Southwest Wake County town gives residents a new place to dump yard waste
With leaves already falling, one southwestern Wake County town gave residents a new option this week to dump their yard waste whenever they want.
The Holly Springs Yard Waste Convenience Center opened recently at 6412 Rex Road with the goal of keeping leaves and branches off curbs and out of storm drains and landfills.
“Holly Springs has a lot going on, we’ve got a lot of growth, and it’s a beautiful green space, so there’s lots of leaf foliage and greenery,” said Public Works Director Paige Scott. “We accumulate a lot of yard waste. Putting it out on the street is not the best method.”
The “Keeping it Green in Holly Springs” campaign encourages recycling and clearing waterways and drains of debris.
The convenience center is the first step in modernizing the town’s yard-waste program. By March, Holly Springs, which has about 43,000 residents, will distribute yard-waste carts that will be emptied on recycling pickup days.
When it rains, leaves and branches can clog storm drains, creating more issues for neighborhoods, Scott said.
“From an environmental steward’s standpoint, for all the creatures and things that are living in our environment, we’re making sure that they’ve got a great place to live among us,” Scott said. “It’s important to make sure that we’re getting waste out of the street and collected in a timely manner.”
Holly Springs residents pay sanitation fees each month, and yard waste collection costs $7.50 a month. The Yard Waste Convenience Center is free for all residents who show proof of residency, such as a driver’s license or utility bill.
Types of yard waste accepted
Residents can drop off waste at the center from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. from Wednesday to Sunday.
Scott said when residents arrive at the center, a worker will show them where to place certain items. Loose yard waste must be left at the center without bags or a container.
Accepted items include:
- tree limbs
- shrubbery
- lawn clippings
- leaves
- pine needles
Items like dirt, root balls, mulch, rocks, concrete, construction debris, pallets, lumber and mailbox posts cannot be left at the convenience center. Staff will direct residents who bring this material to the center to nearby landfills or waste centers.
During the holidays, Scott said, a tree chipper will be at the center for residents to bring their Christmas trees.
One resident dropped off their yard waste on the day the convenience center opened. Scott hopes more residents will learn about and start using the option throughout the fall.
“We’re excited. It’s been a long time coming,” he said.
This story was originally published September 15, 2023 at 8:00 AM.