Durham County is getting a $3.3 million grant to build a new solid waste drop-off facility and improve its recycling programs.
The money comes from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which passed Congress in 2021. The county will use it to renovate the Redwood Convenience Center in northeast Durham.
Durham County solid waste manager Chrissie Koroivui said the new drop-off site will have more options for residents to dispose of materials that can be recycled or reused.
"We'll be able to host both e-waste recycling collection events and household hazardous waste events," Koroivui said. "We'll also going to include a swap shop right in the center of everything so we'll be able to encourage people to use it and keep items out of the landfill."
The county plans to start construction early next year and open the new convenience center in 2025.
The site along Redwood Drive near Falls Lake lies in a historically disadvantaged census tract, according to the EPA.
The agency defines those tracts as areas that face disproportionately higher environmental and socioeconomic challenges from the effects of climate change.
