THE TOWN OF WOODFIN

ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES

The Town of Woodfin’s Environmental Services Department is charged with a variety of responsibilities and is housed within the Public Works Department. Among its many duties the Environmental Services Department is responsible for the collection of household garbage, management of the collection of recycling through Curbside Management, leaf and brush pickup, park maintenance, animal control, and much more.

The Town of Woodfin’s Environmental Services Department is charged with a variety of responsibilities and is housed within the Public Works Department. Among its many duties the Environmental Services Department is responsible for the collection of household garbage, management of the collection of recycling through Curbside Management, leaf and brush pickup, park maintenance, animal control, and much more.

In Addition

…the day to day functions of the Environmental Services Department are managed by Public Works Director Johnny Brooks. Mr. Brooks started as a General Laborer with the Town and worked his way up to the position of Director over the years. Johnny can be reached at (828) 645-7063 to report a problem with garbage or brush collection or to request special services. Problems with recycling should be reported directly to Curbside Management at (828) 252-2532. In the event that you cannot work out the problem directly through Curbside Management’s Customer Service you should contact Woodfin Town Hall at (828) 253-4887.

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Frequently Asked Questions:

→ What day is my garbage collected on?

Download a PDF of the Garbage Pickup Schedule or call (828) 253-4887 to find out your collection day.

→ Where do I get a trash can?

The Town of Woodfin does not provide uniform trash cans like some municipalities. Citizens are responsible for providing their own garbage cans. Cans should have handles or bails in good working order and a tightly fitting lid. It is not permissible to use trash bags in lieu of a can due to the likelihood of animals tearing open the bags in search of food. Animals tampering with garbage often leads to a mess for the resident and their neighbors as Environmental Services is not responsible for cleaning up the debris and lacks the manpower to do so.

→ When does my garbage need to be placed at the curb?

Serving so many residents it is important that everyone get their garbage to the curb by 8 AM on the day of collection. While there are always special circumstances when it may not be possible to do so it is important that cans be placed no later than 8 AM and taken in by 6 PM on the day of collection. Although it is not always possible to avoid doing so, it is technically illegal to bring your garbage out to the curb the night before your collection date. While you are unlikely to be cited for a single incident citizens that routinely place their garbage out early or fail to bring in their cans are subject to fines and or suspension of collection services. In short, be a good neighbor and help keep our community looking its best.

→ What can I do if I missed my garbage collection date or time?

To report a missed collection call (828) 253-4887 so arrangements can be made to get garbage collected as soon as possible. While it is not always possible to pick up on the same day, every effort will be made to assist you in getting rid of your household garbage as quickly as possible.

→ What day is my recycling collected on?

Your recycling collection day is always the same day as your normal garbage collection. In the event that your garbage collection date is moved to accommodate a holiday your recycling collection will be similarly adjusted.

→ Who do I call if my recycling isn’t collected?

For the fastest response call Curbside Management (the vendor the Town uses to collect recycling) at (828) 252-2532. In the event that you cannot resolve the issue with Curbside Management please call the Town Hall at (828) 253-4887.

→ What months does the Town collect leaves?

Leaf and brush service is offered year round. Simply place your yard waste neatly along the road side either loose or in bags and the Town will collect it over the course of a week. Make sure that leaf and brush is separated from household garbage as we are unable to mix the two waste streams and do not have the labor available to sort garbage from brush. In the event that leaf and brush is comingled the Town will not collect either.

Due to the various responsibilities of the Department and the need to wait until there is a sufficient quantity of yard waste in a particular area in order to justify the expense of collection the Town does not offer a specific collection date for leaf and brush.

→ Can I burn leaves, brush or garbage?

No. Under North Carolina law it is illegal to burn garbage. In addition, because the Town offers leaf and brush collection to residents it is not permissible to burn leaves and brush. This leaf/brush prohibition does not apply to fire pits, barbecues, and similar fires.

→ What does the Town do with the leaf and brush it collects?

All the leaf and brush that the Town collects is recycled. Some of it is taken to privately owned facilities and some of it is chipped into mulch by the Town.

→ Can I purchase some of the mulch produced by the Town?

The Town offers mulch to residents for free on a first come first serve basis. Requests for mulch can be emailed to ehardy@woodfin-nc.gov. The mulch will be delivered to your residence and dumped at or near the street unless other arrangements have been made with the Town. The mulch produced by the Town is a single grind mulch and contains large chunks of wood and bark. It is excellent for use on slopes and hillsides due to the heavier nature of this kind of mulch. If you are looking for finely ground mulch then this single grind mulch is probably not for you.

Due to the uncertain nature of collection volume the Town cannot guarantee that mulch will be available at all times. The color and aging of the mulch is also uncertain and the Town cannot guarantee how new or old a particular truckload will appear. The Town does not provide mulch or delivery outside of municipal limits.

→ I had a landscaper or other contractor clear some brush for me, can I set it out for collection?

Unfortunately, the Town cannot collect yard waste generated by a private contractor. You should make arrangements with the contractor to dispose of the yard waste generated by clearing the property. If you are in doubt of whether or not you can place the yard waste out for municipal collection please call (828) 253-4887 to find out before you place it at the curb.

→ How do I dispose of logs and branches?

The Town will collect limited amounts of tree branches as part of yard waste collection. Branches should be cut and stacked separately and should also be no longer than 4 feet. Large tree branches, tree trunks and stumps cannot be collected by the Town. Please contact us at (828) 645-7063 to get information on how to dispose of large tree branches, trunks and stumps or to confirm that your logs and branches are small enough to be collected before you haul it to the street.

→ What doesn’t the Town collect?

The Town cannot legally collect the following: tires, large batteries, cans of undried paint, pesticides, herbicides and similar poisons, anti-freeze, motor oil, construction debris, computers, asbestos or other hazardous waste. If you have some of these items and need to get rid of them please call the Town Hall at (828) 253-4887 and we will try to assist you in properly disposing of said items. You may also contact the Buncombe County Landfill directly to make arrangements for these items at (828) 250-5460 or find out more at: Buncombe County Landfill

→ How do I get rid of bulky items like couches, mattresses, or refrigerators?

The Town of Woodfin offers pick up of large items like furniture and appliances to residents. Simply place them at the curb alongside (but not comingled) with your normal garbage. Environmental Services may collect your item at the time of your normal pickup or return for it later when there is sufficient capacity to load the item. You may call and advise Environmental Services that you have a large item or items to collect but you do not need to do so. The Town reserves the right to refuse to collect items it deems unsafe or hazardous. In addition, massive amounts of garbage cannot be collected as part of the normal operations and placing an extremely large amount of garbage at one time may necessitate charging fees for a special pickup.

→ My friend lives outside of Town and doesn’t have garbage collection services. Can I just place his garbage out with mine?

No. It is illegal to bring garbage or recycling from outside of municipal limits for the purposes of collection. Individuals bringing in garbage from outside the Town is an unfair burden to the taxpayers of Woodfin and may lead to criminal charges and or fines or suspension of garbage collection at the residence. If you are aware of a person bringing garbage into Town for the purposes of collection please contact the Town Hall at (828) 253-4887. The abuse of garbage collection services represents a significant expense to the taxpayers of Woodfin, please do your part to help stop this practice.

We’ve tried to answer a lot of commonly asked questions but no list is ever complete so please don’t hesitate to contact us at (828) 253-4887 or at ehardy@woodfin-nc.gov for assistance, we’ll be glad to help. We’re here to provide you with the very best solid waste collection possible, so please let us know what we’re doing wrong and what we’re doing right. Your input helps us in our efforts to constantly improve the quality of services provided to our citizens.