Senate Bill 162

A bill to amend section 44-96-40, code of laws of South Carolina, 1976,  relating to solid waste policy and management, so as to provide that post-use  polymers and recoverable feedstocks used in pyrolysis and gasification  processes are "recovered materials" and are not "solid waste" for the purposes  of regulation by the department of health and environmental control; by adding Section 44-96-145 so as to address whether a recovered material has been  accumulated speculatively and to regulate recovered materials that have been  accumulated speculatively as solid waste; and to amend section 44-96-340,  relating to solid waste incinerators, so as to increase the daily capacity  that may be permitted in this state. Referred to Senate Medical Affairs Committee Senate Bill 525A bill to amend section 44-96-40 of the 1976 code, relating to definitions for the South Carolina solid waste policy and management act, to define necessary terms related to advanced recycling and advanced recycling facilities.

Status as of April 13, 2021 : Passed by the Senate, currently in the House Agriculture, Natural Resources, & Environmental Affairs Committee

House Bill 3766

To amend chapter 1, title 44, code of laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the department of health and environmental control, so as to rename the chapter the "department of public health" and to reorganize the chapter to abolish the department and board of health and environmental control, to provide for the appointment of a director of the department of public health by the governor, to eliminate provisions pertaining to the board and to environmental responsibilities of the department, and for other purposes; by adding chapter 6 to title 48 so as to create the department of environmental control, to provide for the appointment of a director of the department of environmental control by the governor, to transfer to the department the environmental divisions, office, and programs of the department of health and environmental control, and for other purposes, relating to underground storage tanks, emergency health powers, hospitals, contagious and infectious diseases, controlled substances, drinking water, hazardous waste management, emergency medical services, vital statistics, home health agencies, hospice programs, athletic trainers, birthing centers, infectious waste management, solid waste policy and management, pollution control, environmental protection, water quality, stormwater management, erosion and sediment control, mining, prescribed fires, coastal tidelands and wetlands, beach restoration, oil and gas exploration, low-level radioactive waste, energy efficiency, environmental awareness and innovation, environmental audits, information technology equipment recovery, impoundment of navigable waters, water resources planning, surface water withdrawal, groundwater use, aquatic plant management, and dams, respectively, so as to make conforming changes.

Status as of April 13, 2021:Referred to the House Judiciary Committee

House Bill 3753

A bill to amend section 44-96-40, code of laws of South Carolina, 1976,  relating to solid waste policy and management, so as to provide that post-use  polymers and recoverable feedstocks used in pyrolysis and gasification  processes are "recovered materials" and are not "solid waste" for the purposes of regulation by the department of health and environmental control; by adding Section 44-96-145 so as to address whether a recovered material has been  accumulated speculatively and to regulate recovered materials that have been  accumulated speculatively as solid waste; and to amend section 44-96-340, relating to solid waste incinerators, so as to increase the daily capacity that may be permitted in this state.

Status April 13, 2021: Referred to the House Agriculture, Natural Resources, & Environmental Affairs Committee

House Bill 3892

A bill to amend the code of laws of South Carolina, 1976, so as to prohibit the department of health and environmental control from issuing any permit for the construction of a solid waste management facility or for mining activities, respectively, if located within a certain proximity to a public park or other public natural area.

Status April 13, 2021: Referred to the House Agriculture, Natural Resources, & Environmental Affairs Committee House

House Bill 4084

A bill to amend section 16-11-700, as amended, code of laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the prohibition on dumping litter on private or public property, so as to increase the penalties for violations. Referred to the House Judiciary Committee House Bill 3222

A bill to amend section 44-96-100, code of laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating in part to penalties for violating waste tire regulations, so as to change certain penalty requirements; to amend section 44-96-170, relating to the regulation of waste tires, so as to authorize the department of health and environmental control to promulgate regulations and make certain permitting Decisions concerning waste tire management; and for other purposes.

Status as of april 13, 2021: Passed by the House, currently in the Senate Medical Affairs Committee

Senate Bill 596

a bill to amend chapter 1, title 48 of the 1976 code, relating to the pollution control act, by adding section 48-1-92, to provide for the regulation of preproduction plastic by the department of health and environmental control.

Status as of April 13, 2021: Referred to the Senate Medical Affairs Committee

House Bill 4035

to amend act 129 of 2014, relating to the South Carolina manufacturer responsibility and consumer convenience information technology equipment collection and recovery act, so as to extend the provisions of chapter 60, title 48 until December 31, 2023, and to provide that the provisions of regulation 61-124 shall expire on December 31, 2023.

Status as of April 13, 2021: Passed by the House, currently in the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee

Proposed Amendments to the Compost and Mulch Production from Land-clearing Debris, Yard Trimmings and Organic Residuals.

Notice of the Proposed Amendment to Regulation R.61.107.4 was published in the State Register on Friday, October 23, 2020: https://www.scstatehouse.gov/state_register.php. The full text of this regulation is available on the South Carolina General Assembly Home Page: http://www.scstatehouse.gov/regnsrch.php (Document 5003). 

Interested persons may submit comment(s) on the proposed amendments to Jana White of the Bureau of Land and Waste Management; S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, S.C. 29201; whitejm@dhec.sc.gov. To be considered, the Department must receive the comment(s) by 5:00 p.m. on November 23, 2020, the close of the comment period.

Proposed Bill: Organic Waste Reduction

Updated Jan 24, 2020

State lawmakers have advanced a bill to direct SCDHEC to develop a 5-year plan to reduce the state's production of organic waste.

The proposed bill can be found here.

Proposed Bill: Research into Microplastics

Updated Jan 24, 2020.

State lawmakers have advanced a bill to direct SCDHEC to conduct research into microplastics.

The proposed bill can be found here.

Proposed Bill: Regulation of Pre-Production Plastics

Updated Jan 24, 2020.

State lawmakers have advanced a bill to direct SCDHEC to conduct research into Pre-Production Plastics. 

The proposed bill can be found here.

Proposed Plastic Bag Ban

Updated Jan 26, 2017

State lawmakers have advanced a bill that would keep local governments from enacting bans on plastic bags in their communities, outraging coastal residents and environmentalists.

• Read the Post & Courier article here

Proposed Revisions to the SC Solid Waste Act

Updated Jan 20, 2017

In August 2016 SCDHEC formed a Work Group to review specific areas of the “South Carolina Solid Waste Policy and Management Act of 1991”. The Work Group consisted of 19 members representing public landfill owners, private landfill owners, private legal counsel, environmental advocacy and state regulatory agency. 

The proposed revisions to the Solid Waste Policy and Management Act (with changes in underline/strike-through) are posted here

If you have any questions or comments, please submit those to SCDHEC:

Ms. Jana White - Bureau of Land and Waste Management

SC DHEC

2600 Bull Street

Columbia, SC 29201