Do you know… that you should not bag (in either plastic or paper) the recyclables you put in your recycling bin? Instead, keep them loose and free, not in bags or boxes, and items do not need to be sorted.
You may have read recently about the mounds of trash floating in our rivers and oceans. We can each do our part to improve this situation by knowing how to recycle the right way. Below you will find the basic rules and tips for proper recycling on Seabrook Island.
What can be recycled:
- Cardboard and paperboard; boxes should be flattened and plastic packaging removed
- Paper including junk mail, envelopes (including window envelopes), newspaper, and almost all other paper that can be torn will be accepted, but no shredded paper will be accepted as it gums up the machines
- Plastic containers (#1-7) and all glass bottles and jars, which should be rinsed clean; the caps can be left on
- Cartons for milk, juice, ice cream, and soup and paper cartons for eggs
- Aluminum, steel, and tin cans; even empty aerosol cans will be accepted
What cannot be recycled:
- No plastic bags or plastic wrap
- No aluminum foil or trays
- No loose shredded paper
- No scrap metal
- No Styrofoam packaging or containers
- No liquids or food waste
- No textiles (including clothing or shoes)
- No rope-like items (including holiday lights, hoses, cords, etc.)
- No hazardous or medical waste or diapers
- No propane tanks
- No construction debris
Hazardous waste such as old paint cans, electronics, batteries, fluorescent lights, oil, and old yard or household chemicals can be taken to the Maintenance area (adjacent to the Community Garden) the first Friday of the month between 9:00 am and 2:00 pm. Hazardous materials must be handed directly to the attendant on duty. The materials cannot be left on the ground.
Click here for a copy of the Charleston County Environmental Management flyer you can post in your home.
For more information about recycling and dropping off these items at one of Charleston County’s eight staffed Convenience Centers, visit the Charleston County Environmental Management site.
Property owners should share this information with visitors and rental guests.
–Tidelines Editors
(Image credit: charlestoncounty.org/departments/environmental-management)
Updated March 2023