Citizen's Convenience Center

Recycling Center in Cary, North Carolina

📍 313 North Dixon Avenue, Cary, NC 27513
♻️
📞 +1 919-469-4090 🌐 Visit Website 🗺 Get Directions

About This Location

Located at 313 N. Dixon Avenue in the heart of downtown Cary, the Town of Cary's Citizen's Convenience Center is a staffed residential drop-off facility where Cary residents can dispose of household solid waste, recyclables, yard waste, food scraps, appliances, and electronics—all in one trip. Attendants are on-site during all operating hours to direct visitors to the correct bin. Important: the Town of Cary has announced that beginning January 1, 2027, the Center will transition to a food- and yard-waste-only drop-off due to federally funded North Carolina Railroad right-of-way improvements; all other drop-off services (trash, recycling, appliances, electronics) will end there on December 31, 2026. Food and yard waste drop-off, as well as all existing curbside collection services, will not be affected by this change.

What Citizen's Convenience Center Accepts

✓ Residential solid waste (bagged household garbage) (Bagged household trash accepted for drop-off at no gate fee through December 31, 2026.)
✓ Recycling (aluminum, cardboard, glass, paper, plastic) (Excess recycling accepted at no charge through December 31, 2026.)
✓ Yard waste (grass clippings, leaves, brush, tree trimmings) (Accepted free of charge. Logs must be 6 inches or less in diameter. Yard waste is composted. This service continues after January 1, 2027.)
✓ Food waste (Food Waste Recycling Drop-off program; food scraps are sent to a commercial composting facility. This service continues after January 1, 2027.)
✓ Appliances (white goods) ($10 fee per appliance. Accepted through December 31, 2026 only.)
✓ Electronics (Fees apply; specific per-item amounts are determined via the Town's Waste Wizard or Cary Collects app. Payment accepted by credit or debit card on-site. Accepted through December 31, 2026 only.)
✓ Bulky trash (furniture, large household items) (Fees may apply. Accepted through December 31, 2026 only.)

Related recycling guides: Electronics · Appliances · Yard Waste · Glass · Plastic · Cardboard & Paper

What they do not accept

✕ Burnt materials
✕ Car batteries
✕ Carpeting / wall-to-wall carpet
✕ Clay products (bricks, flower pots)
✕ Concrete products (blocks, lawn ornaments, birdbaths)
✕ Construction / remodeling debris
✕ Dirt / rocks
✕ Household hazardous waste (paint, pesticides, cleaning products)
✕ Liquid waste
✕ Logs greater than 6 inches in diameter
✕ Motor oil
✕ Oil filters
✕ Paint
✕ Pallets
✕ Propane tanks
✕ Shingles
✕ Stumps
✕ Tires
✕ Treated lumber

Full not-accepted list maintained at https://www.carync.gov/services-publications/garbage-recycling-yard-waste/citizen-s-convenience-center/materials-not-accepted. Use the Town's Waste Wizard or Cary Collects app to check any specific item.

Fees

  • Household trash / recycling drop-off — Free (no gate fee) through December 31, 2026
  • Yard waste drop-off — Free
  • Food waste drop-off — Free
  • Appliances (refrigerators, washers, dryers, dishwashers, etc.) — $10 per appliance
  • Electronics — Fee applies; exact amount varies by item — check the Waste Wizard or Cary Collects app. Payment by credit or debit card accepted on-site.
  • Bulky trash — Fee may apply; verify with Town of Cary 311

Access & restrictions

Cary residents only. Commercial waste and waste from private contractors (including landscape companies) are prohibited. · Walk-in (no appointment) · No appointment needed for standard drop-off. Attendants are on-site to direct visitors to correct bins. Closed on Town holidays unless otherwise posted.

Programs & events

  • Food Waste Recycling Drop-off — Residents can drop off food scraps at the Center; material is processed at a commercial composting facility. This program continues after January 1, 2027.
  • Cary Recycles Program — Excess curbside recyclables (aluminum, cardboard, glass, paper, plastic) can be dropped off at the Center at no charge through December 31, 2026.
  • Electronics & Appliance Recycling — Drop off electronics and appliances at the Center with applicable fees. Cary was the first NC municipality to offer curbside computer recycling (2000). This drop-off service ends December 31, 2026.

Materials, fees and hours can change — call ahead to confirm before your visit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Citizen's Convenience Center closing permanently?

Not entirely. Beginning January 1, 2027, general drop-off services (trash, recycling, appliances, and electronics) will end at the Center because the facility sits within a North Carolina Railroad right-of-way needed for federally funded rail improvements. However, food and yard waste drop-off will remain accessible after that date, and curbside collection services are unaffected.

Do Cary residents pay a fee to drop off trash and recycling?

There is no gate fee for dropping off household trash or recycling at the Center through December 31, 2026. Appliances cost $10 per item. Electronics carry a fee that varies by item — check the Town's Waste Wizard tool or the Cary Collects app for specifics, and pay by credit or debit card on-site.

Can I drop off tires, paint, or motor oil at the Center?

No. Tires, paint, motor oil, oil filters, household hazardous waste, and propane tanks are all explicitly prohibited. Contact Wake County or the Town of Cary (dial 311) for appropriate disposal options for these materials.

Can a landscaping company or contractor use the Center to drop off debris?

No. Commercial use and waste from private contractors—including landscape companies—are strictly prohibited. The Center is for Cary residential use only.

What are the holiday hours, and is an appointment required?

No appointment is needed. The Center is closed on Town holidays unless otherwise posted (for example, it will be open 8 a.m.–noon on December 24, 2026, and closed December 25 and January 1). Check carync.gov or call 311 for any holiday schedule updates.

Last verified: November 2026. Sources: source · source · source · source. Spotted something wrong? Suggest a correction.

Other Recycling Centers in Cary

Recycling Centers Near Cary

Contact & Location

📍
Address
313 North Dixon Avenue, Cary, NC 27513
📞
🌐
Website
townofcary.org
🏙
City / State
Cary, North Carolina

Opening Hours

Monday 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Tuesday 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Thursday 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Location Map

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← All centers in Cary