Beaufort County Enhances Recycling Program with New Provider

New recycling program set to increase environmental responsibility in Beaufort County, South Carolina

BEAUFORT COUNTY, SC – A new initiative is underway to protect Beaufort County’s environment, one recycled item at a time. The enhanced county recycling program, spearheaded by Beaufort County Solid Waste and Recycling Program Manager, Victoria Hoffman, aims to take steps towards better management of waste and recyclables.

The disparity between trash and recycled materials is stark, with a reported 155,000 tons of trash versus a mere 22,000 pounds of recycled materials. This new initiative sees Beaufort County teaming up with a new company, i2 recycling, to shift these numbers favorably towards recycling.

A new partnership committed to recycling

i2 recycling goes beyond handling recyclable materials. The company also aims to educate the public about the significance of proper waste disposal and the importance of recycling. With this fresh partnership, the County anticipates that residents will be well informed about correct recycling practices and the recycling rates will increase.

Beaufort County’s recycling program has invested more than $450,000 and the new upgraded plan with i2 recycling will be initiated on August 1. With this transition, a few new rules will also be rolled out for residents looking to drop off items for recycling.

New rules for recycling

While the County reassures that no major changes will be implemented, it does request residents to remove plastic caps from bottles before recycling and to discard any plastic bags containing recyclable items before they go into the recycling bin.

“So, food, film, foam and bagged recyclables, a bag, recyclable, looks like a piece of trash, some of the other items we would like to make sure it’s not break glass and our wanting or bottles. We also would like for your plastic containers ones and twos to be eight ounces to, and accepting a gallon sized jug,” pointed out Hoffman.

The bigger picture: A 50-50 split by 2030

The overarching goal for Beaufort County, in line with the state’s vision, is to level the playing field between trash and recycling rates, to achieve a 50-50 split by 2030. To serve this end, the County is also deliberating a composting program and plans to arrange informational sessions to engage and educate the public in the near future.