Expanded North Carolina landfill ready for materials

The Solid Waste Department of Onslow County held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Aug. 19 to mark the opening of Phase 5 of its expansion at the Onslow County Landfill in Jacksonville, North Carolina.

According to a post on the county’s Facebook page, Phase 5 is a $12 million project that will extend the lifespan of the Onslow County Landfill by four-and-a-half years.

The county now estimates the total lifespan remaining at the municipal solid waste (MSW) and construction and demolition (C&D) materials landfill is approximately 25 years if work on anticipated Phases 6 and 7 begin within the next two years.

In July, the Onslow County Landfill served 11,057 patrons and accepted 11,217 tons of MSW. During that time, the landfill accepted 2,651 tons of C&D debris and 358 tons of land clearing and inert debris.

The landfill opened in October 1993 and is located on 800 acres of land.

According to a tipping fee chart posted to the Onslow County website, the landfill charges $57 per ton for both MSW and C&D materials. The Onslow County Landfill facility charges $80-87 per ton for materials that require additional treatment, such as asbestos and household hazardous waste.

Recyclable items carry a lower cost, with residents charged $31 per ton for yard waste, bricks and block, $35 per ton (two cents per pound) for wooden pallets and $9 per item for obsolete consumer electronics.

In addition to operating the landfill, the Onslow County Solid Waste Department has six drop-off sites that accept household MSW, recyclables and some C&D materials. The department operates all its sites as an Enterprise Fund, noting that as a result, no taxpayer revenue is used and the department operates solely on fees collected.

Onslow County is located along the Atlantic Coast north of Wilmington and south of the Outer Banks region.