Four Onslow solid waste collection sites to close in early April: Here's why

Morgan Starling, The Daily News
·3 min read
The sites closing are closing due to lack of revenue to offset operating costs.
The sites closing are closing due to lack of revenue to offset operating costs.

Four of Onslow's solid waste collection sites will close in early April due to lack of revenue.

Onslow County Solid Waste is funded solely through fees from daily operations and grants. According to the notification of closure from Solid Waste, the Onslow County Board of Commissioners implemented increases in disposal fees in 2020, which were effective in bringing four of the permanent convenience site locations out of the red.

Unfortunately, the mobile site locations have continued to lose money.

The locations that will be closing include: Richlands at 436 Cavanaugh Town Road, Hubert at 210 Hubert Blvd., Nine Mile at 574 Nine Mile Road, and Belgrade at 227 Mattocks Road, as the cost of operations was not offset by revenue from these sites.

According to a news release from the county, the commissioners reviewed operations, amount of use, and how personnel and equipment could be used in other ways, to make the decision.

Belgrade brought in $532 less than the cost of operations from July-November of 2021. Also during this time, Hubert was bringing in $1,060 less than the cost of operations, Nine Mile was bringing in $3,799 less, and Richlands was bringing in $2,018 less.

Solid Waste convenience sites, according to the release, are "located around the County so residents who do not use municipal or private garbage pickup services can have convenient locations other than the County landfill to dispose of their garbage and recyclables."

According to Solid Waste Director Randy Vanover, Onslow County Solid Waste currently leases the Richlands and Nine Mile sites. Those locations will be turned back over to their owners.

Assistant Onslow County Manager Glenn Hargett said the board wanted to make sure they returned the leased sites back before they have to pay another year's lease on them, hence the closure dates.

The sites in blue are closing.
The sites in blue are closing.

The release stated those who use the Hubert site, set to close on April 4, should consider using Midway Park at 122 Carver Drive, Swansboro at 698 Swansboro Loop Road, or the main landfill at 415 Meadowview Road, for future needs. Those who use Belgrade, set to close on April 5, should consider using Silverdale at 1355 Belgrade-Swansboro Road, Ramsey Road at 678 Ramsey Road, or the main landfill.

Those who use the Richlands site, set to close on April 6, should considering using Ramsey Road or the main landfill, and those who use Nine Mile, set to close on April 7, should consider using Verona at 2531 Dawson Cabin Road, or the main landfill.

The Hubert and Belgrade sites will be maintained, according to Vanover, and if need be, used as debris collection sites after bad storms or a hurricane in the future.

According to the release, staff from the sites closing will be assigned additional hours at other sites and some of the equipment will be reassigned. Signs will be posted at the sites being closed and directions will be provided for alternates.

Residents with questions can call 910-989-2107 for more information.

Reporter Morgan Starling can be reached at mstarling@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on The Daily News: Onslow solid waste collection sites will close due to lack of revenue