WAKE COUNTY | Solid Waste Management Division | Winter 2022

Welcome to Your New South Wake Landfill Newsletter!

We've got a new look and a whole lot of news to share

Hello! I'm John Hamlin, Wake County's senior communications specialist dedicated to you – our neighbors at the South Wake Landfill.

The County created my position to answer your questions, listen to your concerns and share the latest progress on the issues that matter about the landfill. Of course, above all, that means odor. We have a number of promising developments in the works, and I can't wait to share them with you.

As you can see, we've revamped the newsletter with a crisp new look and feel. I hope you'll find the content to be just as fresh. Going forward, you can expect to hear from us more often than our past schedule of twice a year.

If you have questions or concerns about what's going on at the landfill, I'm here. Just shoot me an email at or call my cell at 919-986-9370.

Odor Control Update

We’ve been working hard and making major investments to reduce odor around the South Wake Landfill. We've made some encouraging progress over the past year, and there are many more improvements to come.

Read the full report to learn how we:

Plan to reduce odor reports by up to 30% by investing $3.7 million in interim cover next fiscal year.
Turned a corner on odor reports in August 2020.
Continue to expand and improve landfill gas collection.

Read the Latest

A New Website Built for Your Needs

The newsletter isn't the only thing that got an overhaul this month. We built a new landing page for the South Wake Landfill with buttons that take you directly to the tools and information you need.

Check it out at wakegov.com/landfill and keep an eye out for updates. We'll be improving and adding content in the weeks to come.

We're Turning Landfill Gas into Renewable Natural Gas

We work hard to capture the gas generated as trash breaks down at the South Wake Landfill. Otherwise, it can carry odors to our neighbors and contribute to global warming.

We put that gas to work too. Since 2011, we've contracted with Ingenco to turn it into electricity. Now, the company plans to invest $30 million in a new plant that will produce renewable natural gas instead.

Ingenco pays Wake County a percentage of its revenues, and the conversion could boost our income by $600,000 to $1.5 million a year. As Wake County continues to look for the latest and most effective ways to fight odors, that extra money will let us to do more and do things faster.

Learn More

South Wake Landfill Traffic Report

It takes a lot of garbage routes to serve Wake County's 1.1 million residents, and all those trucks end up at the South Wake Landfill. Here's a look at how much traffic we saw in the past six months.

South Wake Landfill Truck Traffic NO BG.png

The Gull Report

Each year, from November to March, the South Wake Landfill becomes a daily hang out for about 15,000 migratory gulls nesting at nearby Jordan Lake.

They leave the lake around sunrise to come look for a free meal at the landfill's working face. You'll also find them preening their feathers in the nearby Target parking lot before flying back to Jordan Lake around sunset. Once the warm weather returns around mid-March, the gulls depart for their permanent home in the Great Lakes region.

Join the Litteratti and Clean Up Wake

There's a new high-tech way to make a difference for our environment! Wake County teamed up with Litterati to use artificial intelligence that categorizes the trash collected from our roadsides, trails and open spaces.

We've challenged our residents to collect 20,000 pieces of litter by June 2022. So far, nearly 100 participants have collected 14,780 pieces of litter!

These volunteers are collecting valuable data alongside all that trash. Using the Litterati app, they upload photos of their collections, and the app uses AI to break it into categories. Knowing the kinds of litter we find can guide our efforts to fight it at the source.

Here's a look at the most common kinds of litter our volunteers are finding:

Wake's Top 10 Litter

🚬 628 cigarette butts

🍬 418 wrappers

🍾 392 bottles

🥫 254 cans

☕ 253 cups

🛍️ 191 bags

🥤 125 lids

🍾 124 bottle caps

🏷️ 117 labels

😷 114 face masks

Join the Litterati

Ever wondered what happens to your trash when it leaves the curb?

Find out with a FREE tour of the South Wake Landfill! You’ll learn everything Wake County does to fight odors, protect the environment and support public health while processing the garbage from more than 1.1 million residents.

Got a group of 10 or more interested in taking the tour? Let us know and we’ll schedule a private tour on our bus. Rather tour from the comfort of your couch? Check out our virtual tour, which includes access to behind-the-scenes areas and drone footage.

Take a Tour

Mark Your Calendar

South Wake Landfill Citizens Committee

Our next meeting is Wednesday, March 23 from 6-7:30 p.m. We'd love to see everyone in person but, depending on Wake County's COVID-19 positivity rate, we may have to meet virtually.

Get Involved

Learn more about the South Wake Landfill →

We strive to keep residents well informed on activities taking place at the landfill and welcome all feedback. If have questions or concerns, please contact John Hamlin.

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