Raleigh–Durham apartment owners, asset managers, and on-site property managers: avoid surprise solid-waste citations and civil fees while giving residents the modern valet trash & recycling amenity they expect. National Doorstep’s valet trash & recycling program is engineered around Durham City Code, Chapter 58 (Garbage and Other Solid Waste), Wake County’s Solid Waste Ordinance, and local program rules so your communities stay inspection-ready and aligned with North Carolina landfill disposal bans on key recyclables.
Within the City of Durham, multi-family developments where any building contains 5 or more dwelling units are required to provide a stationary waste-handling facility that includes garbage and recycling containers sized and serviced often enough to prevent illegal disposal of garbage or “target recyclables.” These requirements flow from Durham City Code Chapter 58 and the City’s Requirements for Multi-Family and Commercial Garbage and Recycling Collection and Facilities design standards. In Raleigh and the other Wake County municipalities, there is currently no Dallas-style apartment recycling mandate with a unit threshold, but properties are still subject to city and county solid-waste codes, local nuisance rules, and statewide disposal bans on materials such as aluminum cans, yard waste, and plastic bottles.
- Protect NOI & Reputation: Reduce risk of civil remedial fees, cleanup cost recovery, and up to $500-per-day county penalties tied to solid-waste violations by aligning your program with Durham’s waste-handling rules and Wake County’s enforcement framework.
- Resident-First Convenience: Doorstep service that keeps residents out of dark enclosures, reduces trips to compactors, and supports renewals and online reputation across Raleigh–Durham.
- Code-Smart Design: Container layouts, labels, and service frequencies designed around Durham’s multi-family facility standards, Raleigh’s Part 7 Solid Waste Services Code, and Wake County’s nuisance expectations.
- Hands-Off Compliance: We coordinate haulers, container counts, enclosure design, and resident education so your team can focus on leasing and operations while still documenting compliance.
At a Glance: City of Durham vs. Raleigh & Other Wake/Durham Cities
City of Durham (Inside City Limits)
- Mandate Type: Mandatory provision of recycling capacity as part of required multi-family waste-handling facilities.
- Applicability Threshold: Applies to multi-family developments where any building contains 5 or more dwelling units using stationary container collection, under Chapter 58 and the City’s Multi-Family and Commercial Garbage & Recycling Collection and Facilities Requirements.
- Owner & Property Manager Duties:
Design and maintain a waste-handling facility that includes:
- At least one garbage dumpster of specified minimum size;
- A cardboard recycling dumpster of the same size as the garbage dumpster;
- Additional recycling containers (e.g., carts or bins) for non-cardboard recyclables sized to meet capacity tables;
- Sufficient collection frequency and container count to prevent overflow and illegal disposal of garbage and target recyclables.
- Program Duties: Keep enclosures clean, accessible, and screened to Durham’s design standards; ensure residents can easily reach both trash and recycling; follow City rules on “target recyclables” and prohibited disposal at the transfer station and landfill.
- Enforcement: Violations of Chapter 58 and related rules are enforced through civil remedial fees, recovery of cleanup costs, and potential liens, with each day of a violation treated as a separate offense under Secs. 58-7 and 58-8.
- Key City Links: Durham Multi-Family Garbage & Recycling Facility Requirements (PDF) · Durham City Code – Chapter 58, Garbage and Other Solid Waste · Durham Solid Waste Management Department
Raleigh & Other Wake / Durham County Cities
- Mandate Type: No Dallas-style multi-family recycling mandate with a numeric unit threshold. Apartments are generally treated as commercial solid-waste customers.
- Applicability: Most Wake County cities (Raleigh, Cary, Apex, Garner, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Morrisville, Rolesville, Wake Forest, Wendell, Zebulon, Fuquay-Varina) offer municipal recycling programs and/or franchise haulers, but code does not require apartment communities to provide on-site recycling to residents via a dedicated multi-family ordinance.
- Program Duties: Maintain adequate trash service, prevent overflow, illegal dumping, and nuisance conditions in enclosures, and comply with North Carolina disposal bans on items such as yard waste, aluminum cans, whole tires, and plastic bottles. Many cities encourage, but do not require, apartment recycling through municipal or private programs.
- Enforcement:
- Wake County Sec. 50.99: Allows criminal or civil penalties up to $500 per violation per day for ordinance violations, with each day constituting a separate offense.
- Raleigh Part 7 – Solid Waste Services: Regulates container placement and preparation; containers left out beyond allowed times may incur a $150 administrative fee per violation under the Solid Waste Code.
- How National Doorstep Helps: We design valet trash & recycling programs that fit Durham’s required facility standards and anticipate future policy shifts in Raleigh and Wake County cities, so your full Triangle portfolio is “inspection ready,” even where recycling is not yet a formal mandate.
- Key Regional Links: City of Raleigh – Solid Waste Services · Raleigh Garbage & Recycling Preparation (Part 7 Code Rules) · Wake County – Solid Waste Management & Ordinance · NC DEQ – Solid Waste & Disposal Bans
Wake & Durham County Cities & Apartment Recycling Mandates
Across Wake and Durham counties, only the City of Durham has a clearly codified multi-family requirement that explicitly ties garbage and recycling capacity to apartment waste-handling facilities. Other municipalities rely on general solid-waste and nuisance codes, state landfill bans, and a mix of municipal and private collection programs rather than a dedicated apartment recycling mandate with a unit threshold.
| City | Apartment Recycling Mandate? | Notes for Owners & Property Managers |
|---|---|---|
| Durham (City) | Yes – Multi-family waste-handling facility standards include recycling |
For multi-family developments where any building has 5+ dwelling units, Durham’s waste-handling requirements call for a stationary facility that includes garbage, a same-size cardboard recycling dumpster, and additional non-cardboard recycling containers sized per City tables. The property owner/property manager must maintain enough capacity and collection frequency to prevent overflow and illegal disposal of garbage and “target recyclables.” Non-compliance is enforced through civil remedial fees, cleanup cost recovery, and liens under Chapter 58. Key local links: Durham Multi-Family Facility Requirements · Durham City Code – Chapter 58 |
| Raleigh | No dedicated apartment recycling mandate |
Raleigh’s Part 7 Solid Waste Services Code and Solid Waste Services Design Manual (Part 7, Chapter 2) govern container types, placement, and service standards. The City offers recycling collection to qualifying multi-family properties and businesses, but does not currently require apartments to provide on-site recycling to residents by unit threshold. Properties must still comply with container placement rules (including a $150 administrative fee for leaving containers out too long) and with statewide disposal bans. Key local links: Raleigh Solid Waste Services · Garbage, Recycling & Yard Waste Preparation · Raleigh Code – Part 7, Chapter 2 (Solid Waste Collection) |
| Cary | No dedicated apartment recycling mandate |
Cary’s Code of Ordinances (Article IV, Solid Waste & Recycling) defines designated recyclables and provides curbside service for single-family and some multi-family neighborhoods. Multi-family communities are largely treated as commercial accounts and may use private haulers for recycling. No ordinance currently compels apartment properties to provide on-site recycling to residents, but disposal ban compliance and nuisance standards still apply. Key local links: Cary Code of Ordinances – Solid Waste & Recycling · Cary Garbage & Recycling |
| Apex | No dedicated apartment recycling mandate |
Apex provides residential curbside garbage and recycling and refers apartments and businesses to private haulers for service. Local discussions have noted multi-family complexes discontinuing municipal recycling in favor of private arrangements, underscoring that recycling is not mandated by unit count. Property managers should ensure adequate garbage capacity and promote voluntary recycling or valet service to prevent overflow and illegal dumping. Key local links: Apex Residential Recycling · Apex Garbage Collection |
| Garner | No dedicated apartment recycling mandate |
Garner’s Code Chapter 5 (Garbage, Refuse, Rubbish and Waste) and the Town’s solid-waste program provide curbside garbage, yard waste, and biweekly recycling service. Apartments are typically served as commercial accounts or via on-site dumpsters/compactors arranged with haulers. No ordinance compels apartment communities to offer on-site recycling, but the Town enforces nuisance, container, and illegal dumping rules, supported by solid-waste enforcement staff. Key local links: Garner Code – Chapter 5 · Garner Solid Waste Services |
| Holly Springs | No dedicated apartment recycling mandate |
Holly Springs provides curbside garbage and recycling for many residential accounts and reports on its recycling program through NC DEQ. Multi-family properties are generally managed as commercial accounts with private or franchise haulers. There is no multi-family recycling ordinance with a unit threshold, but property managers are expected to prevent nuisance conditions and comply with disposal bans. Key local links: Holly Springs Garbage & Recycling |
| Fuquay-Varina | No dedicated apartment recycling mandate |
Fuquay-Varina’s solid-waste program offers residential garbage and recycling, while multi-family properties generally rely on private haulers for dumpster and recycling service. There is no ordinance that expressly requires apartment communities to provide recycling to residents, but general solid-waste and property-maintenance standards still apply. Key local links: Town of Fuquay-Varina – Official Site |
| Knightdale | No dedicated apartment recycling mandate |
Knightdale participates in Wake County’s solid-waste system and offers residential garbage and recycling. Apartment communities arrange dumpster and recycling service with private haulers as commercial customers. There is currently no apartment recycling mandate in town code, but enforcement can occur when overflow and nuisance conditions develop. Key local links: Town of Knightdale – Official Site |
| Morrisville | No dedicated apartment recycling mandate |
Morrisville (straddling Wake and Durham counties) supports residential recycling and regulates solid waste, but multi-family properties are typically handled as commercial customers with private contracts for trash and recycling. There is no Morrisville-specific multi-family recycling mandate on the books today. Key local links: Town of Morrisville – Official Site |
| Rolesville | No dedicated apartment recycling mandate |
Rolesville offers residential garbage and recycling services; multi-family communities rely on commercial service agreements. Town ordinances focus on container rules and nuisance conditions, not an apartment-specific recycling trigger. Key local links: Town of Rolesville – Official Site |
| Wake Forest | No dedicated apartment recycling mandate |
Wake Forest’s Public Works/solid-waste program includes curbside recycling and the Waste Wizard outreach tool, and town ordinances classify multi-family properties in its residential collection system under Article IV. However, the code does not impose a numeric unit threshold requiring apartment recycling; instead, it regulates container types, placement, and service. Many multi-family communities contract with private haulers. Key local links: Wake Forest Solid Waste |
| Wendell | No dedicated apartment recycling mandate |
Wendell contracts for residential garbage and recycling service; multi-family properties typically use dumpster service arranged with private haulers. There is no ordinance that specifically compels apartments to provide resident recycling beyond general solid-waste and nuisance rules. Key local links: Town of Wendell – Official Site |
| Zebulon | No dedicated apartment recycling mandate |
Zebulon (in Wake and Johnston counties) provides residential garbage and recycling. Apartment communities operate under commercial service arrangements with haulers and are not covered by a distinct multi-family recycling ordinance. Solid-waste and nuisance codes still apply to overflowing or poorly maintained enclosures. Key local links: Town of Zebulon – Official Site |
Raleigh–Durham Fines & Penalties Snapshot
- Durham Civil “Remedial Fees” & Cleanup Costs: Under Durham City Code Chapter 58, violations of solid-waste rules (including failure to maintain required garbage and recycling facilities at multi-family developments) are enforced through civil remedial fees and recovery of cleanup costs rather than criminal misdemeanors. Each day a violation persists is a separate offense, and unpaid costs can be added to utility bills, accrue 1% monthly interest, and become a lien on the property.
- Wake County Solid-Waste Penalties: The Wake County Solid Waste Ordinance allows for criminal or civil penalties up to $500 per violation per day, with each day constituting a separate offense (Sec. 50.99). Additional penalties apply if prohibited materials are deposited in county facilities or if an owner fails to remove such materials once notified.
- Raleigh Container & Curbside Violations: Under Raleigh’s Part 7 Solid Waste Code, garbage and recycling containers placed too early or left at the curb past the required time window may incur a $150 administrative fee per violation, in addition to other code enforcement actions for improper set-out or nuisance conditions.
- Statewide Disposal Bans: North Carolina law prohibits disposal of materials such as yard waste, aluminum cans, whole tires, used oil, lead-acid batteries, and plastic bottles in landfills. Local inspectors can cite properties and haulers when these “banned materials” appear in mixed waste streams or are improperly managed.
- Risk Management Tip: For each Triangle property, maintain a file of hauler contracts, enclosure designs, Durham facility approval (if applicable), service logs, contamination photos, and resident education pieces. This documentation shows good-faith compliance when a code officer or county inspector raises concerns.
Triangle Multifamily Recycling Compliance Checklist
| Task | Action / Requirement | Helpful Links |
|---|---|---|
| ☑ Confirm Jurisdiction, Units & Collection Type | Identify whether your property is inside Durham city limits, another Durham County locality, or a Wake County municipality. Confirm total dwelling units and whether you use stationary containers/dumpsters or roll-out carts. If you are in the City of Durham with 5+ units in any building and use stationary containers, the multi-family waste-handling facility requirements (including recycling capacity) apply. | Durham City & County Maps · Wake County GIS |
| ☑ Design a Code-Aligned Waste-Handling Facility (Durham) | For Durham multi-family sites, verify that your enclosure or pad includes the minimum dumpster sizes and required recycling capacity described in the City’s facility requirements. Ensure access gates, screening, and truck access meet the City’s design manual, and that residents can easily reach recycling containers without unsafe travel paths. | Durham Multi-Family Facility Requirements · Durham Solid Waste Management |
| ☑ Align Hauler Contracts & Service Levels | Confirm that your hauler or municipal provider offers both trash and recycling service sized to your occupancy. In Durham, ensure service levels support the required capacity tables. In Raleigh and Wake County cities, match container size and pickup frequency to prevent overflow, illegal dumping, and state disposal-ban violations, even without a formal multi-family recycling mandate. | Durham Solid Waste · Raleigh Solid Waste Services |
| ☑ Meet Container Placement & Access Rules | In Raleigh, follow Part 7 rules on how early containers may be set out, how soon they must be removed, and where they can be stored to avoid $150 administrative fees. In Durham and other cities, keep containers accessible to collection crews, out of the right-of-way except on collection day, and configured to minimize windblown litter and illegal dumping. | Raleigh – Container Preparation Rules · Wake County Solid Waste Ordinance |
| ☑ Resident Education & On-Site Signage | Provide clear, recurring resident education at move-in and throughout the year: what can be recycled, where to place bags/containers, and collection times for valet service. Use signage at enclosures, mail kiosks, elevators, and digital channels so residents know exactly how to use the trash and recycling program, especially in Durham where recycling capacity is a formal requirement. | NC DEQ Recycling Education Resources |
| ☑ Document Service, Issues & Corrections | Keep a log of service days, contamination notices, photos of container areas, vendor contracts, and resident communications for each property. In Durham, this record supports your response if remedial fees or cleanup costs are assessed. In Wake County cities, it demonstrates diligence if a county inspector or city code officer investigates nuisance or disposal-ban violations. | Search Local Mandates, Ordinances, Fees & Penalties |
Managing a Triangle portfolio and want to stay ahead of Durham’s requirements and Wake County enforcement? Request a Free Compliance Audit for your Raleigh–Durham property. We’ll review your current setup, right-size containers and service, design a resident-friendly valet trash & recycling program, and prepare the inspector-ready documentation you need to show alignment with Durham Chapter 58, Wake County’s solid-waste ordinance, and city-level rules in Raleigh and surrounding municipalities.
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