State Solid Waste and Materials Management Plan
The Solid Waste Management Act of 1989 established policies and goals to promote methods of solid waste management that are alternatives to disposal in landfills and to assist units of local government with solid waste and materials management. The law requires the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (Department) to develop a comprehensive statewide solid waste and materials management plan with the collaboration of local government, regional planning agencies, and the public, and periodically update that plan (G.S. 130A-309.06(a)(1)). The law also requires that owner/operators of industrial solid waste facilities develop individual plans for management of the waste they generate (G.S. 130A-309.09D(c)). Links to the statewide plan updates for the current cycle, prior cycles, and the industrial solid waste and materials management plans can be found below.
The development of the 2024-2034 North Carolina Solid Waste and Materials Management Plan was a collaborative process that reflects the inputs and efforts of many parties, including: the public, waste and recycling industry associations, community and environmental advocacy groups, local and state government agencies, facility owners/operators, and the NCDEQ Division of Environmental Assistance and Customer Service (DEACS), Division of Waste Management (DWM), and Division of Environmental Education and Public Affairs.
NCDEQ will begin implementing the plan update in January 2025. The final 2024 - 2034 State Solid Waste and Materials Management Plan Update can be accessed at the link below.
2024-2034 State Solid Waste and Materials Management Plan Update