Wake County’s Solid Waste division announced on Apr. 30 that it will hold its annual monthlong compost bin sale, starting May 1. The event allows anyone to purchase an Earth Machine compost bin for $60, which is half the usual retail price. Orders can be placed online through May 31 and each order includes a handbook with composting best practices.
The initiative aims to encourage residents and others to adopt composting as a way to reduce landfill waste and benefit the environment. Wake County Commissioner Susan Evans said, “This annual sale has multiple benefits beyond saving people money on a compost bin. Composting provides long-term value for Wake County’s residents and our environment.”
Compost bins will be available for pickup beginning in mid-June at the North Wake Solid Waste Management facilities at 9025 Deponie Drive in Raleigh, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Delivery is not available, but customers do not need to be county residents as long as they pick up their orders in person.
To help users get started, each Earth Machine comes with an instructional handbook and access to online videos about assembly and home composting basics. The bins stand about three feet tall and can hold up to 80 gallons of material. An additional digital guide is also offered online.
According to the release, approximately one-third of household garbage in Wake County consists of food and yard waste that could be diverted from landfills by composting instead of being sent to South Wake Landfill where it contributes to pollution. On average, one composter can divert around 500 pounds of organic waste annually.
As part of Compost Awareness Week, the Wake County Cooperative Extension will host a free pop-up event at Moore Square on Sunday, May 3 from 1–4 p.m., featuring climate action activities for all ages including prize giveaways, live cooking demonstrations, vermicomposting demonstrations and more. Event details are available on Eventbrite or by contacting Ella Howie at ella.howie@wake.gov.
The county’s Solid Waste Management Division operates several facilities including landfills, recycling centers and hazardous waste drop-off sites.
