Neighbors worry closing Raleigh recycling site won't solve illegal dumping problem

In less than two weeks, people who use the disposal site at Jaycee Park will have to find a different way to recycle their items.

Raleigh is shutting down the facility on July 1 due to illegal dumping.

On any given day, furniture, cardboard boxes and other trash litters the ground in front of the bins at the park. Residents say the issue has been piling on over the last two to three years and is unlikely to be solved by shutting down the site.

“The furniture has increased. This is not a dumping site. Perhaps people don’t realize it,” said Stephani Jusino, who uses the facility.

The site has been around for decades. It was first established in the 1980s and was the first attempt by the city to establish a central collection site for recycling.

Stan Joseph, director of solid waste services for the City of Raleigh, said the site is no longer serving its intended purpose.

“In fact, I think it was deteriorating its intended purpose to encourage recyclables,” Joseph said.

He said the city spoke to residents and tried different ways to curb the illegal dumping — including surveillance cameras, Raleigh police patrols and more frequent cleanups — before deciding the site had to close.

“Ultimately, we didn’t see a decrease in the dumping. It was happening in hours we weren’t aware,” Joseph said.

Jusino has concerns that closing the site isn’t necessarily a final solution, and that dumping will occur in other unauthorized areas.

“The majority of trash is gonna go across the street from me, in the woods, where it’s very secluded,” she said.

The city is prepared for that and plans to educate the public on alternatives," Joseph said.

“What I want for them to look at is an enhancement of our city and to make sure our parks are pristine and clean for them to use,” he said.

There are 11 monitored convenience centers in Wake County if residents are looking for alternatives to handle their recycling.