Municipal · Drop-off · Free
Mecklenburg County full-service recycling centers
Four county sites that take almost everything Charlotte's kerbside collection will not, electronics, paint, chemicals, batteries and fluorescent tubes, free for residents, six days a week.
Right for you if
- It is electronic, chemical, or simply refused at the kerb, and you can drive it there.
- It has to cost nothing.
- You can get it there under your own steam.
- You want to turn up without booking.
Look elsewhere if
- You have no way of getting it there.
- You live outside the area it serves.
- It is business waste.
- It is more than a household quantity.
- You cannot show proof of address.
Contact and booking
- Phone
- 311 or 980-314-3867
- Not published
- Book online
- Not published
- Address
- Compost Central, 140 Valleydale Rd · Foxhole, 17131 Lancaster Hwy · Hickory Grove, 8007 Pence Rd · North Mecklenburg, 12300 N Statesville Rd, Huntersville
- Opening hours
- Monday to Saturday, 7:00am–4:00pm.
- Website
- Official website
Verification
Verified against an official source
Last checked 18 August 2026
That means we read a published source and it said this. It does not mean we watched them do it, or followed the material afterwards, that is a separate, deeper check this has not been through. How we check →
Sources
- Mecklenburg County, where can I recycle
- Mecklenburg County, household hazardous waste
- Mecklenburg County, electronic waste
Part of How to get rid of stuff in Charlotte.
Why use it
This is where the things the city refuses actually go. Household hazardous waste is free: "Mecklenburg County Solid Waste and Recycling offers free household waste disposal to County residents", covering paint, chemicals, pool products, fuels, fluorescent tubes and rechargeable batteries. Electronics are free too, capped at two TVs or monitors a visit, and note that in North Carolina it is illegal to landfill a television or computer, so the kerbside crew will not take one. Ask at the fee booth for the blue entry sticker, which costs residents nothing and needs proof you live in the county. Recycling and hazardous waste carry no fee; bulky items, construction debris and yard waste do.
Good for
- furniture
- mattresses
- appliances
- electronics
- batteries
- paint
- hazardous waste
- tyres
- textiles
- books
- other items
How it works
| How you use it | You take it there. |
|---|---|
| Cost | Free for county residents for recycling, household hazardous waste and electronics. Bulky waste, construction debris and yard waste are charged, and more than five bags of kitchen trash is charged. Card only. No cash or cheques. |
| Booking | No appointment needed. |
| Service area | Mecklenburg County |
| Run by | Mecklenburg County Solid Waste and Recycling, a municipal service |
Where your things go
A named destination is worth more than a stated intention, and both are worth more than silence. This is the row to read before you book: if your item's row is empty, ask them on the phone and tell us what they say.
- ✓ Named destination
- ~ Stated, not named
- ? Nothing published
- Tell us what you were told →
Does it actually work
The part no company website tells you. Some of this comes from our checks, some from readers who used the service, and where nobody has told us yet, it says so.
-
Booking
Their pages
No booking. Self-haul drop-off during opening hours, Mon-Sat 7 a.m.-4 p.m. at the four full-service centres.
-
Typical wait
Their pages
Not applicable. Walk-in drop-off, so the wait is the opening hours rather than a queue position. No queue or turnaround time is published.
-
Do they answer
Their pages
Office line 980-314-3867, Mon-Fri 8 a.m.-5 p.m. The page also offers email with a stated response time: "Responses will typically occur within 4 hours during weekdays."
-
Restrictions
Their pages
Per-item caps: 5 bags of household trash/day free, 1 mattress and 1 box spring, 5 tyres, 2 computers, 20 gal antifreeze, 20 gal motor oil/day, 100 lb paint, 1 propane tank up to 20 lb.
Residents only · Households only · Household quantities only · Proof of address or ID required
-
Who it's for
Their pages
Out-of-county residents can buy an annual sticker for the same access.
-
Last checked
Pipeline
18 August 2026
Checked against the sources listed on this page.
Where donated things land
The organisations this operator names. The linked ones have profiles here; the rest are named on their pages and not yet checked by us.
- Assist M.E. N.C. Named on their pages, not yet checked
- Metrolina Recycling Facility Named on their pages, not yet checked
What happens to it
- Recycled
- Broken down for materials
- Disposed of
This describes the route the item takes, as the operator states it. We do not claim a recovery rate we have not seen evidence for.
What readers told us
Used them recently?
How long you waited, what they refused, whether anyone picked up the phone. Those are the three facts no website publishes and the ones the next reader needs.
Alternatives in Charlotte
Other places that will take things off your hands.
-
Reuse
Buy Nothing Project
Buy Nothing Project
- Takes
- furniture, appliances, electronics, books, and 4 more
- Where
- Neighbourhood groups across the US and beyond
- Booking
- By appointment
-
Reuse
The Salvation Army donation pickup
The Salvation Army
- Takes
- furniture, appliances, electronics, clothes, and 5 more
- Where
- Nationwide
- Booking
- Book online
-
Municipal
Charlotte bulky item collection
City of Charlotte Solid Waste Services
- Takes
- furniture, mattresses, appliances, electronics
- Where
- Citywide
- Booking
- Book online
View → Checked 29 Aug 2026