Wake County residents needing to offload hazardous household waste are in for some adjustments following a fire that shuttered the main facility in Raleigh. On January 22, flames engulfed the North Wake Household Hazardous Waste Facility, necessitating a temporary halt to all waste collection activities there, reported Wake County's official news release. In response to the incident, county officials have introduced a stopgap measure to keep services running for local disposers.
To swiftly adapt to these changes, Wake County has rolled out a Saturday-only HHW collection at an auxiliary site next to the damaged North Wake location. This quick pivot allows residents to continue safely disposing of hazardous materials from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., once a week. Though not an ideal situation, the weekly collection is essential to comply with state permit rules that mandate same-day collection and disposal of these substances. The temporary facility isn't designed to store such materials long term, necessitating this limited schedule.
Wake County Commissioner Cheryl Stallings emphasized the importance of these services, expressing, "In Wake County, we work to provide excellent service, facilities and programming to help reduce landfilled waste and boost environmental health." She highlighted the necessity for convenient access to disposal options to sustain residents' eco-friendly practices in her statement obtained by Wake County's official news release.
Beyond the temporary Saturday site, residents have alternative options for HHW drop-offs. The South Wake HHW Facility on Old Smithfield Road in Apex is open from Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Meanwhile, the East Wake HHW Facility on Wendell Blvd., Wendell caters to the weekend crowd, operating exclusively on Saturdays and Sundays during the same hours. Before visiting any facility, the county advises residents to review the list of acceptable items and quantity limits.
For specific waste items, the county provided disposal alternatives. Latex paint can be dried out and included with regular household trash, while batteries have several local drop-off points, including Batteries Plus stores, Town of Holly Springs locations, and select Home Depot and Lowe's establishments.
