Picture of Alamance County's SealALAMANCE COUNTY LANDFILL
2701 AUSTIN QUARTER ROAD GRAHAM, NC  27253
336-376-8902

 

Convenience Center

Operational Hours:  Monday – Friday 7 AM to 6 PM, Saturday 7 AM to 5 PM and Sunday 1 PM to 5 PM

  • 1,700 vehicles weekly
  • Various charges for bagged trash, mattresses, electronic equipment, lawn mowers and loose trash
  • No charge for “Target” recyclables – These include Aluminum Cans, Clear/Brown Glass, Newspaper, Corrugated Cardboard and Plastic Bottles, except motor oil and pesticide bottles
  • 590 tons of recyclable materials collected annually.
  • Accepting recyclable materials to include: Aluminum/Steel/Metal Cans, Clear/Brown Glass, Newspaper, Corrugated Cardboard, Mixed Paper, Magazines/Catalogs, Phone Books, Plastics Bottles (i.e., Milk, Soda, Water, Juice Bottles & Colored Containers [i.e. Laundry Detergent]), except motor oil and pesticide bottles.
  • Accepting used motor oil and oil filters, antifreeze, automobile batteries and used cooking oil at no charge.
  • Attendant collects appropriate fees and directs vehicles to proper disposal areas.

Scale Operation

Operational Hours:  Monday – Friday, 7 AM to 4:30 PM and Saturday 7 AM to 12 NOON

  • 1,000 vehicles weekly
  • 125,000 tons per year of trash disposed.
  • Disposal fee for municipal solid waste:  $44.00 per ton
  • Waste is weighed and charges are determined by type and tonnage of material.
  • Surveillance cameras assist scale operator in monitoring loads.
  • Scale operator collects appropriate fees and directs vehicles to the proper disposal areas.

Recyling Programs

  • Appliances/Metal

500 tons per year processed.

Disposal fee for scrap metal:  $44.00 per ton

No charge for appliances. (Revenue from the State funds this program.)

Freon is extracted from appliances prior to transporting off-site for recycling.

  • Electronic Disposal Program

Began accepting household electronics in July 2009. 

180 tons collected annually.

Normal tipping fees apply. 

  • Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event

3 one-day collection events held annually

Average over 55,000 lbs. per program.

Free disposal for Alamance County residents. (No commercial/business waste accepted.)

Various household materials accepted such as paint products, pesticides, household cleaners, automotive products, batteries and fluorescent tubes.

Event is co-sponsored with NC Cooperative Extension Services & NCDA&CS Pesticide Disposal Assistance Program.

  • Tires

 1,800 tons per year processed.

Disposal fee for ineligible tires:  $76 per ton.

No charge for eligible tires for retail with proper scrap tire documentation. (Revenue from the State Scrap Tire Program funds this program.)

No charge for 5 or less tires (off-rims only).

  • Yard Waste (trees, stumps, leaves, etc.)

1,800 tons per year collected.

Disposal fee:  $32 per ton

Yard waste is shredded into mulch which is used on-site at the landfill for roads after weather events.

  • Recycling Centers

Two locations in the county, Pleasant Grove Recreation Center & Danieley Waterwheel Road

Accepting recyclable materials to include: Aluminum Cans, Clear/Brown Glass, Newspaper, Corrugated Cardboard, Plastic Bottles (i.e., Milk, Soda, Water, Juice Bottles & Colored Containers [i.e. Laundry Detergent]), except motor oil and pesticide bottles.

Landfill Operation

  • The facility, known as the Austin Quarter Landfill, began operation in March 1994, when the Swepsonville landfill closed. 
  • 536 total acres owed, 90 acres designated for landfill purposes. 
  • Trash/garbage only accepted from Alamance County residents and businesses.
  • The facility consists of an approved trash disposal area of 90 acres divided into 7 cells, with 37 of the 90 acres currently in use. 
  • Each cell contains 2 feet of compacted clay, a betonite mat, a 60-mil high-density polyethylene liner, a geotextile mat and a leachate drainage/collection system to assure a low-impact on the environment.
  • Accumulated trash is compacted daily by heavy equipment with a goal of 1,250 pounds of trash compacted into a cubic yard space. An annual aerial topography is conducted to monitor compaction levels.  Alamance County Landfill has averaged 1,750 pounds of trash per cubic yard over the last 5 years.
  • The current facility is expected to be useable for 50-60 years. 

 Leachate Collection System

  • Leachate collection pipes collect liquids filtering through the garbage. Leachate is pumped into two 340,000 gallons holding tanks.
  • Transport an average of 3.9 million gallons of leachate per year to the East Burlington Wastewater treatment plant.

Methane Gas Wells

  • Eight wells monitored quarterly.

Ground Water Monitoring Wells/Surface Water

  • Twelve wells monitor the ground water for 62 constituents (twice yearly by a private lab).
  • Surface water-sampling point monitored for the same as ground water.

Landfill General Information

  • Employ 23 people, all full time
  • Annual budget is approximately $5 million, excluding capital funding, operating an Enterprise Fund
  • In the process of completing a new 10-acre cell for the disposal of MSW (Municipal Solid Waste) and C&D (Construction & Demolition) trash.  In addition, constructing a new road to the landfill and officially closing and capping the separate C&D landfill onsite.