Plastic Bags To Soon Be Banned For Yard Waste Collection In Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The City of Charlotte announced Wednesday that citizens could face fines for using plastic bags to throw out their yard waste starting this summer.

The mandate requires people to use compostable paper bags or re-useable containers no larger than 32-gallons for city collection of yard waste.

This includes things like leaves, grass clipping and small branches. This change was made in an effort to cut down on the environmental impacts of single-use plastics.

“Single-use plastic creates numerous, negative environmental impacts in both its manufacturing and disposal,” a City of Charlotte news release said. “Conversely, paper bags are extracted from unbleached, recycled brown kraft paper, which saves natural resources and energy and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.”

According to a news release, yard waste tonnage has increased by 30 percent since the 2016 fiscal year. In addition, the yard waste disposal facility does not accept yard waste in plastic bags. This requires Solid Waste staff to debag leaves at the curb, which increases collection times and makes it difficult to complete routes on the scheduled day of collection.

Eliminating single-use, plastic yard waste bags will allow Solid Waste Services to decrease the amount of time required to provide service at each home.

If residents continue to use plastic bags they could be fined a minimum of $150.

The mandate goes into effect on Monday, July 5, 2021.

Starting on July 5, there will be a limited supply of paper bags available for pick up, at no cost, at the City of Charlotte Solid Waste Services’ office (1105 Otts Street) and any of the Mecklenburg County full-service recycling centers.

For more information on the mandate, please visit cltgov.me/yardwaste.