Household Garbage Collection

The City of Wilson provides pick up of household garbage from all residential customers inside the city limits. This service is provided curbside to single-family dwellings by means of roll-out containers, while multi-family locations (apartment complexes, condominiums, mobile home parks, etc.) are serviced by dumpsters. The following sections apply to single-family households. Multi-family units are addressed under the section entitled “Dumpster Service.”

One 96 gallon green roll-out container is provided to each residential dwelling at no charge. Containers are serviced once per week at the curb. If you do not know your collection day, please call 252-399-2424 to inquire, or visit https://gis.wilsonnc.org/communitymaps/cityservices to search your address for collection routes. Listed below are procedures that must be followed to insure service is provided:

• Position your container with the handle side to the house. Do not place containers in the street.
• Place behind the curb and 3′ from mailboxes, poles, trees and other obstructions.
• Container should not be located within 15 feet of any parked vehicle.
• Container must be placed at the curb before 7:00 a.m. on collection day (and may be set out the night before).
• Container must be retrieved from the curb within 24 hours of being serviced.

Backyard service is available to qualified elderly and disabled residents. Please call 252-296-3429 for an application.

Where does the garbage go? Since the Wilson County landfill is full and no longer approved for disposal of household garbage, waste is hauled to a Transfer Station where it is then transported to an approved landfill.

Overflow

If you regularly generate more than your container can hold, you have several options available:

• Purchase an additional roll-out container for trash or compost ($50). Please call 252-399-2424 or visit our Fix-It Wilson app for more information.
• Reduce your garbage volume by recycling all eligible materials (see list in the “Recycling” section).
• Place excess waste in bags or boxes and set out on Wednesday “Trash Day”.

Container Maintenance

Proper maintenance of your 96 gallon roll-out container is important. Containers are designed to last 10 years with proper use and care. The following maintenance procedures are encouraged:

• Bag garbage whenever possible
• Wash and rinse container on a regular basis
• Some materials are not appropriate for disposal in roll-out containers. See “Special Requests” section below for further information.
• Keep container lid closed to prevent water accumulation, the growth of bacteria, odor and pests
• If your container is damaged please call 252-399-2424 for repair or replacement

Please Note: In the event of a hurricane or high winds, secure container(s) to a fixed object or place inside a secured building.

Dumpster Service

Dumpster service is provided at apartment complexes and other multi-family dwellings of five or more units. This service is provided by a private hauler under contract with the City of Wilson. To insure regular collection, please do not place any items in front of the dumpster.

• Appliances and large furniture should be placed next to the dumpster (never in front of, or on top of the dumpster). Please call 252-399-2424 for pick up.

Customers with Physical Impairments

Backyard service is provided to qualified disabled and elderly customers when there is no one in the home physically able to place trash and recycling containers curbside. Please call 252-399-3429 to schedule an appointment to file an application for backyard service. Medical certification may be required. Please continue to place materials at the curb until you receive notification of your approval for this service.

Compost / Yard Waste

Residents must provide their own containers for yard waste (compost). Roll-out containers are not required, but are encouraged and are available for purchase. Please call 252-399-2424 for details.

• Effective May 1, 2020, Environmental Services will no longer accept bagged compost. Residents should place all loose compost in a container or on a tarp (not to exceed 100 pounds) for day-of service collection.
• Leaves (collected loose November 1 - March 1) must be put in containers at all other times
• Limbs (no longer than 4 feet in length and not to exceed 100 pounds) must be bundled and tied. Please note: limbs exceeding these limits must be called in for special pick up.
• “Compost” stickers are available at no charge to identify compost containers
• Yard waste generated by contract labor is not removed by the City of Wilson
• Please do not pile yard waste on top of water meter or utility boxes

Please Note: It is unlawful and a violation of city code to place, sweep or blow leaves and other yard waste into the curb, gutter, street, storm drains or catch basins. Warning notices will be issued to violators, with tickets issued to repeat offenders. Materials must be placed behind the curb for collection.

Mulch is Available

Yard waste collected by the City is taken to a facility on Charleston St. where it is shredded and made into mulch. The mulch is then made available to City residents for no charge. For more information, or to schedule a time to have mulch loaded, please contact dispatch at 252-399-2424.

Recycling

Recycling is provided for residential customers as part of solid waste services. One blue recycling bin is provided to each residence at no charge. Recyclable material is collected by city crews on trucks identified with the blue recycling sign.

Please Note: The recycling symbol on an item does not automatically mean the City can accept it. What we accept is based on the end-user market in our area. Currently the following items are collected:

• Steel and aluminum cans
• Glass bottles and jars
• #1-#7 plastics (milk, soft drink, detergent bottles, etc.)
• Newspapers and inserts, magazines, white paper, phone books
• Cardboard (cereal, moving boxes, etc.) — No pizza boxes

Recycling is picked up on your regular garbage collection day – rain or shine (nothing in your bin will be destroyed by rainwater). Bins must be placed behind the curb before 7:00 a.m. to insure collection. Place three feet or more from your garbage can. If your bin is missed please call 252-399-2424 to let us know. Recycling reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills, saves on natural resources (including energy, water, minerals and trees), and helps reduce pollution. Recycling is good for the environment and for everyone!

Overflow

If you routinely fill your bin, you can purchase another city bin ($50). Call 252-399-2424 for more information.

Damaged Bin

If your recycling bin is damaged beyond use, please call 252-399-2424 to request a replacement. Please be aware there may be a $50 fee to purchase a new bin due to the nature of the damage.

What Happens to our Recyclables?

Where do they go?

1. You place your bin at the street.
2. City crews pick up recyclables and take them to a Transfer Station.
3. Materials are loaded on tractor trailers and transported to ECVC (East Carolina Vocational Center) in Greenville.
4. ECVC staff sorts recyclables.
5. Items are marketed to recyclers who then “melt” the products into usable materials.
6. Usable materials are put back into use by manufacturers.
7. The cycle continues…

What do our recyclables become?

• Recycled newspapers and magazines are used to make cellulose insulation, recycled paper, animal bedding, fiberboard, molded pulp products, telephone books, etc.
• Steel cans are melted into new steel cans, “re-bars” (to reinforce concrete), and car parts.
• Aluminum cans are made into new aluminum cans, and other products such as foil and car parts.
• Plastic drink bottles (PET #1) become carpet, clothing, fiberfill insulation, boat hulls, office binders, and flotation devices.
• Milk jugs (HDPE #2) become plastic lumber, fencing, plastic sheeting/drop cloths, marine pilings, plastic bricks and also in manufacturing railway ties.
• Glass containers are recycled into new glass containers, highway markings, sandblasting sand and fiberglass, construction materials, or as an aggregate in road and sidewalk projects.

Bulky Waste

Bulky waste is defined as those items that typically will not fit in a regular garbage truck or require special handling due to landfill or environmental regulations (see examples below). Please call 252-399-2424 or submit a service request with our Fix-It Wilson App for pick up.

Place items behind the curb and away from trees, parked vehicles, mailboxes or other obstructions. Please do not place these items on top of water meters or utility boxes.

• Furniture (sofa, chair, table, bed frame, mattress, etc.)
• Appliances & other White Goods (TV, water heater, air conditioner, etc.)
• Limbs (larger than 4′ in length)
• Tires

Per City ordinance, disposal of the following items is the responsibility of the homeowner (or the contractor) and will not be collected by city crews:

• Automobile Parts
• Roofing Shingles
• Construction & Remodeling Debris
• Dirt / Sod
• Concrete / Rocks / Gravel
• Flammables: Gasoline, Tanks
• Hot Ashes
• Animal Waste
• Furnaces
• Stumps

This material may be taken to the Wilson County Landfill (a fee may be assessed).

“Trash Day” Wednesday Collection

Trash Day is for overflow household garbage and small items that typically will not fit in roll-out containers. Place behind the curb before 7:00 a.m. for collection. 

• Bagged household garbage
• Small furniture and loose items
• Roll-out containers are not serviced on Wednesdays
• Yard waste (compost) is not picked up on Wednesdays

Special Requests

There are several items that will need to be picked up by a special truck. Please call the office at 252-399-2424 or visit our Fix-It Wilson app to submit your request. Place the items behind the curb before requesting collection.

• Boxes and cardboard
• Used motor oil (place in a clear container (milk or drink bottle) with a sealable lid).
• Used cooking oil
• Dried latex paint
• Batteries

Dead Animals

To report dead animals, call 252-399-2424. Please do not place the animal in a roll-out container.