Multi-Family Recycling Program

Charleston County Environmental Management offers recycling service for multi-family residents living in apartments and condominiums. The County’s multi-family recycling program is a dual stream, cart-based program, which means recyclables must be separated and placed in 95 gallon roll carts. Participating complexes agree to designate an area for recycling roll-carts on their property (in or next to their garbage enclosure area) or in parking spaces as close to garbage dumpsters. Recycling roll carts are labeled:

Property Managers:

Participating in the County’s multi-family recycling program may enable you to reduce the size of your disposal dumpster and/or the number of collection pickups which can potentially save you money! Click here for details.

Residents:

The world we live in is changing and so is our environment. In order to maintain a healthy natural environment and ensure the growth of a strong community, we must take steps as a society to live sustainably. Recycling is a sustainable living practice and a necessary step towards preserving our planet for future generations. Making the effort to recycle takes little to no time out of your day and impacts our environment in a positive way. Recycling is easy! Just remember to put your recyclable materials in a recycling container rather than a garbage container.

Frequently Asked Questions for Residents

Q: Why recycle?

A:  Recycling benefits the community and helps the environment in many ways. The benefits of recycling are:

• Saves energy.
• Reduces pollution.
• Preserves natural resources.
• Decreases the amount of materials buried in landfills.
• Minimizes the expansion of landfills in residential areas.
• Reduces our reliance on landfills.

Q: What items are accepted in the recycling roll carts?

A: This is a dual stream recycling program which means paper must be separated from everything else. Each roll-cart will be labeled either Cardboard & Paper Only or Containers Only. Paper products that are accepted include: magazines, books (including paperbacks, textbooks & hardbacks), junk mail, envelopes, newspaper, office paper, file folders, paperboard (such as cereal boxes), and corrugated cardboard. Containers accepted include: plastics #1-7, milk & juice cartons, aluminum cans & baking pans, steel & tin cans (including empty aerosol cans), and glass jars & bottles.

Q: What items are not accepted in the recycling roll-carts?

A: Styrofoam, plastic bags, and garbage are not accepted. Other items not accepted include: household hazardous waste and toxic household products, electronic waste, batteries, light bulbs, CFL’s, motor oil, and paint.

Q: What should I do with my household hazardous waste and electronic waste?

A: Household hazardous waste, motor oil, paint, and electronic waste may be taken to one of eight Charleston County convenience centers. For location details and contact information, click here.  

Q: How do I get a recycling container to use inside my apartment/condo?

A: Charleston County does not provide in-unit recycling bins, but designing your own interior recycling containers is easy. Be creative! Residents are encouraged to reuse paper grocery bags to store recyclable paper products. A bin or tub can be used for plastic, glass, aluminum and steel containers. To avoid a trip to the store, residents can easily create a simple storage bin for containers using a box. (Suggestion: line the box with a trash bag to prevent leakage.)

Q: What should I do with bulky items like furniture?

A:  Charleston County provides (8) eight Recycling Convenience Centers across the County for unincorporated residents. For a list of locations visit this website:

http://www.charlestoncounty.org/departments/solidwaste/D-RecyLocat.htm

Contact your local municipality if you live within the City limits for information on service provided to you as a municipal resident.

Q: What if I do not have the space for recycling inside my unit?

A: Residents are encouraged to make recycling containers using materials already available within their home. Prepare recycling containers of an appropriate size to accommodate specific needs. Keep personal waste accumulation and individual space constraints in mind. (Suggestion: take recycling out to the roll-carts frequently to reduce accumulation of materials. Consider using one “container” and then separate materials and place into the appropriate cart when you get there.)

Q: What should I do with my plastic grocery bags?

A:  Reuse plastic bags as trash can liners; reuse them as pet litter bags when walking your pet; take them back to a local grocery store that accepts them; donate them to another source that may need them for bags instead of having to buy them.

If you would like to start recycling at your apartment or multi-family complex, ask the property manager of your community to contact the Charleston County Environmental Management Department at (843) 720-7111 for more information.