission is to provide, as an enterprise, environmentally and economically acceptable means of solid waste disposal (excluding hazardous, infectious and radioactive wastes) of current and future wastes generated in Forsyth County.

Residential and Commercial Solid Waste Landfills
The Division operates a state-permitted, active, sanitary landfill at Hanes Mill Road. Additionally, the Division supervises closed-out landfill operations on Ebert Street, Airport Road, Overdale and Link Road.

There is sufficient land at the Hanes Mill Road Landfill to meet sanitary waste disposal needs (non-construction) until at least 2021, and possibly until 2029, depending on the “waste stream” into the Landfill. A contract was negotiated with Stokes County in 1995 to provide for disposal of its sanitary waste at the Hanes Mill Road Landfill. For other information, please call City Link at (336)727-8000.

Construction and Demolition Waste Disposal
The Division operates a state-permitted, active, construction and demolition landfill on Old Salisbury Roadfor waste materials generated for construction and demolition activities. These materials may also be disposed at Hanes Mill Road Landfill. For other information, please call City Link at (336)727-8000.

Solid Waste Rates and Fees 
  See the current Solid Waste rates and fees [pdf/18kb/1p] 

Landfill Operating Hours

Landfill Permit online application, valid for 2 trips per year from date of issue

Directions to the Landfills 

*Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The day after Thanksgiving open from 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. for Hanes Mill Road location only.
Other holidays hours are 7:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

**Closed all Holidays.

Leaf Composting and Yard-waste Disposal
N.C. State Law (130A-309.10(F) 3) prohibits the disposal of yard wastes (e.g., leaves, grass clippings, tree limbs, etc.) in sanitary landfills. Therefore, the Division operates (2) permanent leaf drop-off sites, Reynolds Park Road which only accept leaves from City Sanitation crews during the leaf season, Overdale Yard-waste Facility and Forum 52 Yard-waste Facility which accepts leaves from the general public as well as the City Sanitation crews throughout the year. Leaves that are taken to the Overdale Yard-waste Facility and Forum 52 Yard-waste Facility are mixed with grass clippings from the City’s Yard Cart collection and is then distributed to the general public for compost at certain times of the year.

The City has (1) Transfer Station, which is located at Shorefair Drive behind the Fairgrounds. This transfer station only accepts leaves from the City Sanitation crews during the leaf season. The Shorefair site is used as a temporary holding site for the collection of leaves on the northern side of the city. These leaves are transferred to the Reynolds Park site where they are recycled through a natural organic process into leaf mulch that is made available to the City of Winston-Salem and citizens at no charge.

Both the Overdale Yard-waste Processing Facility and Forum 52 Yard-waste Facility are operated through a contract with Wrico, Inc. to recycle all wood waste into mulch. For more information, visit us at 1001 Old Milwaukee Lane (Overdale)/180 Northstar Drive, Rural Hall (Forum 52), or call City Link at (336)727-8000.  See the current rates[pdf] 

Yard-waste Facility Operating Hours

**Closed Sundays and all Holidays.

Note:  The Reynolds Park Road Site is NOT open to the public except for leaf mulch distribution which occurs semiannually.

Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Disposal - 3RC Enviro-Station
The Utilities Division provides all Forsyth County residents an opportunity to dispose of paints, pesticides, herbicides, oxidizers, used oil, and solvents, commonly known as household hazardous waste (HHW), through the Enviro-Station Program. The Enviro-Station is conveniently located at 1401 S. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive. There is no charge to residents of Forsyth County for this service.

Commercial, industrial or business waste is not accepted free of charge through Enviro-Station. However, 3RC (Resource, Recovery and Redution Company), the contractor that operates the Enviro-Station is a permitted hazardous waste disposal facility and can accept commercial, industrial and business waste for a fee. For complete information on the 3RC EnviroStation Facility and what to do with your Household Hazardous Wastes, please call 3RC for details. 

Accepted material include:
Metal polish, oven cleaners, rug shampoos, bug sprays, rat bait, pesticides, gasoline, fuel oil, antifreeze, brake fluid, car batteries, glues, strippers, thinners, solvents, rechargeable batteries, unmixed photographic materials or other poisonous, ignitable, corrosive products, motor oil and paints.

Electronic waste is accepted, including the following: computers and all associated computer parts including keyboards, mice, monitors, CPUs, printers, faciximile (fax) machines and scanners, etc.; audio-visual (A/V) equipment, including amplifiers, receivers, CD players, DVD players, VCRs, TV receivers and monitors, speakers, etc.; phones, cell and home; and large console TVs (pre-cable sets). For electronic waste not on this list, please call the Enviro-Station first to obtain approval. All Goodwill attended donation centers also take the e-waste listed above EXCEPT large console TVs. For more detailed information about the statewide e-waste disposal ban and alternate forms of e-waste management, please visit http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/wm/sw/electronics.  

Enviro-Station also accepts fluorescent lamps from households; four and eight foot tubes as well as all compact fourescent lamps (CFLs).

Materials not accepted:
Regular trash or recyclables, ammunition, explosives, radioactive or infectious materials.

Directions to 3RC Enviro-Station:
From Highway 52 North and South, take the Stadium Drive exit. Turn left onto Stadium Drive. At the first intersection, turn right onto Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive. Travel approximately 1/2 mile and the facility is on the left across from Bowman Gray Stadium and the Hertz Rental Company.

3RC Enviro-Station Operating Hours (336) 784-4300

The Enviro-Station is closed on the following days:
New Year's Eve and New Year's Day; Good Friday; Saturday before Easter Sunday, Saturday before Memorial Day; Memorial Day, July 4th (if July 4th is on a Monday or Friday, then the Saturday after the Friday or before the Monday is also a holiday); Saturday before Labor Day; Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, the Friday and Saturday following Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

White Goods and Other Wastes
The Division recycles "white goods" (refrigerators, stoves, etc.) through contracts with private vendors. Tires are also recycled through a contract with Central Carolina Tire Disposal, Inc. Forsyth County residents can dispose of five tires per year. “White goods” and tire recycling is processed at the Hanes Mill Road Landfill, located on Hanes Mill Road in Winston-Salem.

White goods are defined as; stoves, ranges, refrigerators, freezers, air conditioning units, hot water heaters, dish washing machines, clothes washing machines, clothes dryers, fireplace inserts, floor model gas, oil, or wood fired heaters, trash compactors, and large humidifiers/dehumidifiers. If you have any of these "white goods", you may take them to the Hanes Mill Road Landfill free of charge.

Examples of items NOT classified as "white goods": microwave ovens, small tabletop appliances, toaster ovens, bread baking machines, food processors, food mixers, food blenders, garbage disposals, gas/charcoal grills, vacuum cleaners, TVs, copiers, stereo equipment, propane gas tanks, and electric fans. 
See the current rates [pdf]

Recycling Program
Curbside Recycling provides curbside recycling bin collection to all single-family residences and to multifamily units utilizing carts.

Materials that are collected through this program include: newspaper; magazines; telephone books; junk mail; chipboard; corrugated cardboard; aluminum and steel cans; #1 and #2 clear and colored plastics and glass (clear, brown and green).

The program was designed and is administered by the City of Winston-Salem, but it is performed by Waste Management, a private contractor. The contract includes collection, processing and marketing of recyclables.

Additionally, this program includes nine drop-off sites for cardboard recycling which are placed throughout the city at some fire stations. Cardboard is collected and transported to a recycling facility by employees in the Bulk Container program.

Recycle Today web site 

The Solid Waste Division is also responsible for the Schools Recycling Program.

Students, teachers and staff of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school system are all able to participate in a comprehensive recycling program sponsored by the City/County Utility Commission. The Commission has funded this program since 2002 at which time it was implemented throughout the entire school district. The program includes cardboard, office paper and beverage container recycling. It is estimated that 2,000 tons of materials are recycled through this program each year. The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Recycling Program is one of only two like it in the state. The other program, which is in Wake County, was modeled on the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school system program. If you or anyone in your family attends any of the schools in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School System, please remember to participate in this convenient and successful recycling program.

For more information about how to participate: Recycle Today 

Administration
Meeting our area’s solid waste disposal needs is accomplished by an effort known as an integrated waste management plan. A fully integrated waste management plan is made up of different approaches available to manage solid waste. The elements are designed to be complimentary. They can be used in combination as necessary to meet a community’s individual solid waste disposal needs.

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County’s integrated waste management plan includes three waste management technologies: source reduction, recycling, and landfilling. These three approaches form a safe and effective system for the proper disposal of our municipal waste. Alternative technologies such as waste combustion are not currently used to dispose of municipal waste, and there are no existing plans to use this approach. Waste combustion with energy recovery does, however, remain an alternative disposal option in the future.

Operating responsibility for the system is a function of the City of Winston-Salem Utilities Division, with governance provided by the City/County Utility Commission, whose members are appointed by the Winston-Salem City Council and the Forsyth County Board of County Commissioners.

Read more about the history, organization, members, and work of the City/County Utility Commission.

Solid Waste Division Administrative Staff

	Name - E-mail		Telephone: (336)
		Administration
	Jan McHargue, P.E.	Solid Waste Administrator	747-7310
	Administers solid waste management activities; including supervision of staff and strategic planning for solid waste disposal operations, composting facilities and related waste management programs.
	Ed Gibson, P.E.	Solid Waste Engineering Supervisor	661-4903
	Assists in the planning, engineering, and supervision of solid waste disposal and treatment operations, with emphasis on environmental and safety compliance, permitting, and construction management.
	Steve Dulin	Solid Waste Administration Supervisor	747-7308
	Plans, supervises and manages financial aspects of solid waste disposal operations, yard waste debris, scrap tire disposal, and the free leaf mulch program; oversees and maintain state reports, invoicing of accounts, solid waste tax and database programs for daily operations.
	Wayne Turner	Solid Waste Operations Analyst	747-7320
	Monitors overall trends in waste management services, including disposal, recycling and waste reduction. Administers the WS/FC School Recycling Program. Ensures compliance with related permitting and regulatory projects.