County landfill is overrun after winter storms

MILL SPRING—Anyone in Polk County needing mulch has an opportunity now to get it for free. 

Polk County Manager Marche Pittman said beginning now mulch is free at the county transfer station, located off Highway 9 in Mill Spring. 

Pittman said this winter the county had so many storms that it has too mulch. 

The state pays the county to take storm debris and the county mulches it and stores it at the landfill. 

Normally, the county solicits bids for the mulch to be purchased, but this time, the county will give it away for free. 

The mulch will be given away on a first come, first serve basis. Pittman said the county needs to make room for the next mulching, which will be sold as normal. 

To get the free mulch, residents can visit the landfill and go tell employees they want the free mulch. Employees will direct residents where they need to pick up the mulch. 

The landfill is located two miles north of the Mill Spring crossroads. It is open from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturdays. 

The area saw extraordinary storms over the winter, especially from high winds and rain. Many trees fell across the area and some storms caused major power outages. 

Polk County had a major snowstorm in December, with it taking the state months to clear the debris. The North Carolina Department of Transportation cleared 100,000 trees in Polk County earlier this year, most from the snowstorm and others from wind and rainstorms this year.