State Specific Policy Resources: North Carolina

Auxiliary Containers

• N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 130A, Art. 9, § 130A-309.10. Prohibited acts relating to packaging; coded labeling of plastic containers required; disposal of certain solid wastes in landfills or by incineration prohibited.
• 2017 North Carolina HB 56 repealed the plastic bag ban formerly found in N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 130 A, Article 9, Part 2G. Plastic Bag Management; § 130A-309.120 to § 130A-309.125

Electronics Recycling

• Electronics Recycling Law - N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 130A, Article 9, Part 2H. Discarded Computer Equipment and Television Management; § 130A-309.130 to § 130A-309.142
• NC Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources
• Electronics Management Program
• Recycling Business Assistance Center

Materials Theft

• N.C.G.S. Chapter 66, Article 45, Part 3 Regulation of Sales and Purchases of Metals; § 66-420 to § 66-431 (as amended by 2022 North Carolina SB 201; effective December 1, 2022)
• N.C.G.S. Chapter 14, Subch. VI, Article 21, § 14-164.1. Possession of catalytic converter removed from a motor vehicle. (as amended by 2022 North Carolina SB 201; effective December 1, 2022)
• ISRI Summary of North Carolina Metal Scrap Statute; (August 30, 2023)

Scrap Yard / Junk Yard Zoning

• N.C.G.S. Ch. 113A, Article 10, § 113A-170. Violation a misdemeanor; injunctive relief. (ISRI note: location of a junkyard near the Blue Ridge Parkway)
• N.C.G.S. Ch. 136, Article 12 - Junkyard Control Act; § 136-141 to § 136-155
• N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 66, Art. 1, § 66-10. Failure of dealers of scrap, salvage, or surplus to keep record of purchases of certain items misdemeanor.

State Superfund (SREA Equivalent)

• N.C.G.S. Ch. 130A, Article 9, Part 3. Inactive Hazardous Sites; § 130A-310 to § 130A-310.13
• § 130A-310.7.(b1) exempts liability for "a person who arranges for recycling of recyclable materials with respect to such materials if that person has complied with all standards, requirements, and criteria set forth in the Superfund Recycling Equity Act of 1999, 42 U.S.C. § 9627, as amended."

Stormwater Permitting

• North Carolina DEQ - NPDES Industrial Stormwater
• General Permits and NOIs
• Permit Number NCG130000 - Non-metal Waste and Scrap
  Issued: 05/31/18; Effective: 06/01/18; Expires: 05/31/23
  NCG130000 Notice of Intent
• Permit Number NCG200000 - Scrap Metal Recycling
  Issued: 07/31/19; Effective: 08/01/19; Expires: 05/31/24
  NCG200000 Notice of Intent
• Permit Number NCG100000 - Used Motor Vehicle Parts and Automobile Wrecking for Scrap
  Issued: 10/29/18; Effective: 11/01/18; Expires: 05/31/21
  NCG100000 Notice of Intent

Tire / Rubber

• ISRI note: primary tire recycling sections:
• N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 105, Art. 5B. Scrap Tire Disposal Tax; § 105-187.15 to § 105-187.19
• N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 130A, Art. 9, Part 2B. Scrap Tire Disposal Act, § 130A-309.51 to § 130A-309.64
• N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 14, Art. 52, § 14-399. Littering. (ISRI note: "litter" includes tires)
• N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 20. Motor Vehicles
• Art. 1, § 20-4.01. Definitions.
• Art. 3. Motor Vehicle Act of 1937.
• § 20-122. Restrictions as to tire equipment.
• § 20-122.1. Motor vehicles to be equipped with safe tires.
• N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 66, Art. 1, § 66-10. Failure of dealers of scrap, salvage, or surplus to keep record of purchases of certain items misdemeanor. (ISRI note: includes buying rubber and rubber belts as scrap, salvage, or surplus)
• N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 105. Taxation
• Art. 5, § 105-164.13. Retail sales and use tax. (ISRI note: exemptions; subsection (48) specifically excludes deposits on tires)
• Art. 5B. Scrap Tire Disposal Tax; § 105-187.15 to § 105-187.19
• N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 106. Agriculture
• Art. 56, § 106-668. Punishment for violations. (ISRI note: makes selling rubber as fertilizer a class 1 misdemeanor).
• Art. 78, § 106-942. High hazard counties; permits required; standards. (ISRI note: fire permits, specifically bans using items containing natural or synthetic rubber to ignite material)
• N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 115C, Art. 17, § 115C-249.1. Purchase of tires for school buses; repair or refurbishment of tires for school buses.
• N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 130A., Art. 9. Solid Waste Management.
• Part 1, § 130A-290. Definitions. (ISRI note: defines "tire-derived fuel", includes whole tires in "special wastes")
• Part 2, § 130A-295.8. Fees applicable to permits for solid waste management facilities. (ISRI note: includes tire monofill fee)
• Part 2A. Nonhazardous Solid Waste Management Act of 1989
• § 130A-309.04. State solid waste management policy and goals. (ISRI note: requires annual solid waste reduction metrics, including weight converted to tire-derived fuel)
• § 130A-309.06. Additional powers and duties of the Department. (ISRI note: annual report includes a description of the implementation of the Scrap Tire Disposal Act)
• § 130A-309.09A. Local government solid waste responsibilities. (ISRI note: annual report must include a description of scrap tire disposal procedures)
• § 130A-309.09C. Additional powers of local governments; construction of this Part; effect of noncompliance. (ISRI note: noncompliance penalties include withholding proceeds of the scrap tire disposal tax)
• § 130A-309.10. Prohibited acts relating to packaging; coded labeling of plastic containers required; disposal of certain solid wastes in landfills or by incineration prohibited. (ISRI note: includes whole scrap tire landfill disposal ban)
• § 130A-309.13. Solid Waste Management Outreach Program. (ISRI note: developing secondary materials markets, specifically references use of processed scrap tire materials)
• § 130A-309.14. Duties of State agencies. (ISRI note: includes requirement that the Dept. of Transportation use scrap tires in highway construction and maintenance projects)
• Part 2B. Scrap Tire Disposal Act
• § 130A-309.51. Title.
• § 130A-309.52. Findings; purpose.
• § 130A-309.53. Definitions.
• § 130A-309.54. Use of scrap tire tax proceeds.
• § 130A-309.57. Scrap tire disposal program.
• § 130A-309.58. Disposal of scrap tires.
• § 130A-309.59. Registration of tire haulers.
• § 130A-309.60. Nuisance tire collection sites.
• § 130A-309.61. Effect on local ordinances.
• § 130A-309.62. Fines and penalties.
• § 130A-309.64. Scrap Tire Disposal Program; other Department activities related to scrap tires.
• N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 136, Art. 2, § 136-28.8. Use of recycled materials in construction. (ISRI note: includes use of rubber from tires in road pavements, subbase materials, or other appropriate applications).
• N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 143, Art. 3, § 143-63.2. Purchase of tires for State vehicles; repair or refurbishment of tires for State vehicles.

Vehicle Detitling / Dismantling

• N.C.G.S. Ch. 14, Art. 16 - Larceny
• § 14-72.7. Chop Shop Activity (ISRI note: includes exemption for person crushing or compacting a vehicle in good faith and without knowledge of illegal activity)
• § 14-72.8. Felony larceny of motor vehicle parts.
• N.C.G.S. Ch. 20. Motor Vehicles
• Article 1, § 20-4.01. Definitions.
• Article 3 - Motor Vehicle Act of 1937
• § 20-61. Owner dismantling or wrecking vehicle to return evidence of registration.
• § 20-62.1. Purchase of vehicles for purposes of scrap or parts only.
• § 20-63. Registration plates furnished by Division; requirements... (as amended by 2019 North Carolina HB 337)
• § 20-71.2. Declaration of purpose.
• § 20-71.3. Salvage and other vehicles - titles and registration cards to be branded.
• § 20-72. Transfer by owner. (as amended by 2019 North Carolina HB 337)
• § 20-75. When transferee is a charitable organization, dealer, or insurance company. (as amended by 2019 North Carolina HB 337)
• § 20-100. Vehicles junked or destroyed by fire or collision.
• § 20-109.1. Surrender of titles to salvage vehicles. (as amended by 2019 North Carolina HB 337)

Abandoned Vehicles

• N.C.G.S. Ch. 20, Art. 3, Part 9A. Abandoned and Derelict Motor Vehicles; § 20-137.6. to § 20-137.14.
• N.C.G.S. Ch. 160A, Art. 15 - Streets, Traffic and Parking
• § 160A-303. Removal and disposal of junked and abandoned motor vehicles.
• § 160A-303.2. Regulation of abandonment of junked motor vehicles.

Mercury Switch Removal

• N.C.G.S. Ch. 130A, Article 9, Part 6. Mercury Switch Removal; § 130A-310.50 to § 130A-310.58 (repealed effective June 30, 2021)