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Yard Waste Drop Off
The Yard Waste Center only accepts yard waste from addresses inside of the Raleigh city limits.
Commercial Vehicles:
$25 per ton with a minimum fee of $12.50
Non-commercial Vehicles:
$25 per ton with a minimum fee of $6.25
The yard waste center does not accept building materials, dirt, rocks, stumps, or trash. Wooden pallets, which are used to make wood chips, are accepted.
Compost, Mulch and Wood Chips for Sale
The Yard Waste Center offers the following recycled yard products for sale to the public by the bucket load approximately one (1) cubic yard or customers can fill their own 35-gallon bags or cans.
Compost - $3 per bag/can; $12 cubic yard (Buy One, Get One Free Sale in May)
After aging, mulch becomes compost which is a soil enhancer and natural fertilizer known as humus. The City seasons compost about six months before use or sale. The City of Raleigh has received the U.S. Composting Council's Seal of Testing Assurance.
Mulch - $2 per bag/can; $10 cubic yard
Made from a mixture of leaves, grass clippings, shrubbery trimmings and tree limbs that have been ground in the City's tub grinder, mulch is used around planting beds, trees, and shrubs to reduce water evaporation, help control weeds, and prevent soil erosion.
Leaf Mulch - $2 per bag/can; $10 cubic yard
Leaf mulch is the result of letting loose leaves collected by the City of Raleigh’s Transportation division decompose over time. The leaves turn from dark brown to black, and have a pleasant earthy aroma and crumbly texture.
Leaf mulch is a soil conditioner. Instead of supplying the plants with nutrients like compost does, it improves the soil structure. It can be mixed into your garden soil to increase water retention making it easily available for plants. Till it in to help break down and soften heavy soils like clay, for example. Mix it into your garden soil to invite earthworms and beneficial bacteria to your garden by providing them a comfortable habitat.
Wood Chips - $2 per bag/can; $10 cubic yard
Made from wood pallets, usually made of oak, wood chips make an attractive and decorative border for paths, in planting beds, or around trees and shrubbery.
Video: We Compost Your Yard Waste!
Watch our short video on what we do with your yard waste. (Hint: We compost it!)
Did You Know?
As much as 30 percent of the waste you generate at home could be composted in your own backyard! This would save collection and transportation costs by City crews and reduce pollution. In addition, this fantastic nutrient rich compost can be placed back into your garden to improve soil texture, improve the ability of soil to retain moisture, add nutrients to the soil, and moderate fluctuations in soil surface temperature.
