Wilmington Landfill, Dump & Recycling — Hours, Fees & What They Take
The New Hanover County Landfill is open weekdays 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 6:30 a.m. to noon. You pay by exact weight at $61 a ton with just a $5 minimum, so a small load costs a few dollars. Appliances, waste oil, antifreeze, batteries and five tires a day are free for homeowners. Hazardous waste and electronics are free at the County's permanent facility and its weekly HazWagon stops.
Weighed in and out, charged on net weight, so 200 lbs of trash is about $6.10. All rates include NC's $2/ton tax. You must be unloaded and off the site by closing time. Yard waste must be loose or in paper bags. Out-of-county waste costs $500 plus weight, and loads more than 15% recyclables are also charged $500 plus weight. No asbestos.
Bring ID. HazWagon mobile collection, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Mondays at Ogden Park, Wednesdays at Wrightsville Beach Municipal Complex, Fridays at Carolina Beach (Mike Chappell Park), and the first Saturday of the month at Kure Beach Town Hall. It takes up to 10 gallons of liquids and two TVs a visit. Ten or more large electronics need an appointment.
The New Hanover County Landfill is open Monday to Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Saturday, 6:30 a.m. to noon, closed Sunday. You must be unloaded and gone by closing time, not just through the gate. The 6:30 a.m. start means you can make a run before work.
It closes on New Year's Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and at 2 p.m. on Christmas Eve, but stays open most other holidays, including Memorial Day and Labor Day. The hazardous waste facility at 3002 Hwy 421 N keeps shorter hours: weekdays 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to noon.
What it costs to dump in Wilmington
New Hanover raised rates on July 1, 2026. The County says the increase supports the capital plan for cell closures and extends the landfill's life. Household waste and construction debris are both $61 a ton.
The per-ton rate isn't the whole story, though, and Wilmington is friendlier than it looks for a normal household:
$5 minimum, exact weight. You're weighed in and out and pay for what you actually brought: a 200-lb load is $6.10.
Appliances are free. They're banned from NC landfills anyway, so the recycling area is the right route.
Five tires a day, free, for homeowners, off the rim. Businesses pay $100/ton.
Waste oil, antifreeze, batteries and recycling are free, and so is unpackaged food waste for composting.
Yard waste is $30/ton, about half the trash rate, if it's loose or in paper bags.
Clean concrete is $10/ton and clean shingles $30/ton, when kept separate. Mixed shingle loads jump to $104/ton.
The one to avoid: a $150 flat surcharge for nuisance conditions like excessive dust, dig-outs or loads needing special handling, on top of the weight fee. Sort, bag and secure your load. See what it costs to dump across North Carolina for how New Hanover compares.
Haul it yourself, or hire junk removal? — Wilmington
Wilmington's landfill is cheap for small loads, but a big cleanout means sorting yard waste, shingles, concrete and trash into separate categories, and the Saturday gate shuts at noon. Hurricane-season debris also has a habit of arriving all at once. Two ways around it:
Haul it yourself — cheapest by a long way if you have a vehicle and can lift it. The gate rates above are the whole cost.
Junk-removal crew — a crew does the loading and hauls it away — curbside and in-home collection are usually priced differently. Usually the better call for heavy furniture, appliances, storm debris, or a cleanout on a deadline.
Not sure which is cheaper for your load? Check an upfront junk-removal price and weigh it against the gate fee — no obligation either way.
As of July 1, 2026: $61/ton for household waste and construction debris, $30/ton for residential yard waste, with a $5 minimum on exact net weight. All rates include NC's $2/ton solid waste tax.
What are the New Hanover County Landfill hours?
Monday to Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Saturday, 6:30 a.m. to noon. Closed Sunday. You must be unloaded and off the site by closing time.
Is anything free at the Wilmington landfill?
Quite a lot: appliances, 5 tires a day for homeowners, waste oil and antifreeze, recycling and unpackaged food waste. Household and car batteries, electronics and hazardous waste are free at the County's HHW facility at 3002 Hwy 421 North. Businesses pay $100/ton for tires.
Is there a surcharge I should know about?
Yes. Loads that create a nuisance condition (excessive dust or odor, dig-outs, large boats, special handling) pay a flat $150 on top of weight fees. Out-of-county waste and loads more than 15% recyclables are charged $500 plus weight.
Why did fees go up in 2026?
The county says the July 1, 2026 changes support the capital plan for cell closures and extend the landfill's life. Household waste and C&D both moved to $61/ton.
Can I bring yard waste in plastic bags?
No — loose or paper bags only. Plastic bags or mixed trash can get the load reclassified from $30/ton yard waste to the $61/ton household rate.
