Charleston County’s Holiday Recycling Information

With the holidays approaching, Charleston County’s Environmental Management Department is encouraging citizens to start a new family tradition by taking steps towards being “green” this holiday season and throughout the New Year.

Some tips to help you be environmentally aware this holiday season are the following:

Decorating

• If you buy a live tree, recycle it!
• Buy LED lights to reduce energy consumption.
• Decorate your tree with strings of popcorn and berries instead of tinsel.

Gift Giving

• Recycle gift wrap, tissue paper, gift boxes and cardboard. If it tears, recycle it!
• Buy holiday cards printed on recycled paper.
• Wrap gifts in newspaper comics or wrapping paper made with recycled content.
• Avoid purchasing over-packaged items.

Entertaining

• Use reusable cups, plates and utensils.
• Use cloth napkins and tablecloths instead of disposable ones.
• Recycle at your holiday party.

Cooking

• Compost vegetable waste with yard clippings in a backyard home composting program.
• Purchase only as much food as needed and be sure to store and prepare properly to avoid food waste generation.  Not only will this reduce waste, but it will make your food dollars go further.

Christmas trees and greenery can be recycled (please remember to remove all décor such as lights, tinsel, ornaments, etc). Some municipalities will pick them up curbside, or they can be taken to a convenience center. The trees picked up curbside are transported to the Bees Ferry Compost Facility to be ground and composted. Residents who drop off a tree at the Bees Ferry Landfill from January 2-9 will receive a free bag of compost.

All paper, including gift wrap and cardboard, and commingled products (plastics #1-7, glass containers and aluminum and steel cans) can also be recycled through the curbside program and at the numerous drop-site locations and convenience centers located throughout the county. The convenience centers also accept used motor oil and cooking oil, electronics, household hazardous materials, batteries, paint, compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) and holiday light strands.

Residents should note changes in the recycling schedule over the holidays. All convenience centers will close at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 24 except for Bees Ferry Landfill, which will close at 12 p.m., and all will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Curbside recycling schedules will not change during the holidays.

For more information on recycling, contact the Charleston County Environmental Management Department at (843) 720-7111 or visit recycle.charlestoncounty.org.