Recycling and composting are about to get a little less complicated for Georgetown County residents, thanks to a pair of upcoming workshops hosted by the county’s Environmental Services Division.
Staff Environmentalist Maureen Mulligan said the sessions are designed to help residents better understand what belongs in recycling bins—and what doesn’t—and to introduce simple ways to reduce waste through household composting.
“Educating residents on sustainable development and resource management is one of the main objectives of my position,” Mulligan explained. “We’re really trying to encourage people to recycle properly, but also to start composting at home.”
Sorting Out the Confusion Around Recycling
The first session, “Know Your Recyclables,” will take place Saturday, Oct. 25 from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the Georgetown Main Library, 405 Cleland Street, Georgetown. Mulligan said the goal is to clear up misconceptions about what can and can’t be recycled.
“We’ve been having issues with contamination,” she said. “People mean well, but sometimes we get things like food waste mixed in with plastics or aluminum, or even nonrecyclable items like hoses and storage bins. Just because something is made of plastic doesn’t mean it’s recyclable.”
Mulligan noted that the county primarily accepts plastics labeled with a 1 or 2 inside the recycling triangle, such as water and soda bottles, milk jugs and detergent containers. Those materials can be resold, helping offset processing costs. Items labeled with numbers 3 through 7, however, should unfortunately be placed in the trash.
“When in doubt, throw it out,” she said. “Wishful recycling—putting something in the bin because you hope it’s recyclable—just adds to our costs because we have to sort it out later.”
Plastic bags are another major issue. They tangle machinery at recycling facilities and should never be placed in mixed recycling bins. However, Mulligan said residents can now drop off clean, dry plastic film—including grocery and bread bags—at all county recycling centers.
Composting for Cleaner Air and Healthier Soil
The second program, a Composting Workshop, will be Saturday, Dec. 6 from 11:30-12:30 p.m. at the Carvers Bay Library, 13048 Choppee Road, Hemingway. Participants will learn how to turn kitchen scraps and yard waste into nutrient-rich compost instead of sending them to the landfill.
“About a third of all waste in the United States is food waste,” Mulligan said. “When food decomposes in landfills, it does so without oxygen and produces methane, which is a potent greenhouse gas. Composting allows that material to break down naturally, reducing methane emissions and producing something useful.”
Participants in the composting class will receive a free five-cubic-foot compost tumbler to take home, made possible through a grant from the S.C. Department of Environmental Services.
Looking Ahead
Beyond these workshops, Mulligan hopes more residents will take advantage of the free landfill and recycling facility tours the county offers. “Before I worked here, I never gave it much thought,” she said. “But once you see how much waste we generate and how quickly our landfill is filling up, it really changes your perspective.”
The county landfill is currently the highest point in Georgetown County—and space is running out. “Even if you don’t care about the environmental side of it, there’s a major financial cost to expanding,” Mulligan noted.
Those interested in scheduling a facility tour can call 843-545-3452 for details or to register for upcoming workshops.