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What is the issue?
Landfills are a necessary evil. Counties across the state are grappling with what to do with their trash. Several for-profit solid waste management companies have come into SC offering solutions… mega dumps and incinerators that will bring cash to straped counties and significant impacts to the rural communities they are sited in. Citizens in Williamsburg and Marlboro Counties recently stopped MRR, a private solid waste company, from building mega dumps in their rural communities; Chester citizens are opposing an incinertor. Both mega dumps and incinerators require the importing of million of tons of trash from outside the county and state to be profitable. These mega dumps and incinerators impact human and environmental health and a community’s quality of life.
Last year the League along with other organizations pushed for a landfill moratorium. It passed the Senate was defeated in the House. The moratorium was a catalyst for DHEC to tighten landfill regulations. This year Covanta tried to pass legislation that would make incinerators exempt from state solid waste regs opening the state up to more out-of-state trash.
How would it affect South Carolina?
The landfills and incinerators themselves can impact human and environmental health, polluting the water, land and air. The state has no height restrictions on landfills so a multi-story pile of trash becomes not only an eyesore, but the smell can spread for miles. Landfills and incinerators tend to be sited in rural poor areas that raise environmental justice issues. There are alternaives; new technology, recycling and composting that can reduce landfill trash and its pollution.
What can you do about it?
Recycle, compost and work with your county to initiate or improve trash management programs. Ask your legislators to pass tighter solid waste legislation that balances landfill capacity with actual need, imposes height restrictions and sets recycling and composting standards. Require that new landfills and incinerators use the best available technology to process trash.
- For-profit, mega dumps and incinerators that require millions of tons of imported trash will find SC a difficult state in which to do business.
- State regualtions will balance solid waste capacity with actual need. SC will have new landfill height regulations and new recycling and composting standards.
- SC will reguire the best available technology to process trash.
- SC will become a dumping ground for other state's trash.
- For profit mega dumps and incinerators will proliferate particualrly in the poorer counties and areas
- Our human and environmental health will be at risk
- Our air and water will be polluted
