2025 Recycling Department Closures & Relocation

The recycling division of the Dare County Public Works Department is responsible for processing and marketing recyclable material collected throughout the unincorporated areas of Dare County.

If you visit a recycling site and there is no capacity for it to accept your recyclables at that time, please bring them back once the Public Works Department has had a chance to bring an empty trailer. Please do not leave bags of recyclables on the ground at any of these locations.

The Dare County Public Works Department reminds the public that should any of these recycling areas become dump sites due to noncompliance, the site could potentially be closed again. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue our efforts to provide our community with these essential services. Your understanding is greatly appreciated. 

About Dare County Recycling:

The Dare County Public Works Department operates numerous drop-off collection centers throughout the county. The recycling division operates two yard debris collection sites and manages the disposal of automotive tires, motor oil, lead acid batteries and used appliances. This division also conducts special collections for pesticides and other household hazardous materials at various times throughout the year.

There are several drop-off recycling centers in Dare County (see below). Some of these facilities are located within the towns and some are located in unincorporated Dare County. Most accept glass, aluminum and steel cans, some plastic (No. 1 and No. 2), paper and cardboard. Some Dare County facilities accept used motor oil and old tires. For more information, please call 252-475-5890.

Dare County Public Works Compound (Roanoke Island)
Main Recycling Center (Temporarily Closed for Renovations)

To prepare for the upcoming reconstruction of the Dare County Public Works facility located on Driftwood Drive in Manteo, the Recycling Department at this site will be temporarily closed and relocated as the existing buildings are scheduled to be demolished. Originally constructed in the 1970s, the Public Works facility has become outdated over the past several decades and is being replaced as part of Dare County’s Capital Improvements Plan to create a more modern and efficient complex that will better serve the Dare County community for years to come.

The Recycle Department at the Public Works facility in Manteo has been relocated to two sites—one in Manteo and one in Manns Harbor—until further notice. 

The Manteo site is located across the street from the current Recycling Department location and adjacent to the Dare County fuel island; its address is 1035 Driftwood Drive.

The second site is the Dare County Landfill, which is located at 1603 Cub Road in Manns Harbor (see map below for details). These new locations will be operational for the duration of the new Dare County Public Works project, which is slated to take approximately two years to complete.

Map showcasing the area where recycling can be temporarily dropped off, as dictated in the text.

Please see below to find out which of the two sites will accept specific items:
  • Electronics: 1035 Driftwood Drive in Manteo
  • Waste oil: 1035 Driftwood Drive in Manteo
  • Batteries: 1035 Driftwood Drive in Manteo
  • Tires: Landfill (1603 Cub Road in Manns Harbor)
  • Bulk cardboard: Landfill (1603 Cub Road in Manns Harbor). This applies to the towns and commercial businesses that bring cardboard in by truckload.
  • Glass: Place in compactor at 1035 Driftwood Drive in Manteo 
    • (Crushed glass will no longer be available until the new site and glass crusher machine are operational.)
  • Plastics: Place in compactor at 1035 Driftwood Drive in Manteo
  • Cardboard boxes: Break down and place in compactor at 1035 Driftwood in Manteo. This applies to homeowners who only bring in a few boxes at time.
  • Paper: Place in compactor at 1035 Driftwood Drive in Manteo
  • Yard debris/brush: Landfill (1603 Cub Road in Manns Harbor)

Questions? Contact the Dare County Public Works Department at 252-475-5844. For more information about the new facility being constructed for Dare County Public Works in Manteo, visit DareNC.gov/Projects.

Main Recycling Center (Temporarily Closed for Renovations) Location:
1018 Driftwood Drive
Manteo, NC 27954

Main Recycling Center (Temporarily Closed for Renovations) Hours:
Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. (noon)
Closed Sunday

Accepted Materials (no charge):
No. 1 and No. 2 plastic
green, clear and brown glass
steel and aluminum cans
mixed paper and cardboard
used automotive tires (off rims)
used motor oil
lead acid automotive batteries
residential yard debris (branches for chipping up to 8 inches in diameter), straw, pampas grass and leaves for composting

Commercial yard debris will be charged at a rate of $65 per ton and must be taken to the Dare County C&D Landfill in Manns Harbor.

Stumpy Point (Dare County Mainland) 
Recycling trailer 

Location:
251 Bayview Drive
Stumpy Point, NC 27978

Hours:
Open daily (24 hours a day - unattended)

Rodanthe-Waves-Salvo (Hatteras Island)
Recycling center only

Location:
Rodanthe Harbor off Myrna Peters Road
The Rodanthe Recycle Center is located at the end of Myrna Peters Road near the Rodanthe boat ramp.

Hours:
Open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Accepts: clean cardboard and co-mixed recyclable items, including glass, plastic, steel cans, paper and aluminum cans.
No electronic drop-off is available, and no trash dumpsters are available.

Residents and visitors are asked to remain patient as the Dare County Public Works Department reestablishes recycling in this area and to understand that, due to the ongoing staffing shortage, the department’s ability to provide these services may be limited at times. 

Prohibits: motor oil, electronics, construction and demolition material such as lumber, toilets, sinks, furniture, mattresses, yard debris, tires, batteries, appliances and grills. All of these items may be taken to Buxton Transfer and Recycling Center. See details below.

Buxton (Hatteras Island)
Recycling center and transfer station

Location:
47027 N.C. Highway 12
Buxton, NC 27920

Hours:
Monday to Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
Saturday: 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. (noon)
Sunday: Closed

Accepts (no charge):
No. 1 and No. 2 plastic
green, clear and brown glass
steel and aluminum cans
mixed paper and cardboard.
used automotive tires (off rims)
used motor oil
Residential yard debris (branches for chipping up to 8 inches in diameter).

Commercial yard debris will be charged at a rate of $65 per ton for disposal. This site will also accept metal, as well as construction and demolition (C&D) materials, such as lumber, toilets, appliances, furniture, etc.