All-in-one residential recycling program continues to expand in Charleston County

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Updates are at the bottom:

Charleston County Environmental Management has decided that their pilot All-In-One recycling program launched last year was successful and now plan to incrementally expand the program during 2012.

The All-In-One program allowed residents to put all of their recyclables in a 95 gallon roll cart rather than using two 22 gallon bins. This program caused participating to boost to 70% in some areas and produced an average of 21 pounds of recycling per home compared to the 10 pounds per home prior to the program.

Charleston County is advancing their equipment to be able to handle the increased recycling as they strive toward the County Council's 40% recycling goal. So keep it up, Charleston!

Visit the Charleston County Environmental Management website to learn more about when the program will reach your neighborhood.

Update June 4: Charleston County’s Environmental Management Department is expanding its single stream residential recycling program to continue efforts toward making recycling more convenient for residents.

As a pilot program recently showed, single stream recycling increases recycling participation and the amount of recyclable materials that residents set out at the curb, and improves operational efficiency for the County’s collections team.

The County’s goal is to make single stream recycling available Countywide over the next 18 months:

  • Phase I: In January 2011, the County launched an automated residential single stream recycling pilot, called “All-In-One,” which involved 4,600 homes throughout the County. 
  • Phase II: Based on the success of the pilot program, which showed higher participation rates and a significant increase in the amount of tons collected, the County expanded the program in October 2011 to include 6,000 additional homes. 
  • Phase III: The County is currently expanding the program again to include approximately 12,000 additional homes.

This week, residents of the neighborhoods selected for the expansion will receive their 95-gallon roll carts to begin using instead of the regular, smaller curbside bins. Charleston County recycling crews will begin to service the new carts on Monday, June 11, and collection days will remain the same. Residents may either retain their smaller recycling bins for recycling stations around their home or place them at the curb for pick up during the first week their roll cart is serviced.

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