Watauga County Solid Waste and Recycling Convenience Center

A county recycling center in Banner Elk that locals use to drop off household recyclables and larger items they don't want in the curbside bin. Neighbors bring everything from cardboard and cans to old electronics, following North Carolina rules for e-waste and hazardous items. The place mainly exists to keep usable material out of the landfill and make recycling a local option.

Drive in on NC-105 and pull up to a small entrance booth where attendants direct traffic; the layout is the usual drive-up setup with piles of labeled containers and roll-off dumpsters. Recycling bins for paper, cardboard, glass, plastic, and metal are grouped together, with larger dumpsters or bays for bulky items a short walk or drive past the main area. Expect to stop at a scale or kiosk if unloading heavy loads and to be directed where to place items by signs and cones. Weekends and spring cleanup can get busy, so there’s sometimes lineups to get through the gate and to the drop-off points.