In January, Wake County鈥檚 Solid Waste and Recycling Division had to temporarily suspend its normal hazardous waste collection operations at the North Wake Household Hazard Waste Facility after a fire severely damaged the main storage building. Now, plans are in motion to get services back on track.
鈥淲e want to continue providing services that allow residents to safely dispose of hazardous materials, and our Solid Waste staff have worked diligently over the last few months to ensure our residents get a new facility as soon as possible and to provide efficient services in the interim,鈥� said Wake County Commissioner Shinica Thomas.
Following an investigation into the cause of the fire, insurance inspections and other safety measures, including waste removal, soil testing and building cleanup, the County began planning to replace the facility. Over the summer, a request for proposal was issued for the demolition of the current facility and site prep for the new building; designing for the new facility also began. The demolition contract is expected to begin this month with the demolition anticipated to take place before the end of this year. By 2026, the County will bid out the work for the new facility once the design is finalized and anticipates having a new building ready to resume its regular six-day operation later in that year.
Since March, the County has provided Saturday-only collection services at a facility adjacent to the North Wake site, operating from 8 a.m.鈥�4 p.m. Per state permit rules, HHW materials must be collected the same day they are dropped off at the temporary facility, which isn鈥檛 equipped to store these materials. To ensure the County complies with these rules, collections are limited to one day per week. These services will continue until the facility is fully restored.