Berkeley County considers reducing recyclables at drop-off locations

Berkeley County’s Human Resources and Purchasing Committee voted last week to recommend that County Council approve contractual changes to the county’s convenience center recycling contract that will result in the elimination of recycling for plastic, aluminum, and metal, when Council meets again on July 25.

Currently, Berkeley County Water and Sanitation has 9 manned and 13 unmanned convenience center and drop-off locations across Berkeley County, including the one at the tennis center on Daniel Island (located under the bridge), offering recycling opportunities for paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, aluminum and metal. These recyclables are then delivered to Sonoco Recycling’s Charleston location. The current contract with Sonoco is scheduled to end on August 31, 2016.

The committee’s vote was to recommend that the County Council approve a contract amendment with Sonoco to extend the contract for paper and cardboard only until August 31, 2017. The contract amendment would also give the County an option to bring all recyclables, including plastic, aluminum, and metal, to Sonoco’s Columbia facility. 

However, the cost associated with hauling all recyclables to Columbia is impractical, according to Berkeley County officials.

“Without significantly raising the rates of Berkeley County residents, hauling all recyclables to Sonoco’s Columbia location for single-stream recycling is unfeasible,” said Councilman Josh Whitley, who chairs the Human Resources and Purchasing Committee. “I am confident saying that County Council and the County Supervisor do not want to significantly raise rates for a short-term fix, with Repower South’s single-stream center in Berkeley County on the horizon.”

The contract amendment, which affects only the convenience centers and drop-off locations – not curbside pick-up, has not been signed. Last week’s vote by the Human Resources and Purchasing Committee was to show the Committee’s approval to move forward with final contract negotiations. Council is scheduled to hear public input and vote on final approval of the contract amendment at the July 25 meeting.

If passed and when the contract is signed, a resident would have to place plastic, glass, and aluminum in their regular household trash starting September 1 of this year, unless the resident chooses to subscribe to a private curbside recycling program. The County would continue to collect paper and cardboard at all convenience center and drop-off locations.