Charleston County considers location for new landfill

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) — Charleston County is in the early phases of selecting a location for a new solid waste site as the current landfill is approaching capacity.

The Charleston County Landfill takes in about 1,000 tons of trash each day, a number that’s growing thanks to Charleston County’s population boom.

“Right now, we’re dealing with how many people in Charleston County; that number is exponentially higher than it was 3 years ago, 5 years ago, 10 years ago,” Charleston County Director of Environmental Management Thomas Cue said.

That could make the hunt for a new site even more challenging.

“Building in Charleston County has gotten pretty busy and so a lot of areas people are building homes or complexes on. That takes away a lot of options for us,” Cue said.

The county has begun the process of hiring a consultant to find the right space for a new solid waste site. The county has recommended Smith Gardner, Inc. because of their prior experience.

“Somebody who can find the property and understands the geology involved, the environment that’s involved, the politics that are involved,” Cue said of the company.

Cue says choosing an area is complicated.

“You don’t want to build a landfill right next door to a hospital or a children’s school or anything like that,” Cue said.

But having one is better than the alternative.

“We would have to truck it or rail it or ship it to someplace else that would take it. Now, once they get full, then what do we do?” Cue said.

Cue said the cost would be astronomical.

“They would pretty much have you, they know you need it, so they could generate a lot of revenue for their area,” Cue said.

But it would increase the carbon footprint with more trucks on the road and for longer distances.

Currently, with just two cells left, the Charleston County Landfill has 15 to 18 years’ capacity, according to Cue. The county could apply with the state Department of Environmental Services for vertical expansion that would add another 8 to 10 years.

“If we wait until we’re almost done here, that’s a bad move,” Cue said.

He said it could take 8 to 10 years to build a landfill once they find the right location and perform needed environmental testing. Once building is complete, the new space could potentially serve the county for 50 years or more like the current landfill, which has been in use since the 1970s.

“Once it’s in, it needs to be perfect right off the bat,” Cue said.

And while it takes careful research, that right spot could be subjective.

“People right next to it couldn’t care less, they don’t want it there,” Cue said.

Sydney Stapleton lives in Charleston off of Bees Ferry Road and says she can smell it sometimes.

“I understand that trash has to go somewhere, so I can’t complain. But it would be preferable if I didn’t live near one,” Stapleton said.

Cue said they have to build at least 1,000 feet from residential areas but more than that is preferable. Another option being considered would be combining with two other counties for a Tri-County landfill, but Cue says it would be better for Charleston County to have its own.

Negotiations will soon be underway to bring Smith Gardner, Inc. aboard and once it recommends a site, the Charleston County Environmental Management Department and Charleston County Council must approve it.

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