Junk Removal and Waste Disposal Laws in NC
Know Your Waste Disposal Laws Before Trying Junk Removal
Want to get rid of your junk in North Carolina? Well, you can join the hundreds of other people in the same situation. If you’re just like them, then you’re itching to ditch your waste in any way possible. However, educate yourself. There’s a right way and a wrong way to say goodbye to your junk—especially considering that there are waste disposal laws to keep track of.
As it turns out, disposing of your waste incorrectly can have major consequences. Junk Doctors has to abide by these laws each and every day we operate our business, and we’d like to share some of these waste disposal regulations with you. That way, you don’t wind up accidentally committing a crime and incurring legal consequences, be they fine or worse.
Hazardous Waste Laws
What sorts of junk are you trying to get rid of? Keep an eye out for anything that could potentially qualify as hazardous waste. That’s because, as you can probably imagine, these items have various rules and regulations regarding their disposal.
What qualifies as hazardous waste? Let’s take a look at the sorts of items you can’t drop off at Mecklenburg County’s convenience centers to get an idea. Pressurized cylinders over twenty pounds are a no-go. Ammunition, gunpowder, and explosives aren’t allowed, either. Radioactive and bio-infectious materials are definitely off the list as well. Chances are, your everyday resident won’t have many hazardous waste items to get rid of. However, if you are a business that handles this sort of junk regularly, you’ll need to find alternative means of disposing of these kinds of junk.
The disposal, and even the transport, of hazardous waste often requires a permit. You can learn more about the process of applying for these permits here. While this can all be frustrating, keep in mind these trash laws are all for the sake of the community. A world where people could dump hazardous waste anywhere would be a hazardous world indeed.
Illegal Dumping Laws
Do you have a lot of junk that you seriously need to get rid of fast? Do you happen to know about a nearby dumpster where you could put it all? If so, don’t be so excited to rush out and take all your junk to it. If it’s a privately owned dumpster on privately owned land, using it could qualify as illegal dumping. Illegal dumping is the act of leaving your trash in an area that you’re not authorized to. “But who is getting hurt as long as the junk winds up in a dumpster?” you might ask. Well, as multiple illegal dumpers use the same dumpster, it can begin to overflow. This means the environment suffers, and the person who owns the dumpster has to pay extra money. Hardly a fair deal. That’s why dump rules exist in the first place!
When taking junk to a drop-off site, make sure you’re permitted to use it. That way, you won’t have to get busted for illegal dumping, whether you were aware you were committing a crime or not. Check out the listings of North Carolina’s landfills and transfer stations to drum up some ideas for appropriate, legal dump sites.
Junk Transportation Laws
Imagine that you’ve just loaded all your unwanted junk items into the back of your truck. There might even be several heavy items in the mix, such as a broken appliance or an old piece of furniture. Now imagine that you’ve failed to correctly secure these items, and you’re roaring down the interstate. Chances are, some of those things are going to shower out of the back of your truck. Where do they go after that? That’s right—straight into the windshield of whoever is behind you. At best, this can cause a traffic jam. At worst, this can cause people to die.
The state of North Carolina is serious about making sure this doesn’t happen. That’s why having an improperly secured load can cost you a $2,000 fine. It’s imperative that your unwanted junk is strapped in for the ride just as you are. Be sure those items are tied down, strapped down, or even held down by a tarp. And why not double-check the security of the load before hitting the road? After all, “better safe than sorry” is a great mantra to live by when expensive fines are on the line.
Skip the Legal Research and Choose Junk Doctors
We wish we could discuss all the waste disposal laws and ordinances in this blog, but unfortunately, it’d stretch on forever if that were the case. As a final point, we want to let you know that if quibbling over rules and regulations for waste disposal isn’t your style, perhaps a professional junk removal company is up your alley. No need to consult with a lawyer to figure out how to get rid of junk. At Junk Doctors, we abide by the many junk removal laws on a day-to-day basis. While we can’t help you get rid of hazardous waste, we know legal dump sites, and we have a large, secure truck that’s great for junk transport! Click here to learn more about our junk removal services.
