Consider Your Waste

Recycling

Recycling is the process of collecting and transforming materials, that would otherwise go to the landfill, and turns them into new products. Recycling can be beneficial to your environment, community, and local economy.

Environmental Benefits

Recycling keeps "waste" out of the landfill and puts it back into the recycling system to be made into something new. Recycling decreases the need to obtain new materials from the environment to make products. This is beneficial because it can save space in the landfill while conserving our earth's natural resources which ultimately reduces the need for landfill expansions and excessive use of environmental resources and that is something the Earth can agree with!

Community Benefits

There are many Lincoln County Residents employed by Lincoln County Solid Waste. Lincoln County Solid Waste employees work hard to ensure residential recycling goes to the correct place and stays out of the landfill which keeps Lincoln County clean. Recycling helps landfill maintenance costs which benefits landfill operations. Recycling helps to keep us going!

Economic Benefits

The recycling process is extensive and involves a lot of steps and moving parts. This process creates a lot of businesses and job opportunities for many individuals. The stuff you recycle provides 16,000 North Carolinians with jobs that adds up to an estimated payroll of $664 Million per year in North Carolina and that means money for the North Carolina economy. Recycling helps our local economy!

Often, waste is tossed into the bin without giving it a second thought but our waste does not disappear. Waste has a few choices for disposal. It can go to the landfill, be composted, or be recycled. Which will you choose?

Donating

Donations are an excellent way to get rid of unwanted items while making sure they do not go into the landfill. Donating products can help those who may not have access to those items normally. Things that are in reasonable condition can be donated- here is a list of places in Lincoln County that will accept donations.

Other places such as Waste Trader can help you dispose of materials that are still good and usable.

Vehicles can also be donated and used for a good cause.

Litter Prevention

Littering is not only illegal, but it is also damaging to local neighborhoods and environments. Wildlife should not have to live in waste and neighbors should not have to clean up waste from their yards. Those who litter may have to pay a costly fine.

Littering can be prevented by covering the open beds of trucks and other vehicles that are hauling to the convenience sites and the landfill. Securing your load is important for ensuring unintentional litter does not make it on to the road ways. There are laws that discuss more on making sure loads are secure ant that roadways are clean and safe. Here is some information that can help explain why Litter Prevention is so important.

Individuals who may see someone losing waste down the road or see someone littering can report these litterbugs to the NC DOT Swat-A-Litterbug program.

The NC DOT has other littering programs such as Adopt-A-Highway and the City of Lincolnton has Adopt-A-Street for those interested in contributing to litter reduction.