Right now, New Hanover County’s landfill has about 30 years before it’s completely full. The problem has been compounded by Hurricane Florence, which wiped out nearly 15 years of capacity, and the region’s above-average waste generation — 1.6 tons per person, per year, in New Hanover County, compared to a national average of just over a ton per person, per year — driven in part by the tourism industry.
County staff have explored some innovative techniques, including a contract with a BP subsidiary to capture, process, and sell natural gas that escapes the landfill. The county also has existing recycling and diversion programs. Eventually, the landfill could go from 170 feet to 270 feet, with permission from the board of commissioners, but there’s still only so much room, with the landfill property hemmed in on all sides. Another suggestion put forward by a third-party consultant in 2015 to increase space, a mechanically stabilized earthen berm that would allow additional vertical growth, was "astronomically" expensive, according to staff.
Joe Suleyman, who runs the county’s trash and recycling program, laid out the problem to county commissioners during an agenda meeting earlier this month— and said county staff have come up with a new goal to help tackle it.
Suleyman wants to set "a diversion rate or recycling rate of 60% and if we achieve that goal that will extend the current landfill life from 30 years to 70 years.”
That’s significantly more than the county’s current diversion rate, which keeps between 7 and 8% of material from ending up in the landfill. However, in the past, waste audits have found that much more of what's thrown away could be recycled. In 2022, Suleyman told WHQR an audit had found "north of 70%" of what was going into the landfill was recyclable or compostable, calling it "hard to watch."
Suleyman said that there are other landfills with ambitious goals like the 60% he's aiming at — and while none have achieved them yet, some have managed to divert an additional 20 or 30% from going into the ground.
One potential snag: banning certain materials from being thrown into the landfill may run into political or legal opposition, Suleyman said.
Still, staff are optimistic about their new goal — and recommended seeking out a consultant in the upcoming fiscal year to help the county explore options for meeting it. While commissioners didn’t vote on anything, Suleyman’s suggestions garnered favorable bipartisan feedback, and the cost of a consultant is expected to be in the upcoming 2026-2027 fiscal year budget.
