After Equipment Issues Within Depleted Fleet, Carrboro Warns of Delayed Waste Collection

Carrboro residents may experience delays in their residential trash collection this week, according to the town government.

An alert shared Wednesday morning said due to “unexpected equipment failures,” the Town of Carrboro may face delays to its residential household waste collection and yard waste collection. Trash pick-ups may not happen until Friday, Oct. 17 or Monday, Oct. 20 depending on the length and success of repairs, said the town. The town asked residents to continue keeping their carts curbside until collection is completed and thanked them for their patience through the “temporary disruptions.”

“Public Works crews are working hard to safely and efficiently complete waste collection as repairs progress,” the alert read.

Yard waste in roll-out carts, meanwhile, will be delayed by one day next week, meaning crews will complete collection on Tuesday, Oct. 21 instead of Monday. Carrboro said the adjustment is to allow for its Public Works crews to prioritize household waste collection amid the equipment repairs.

In addition, yard waste collected in roll-out carts will be delayed by one day next week. Instead of the usual Monday pickup on Oct. 20, yard waste will be collected on Tuesday, Oct. 21. This adjustment allows crews to prioritize household waste collection.

The equipment failures come as Carrboro’s Public Works fleet is already depleted from this summer’s historic flooding from Tropical Depression Chantal. Five of the seven solid waste trucks were damaged from the floodwaters of Morgan Creek, which rose to unprecedented levels to damage roughly a dozen other town-owned vehicles and the Public Works facility off Jones Ferry Road where repairs were typically made. Since then, the town has collaborated with neighboring governments to help cover solid waste routes and other elements of town services to limit the impact of the vehicle losses — but using short-term options for facilities Public Works employees can use for daily needs, vehicle repairs and more.

A solid waste truck sits at the entrance of Carrboro’s Public Works facility on July 7, 2025, having floated down the hill in floodwaters from Tropical Depression Chantal and become immobile from the damage. (Photo by Brighton McConnell/Chapel Hill Media Group.)

More details about Carrboro’s Public Works operations can be found on the town government’s website.

Featured photo via the Town of Carrboro.

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After Equipment Issues Within Depleted Fleet, Carrboro Warns of Delayed Waste Collection

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