Adopt-a-Highway
To learn more about Adopt-a-Highway or if you're interested in participating in the program, please visit Community Pride, Inc. of Charleston County.
Adopt-a-Drain
County drains are now available for adoption as part of the City's Adopt-a-Drain program!
The Adopt-a-Drain program allows local citizens or organizations to "adopt" a storm drain to help protect their nearby drains from unwanted debris, pollutants or blockages. This program helps to ensure neighborhood drainage systems work as efficiently as possible by keeping the surface of drains clear of leaves and litter debris blockages, which simultaneously protects water quality.
Check out the City of Charleston's Adopt-a-Drain website for more information or to participate in the program.
PSB Energy Efficiency
In November 2021, Facilities Management completed an LED interior lighting retrofit in the Public Service Building. This project resulted in energy savings for the County by reducing the kilowatts per hour used by 40%, which qualified the building for Dominion Energy's EnergyWise for Business program. Charleston County received a rebate check for $32,022 for participating in the program, and the retrofit is projected to reduce the buildings energy costs by 35-40% a year. The project was completed in two phases and cost a total of $195,807.
Roads Treatment
The Charleston County Department of Public Works is testing a photocatalytic material that contains titanium dioxide on freshly asphalted streets to cool down roads which is aimed to reduce the urban heat island effect. The material is also being tested to see if the road will last longer and accelerate the decomposition of toxins in vehicle exhaust. It's a mix of titanium dioxide and Reclamite. Reclamite is currently being used as a pavement preservation treatment to increase the life of roads by about three years with each treatment.
The streets will stay cooler because they are reflecting more light and also will have lower toxic output by absorbing nitrogen oxides that contribute to smog and rain. The asphalt treatment was applied in the Rosemont neighborhood, Union Heights, and a strip on Bennett St. near MUSC.
Resident Recycling
Charleston County's Department of Environment Management oversees recycling collection. For more information about recycling pick-up or dropsites and to learn more about what you can recycle, please visit their website: Recycling Convenience Centers & Dropsites.
You can also view the convenience centers and dropsites on the map below:
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Business Composting
The County owns the McGill Bees Ferry Compost Facility in West Ashley, where 100% of incoming yard waste, nearly 75,000 tons a year, is processed. As part of the County's Food Waste Composting Program, pre- and post-consumer food waste generated at local restaurants, cafeterias, school, grocery stores, and other producers is delivered to the McGill Bees Ferry Compost facility, where it is mixed with yard waste to create a nutrient-rich soil amendment: compost. This facility is the largest compost producer in the state and one of the largest on the East Coast.
To learn more about the County's composting program, visit the Department of Environmental Management's website: Charleston County's Composting Program.
County Electronic Waste
Did you know all of the County government’s electronic waste (e-waste) is handed over to an e-waste recycling vendor? In Fiscal Year 2022, over 12,000 pounds of e-waste was collected. Items include:
Battery Recycling for County Employees
Charleston County’s Green Liaisons program started a battery drop-off program for County employees to deposit batteries in bins located in the County buildings with the most staff. The batteries will be recycled at Bees Ferry Convenience Center. Green Liaisons is a County green team comprised of volunteers from County departments that focus on environmental programming and staff education. It important to recycle batteries because if they are placed in landfills, the toxic materials can leak into the soil, which can then reach the water supply.
Single-use Plastic Ordinance
In November 2019, the County, along with the City of Charleston and the Town of James Island, adopted an ordinance to eliminate the use of single-use plastic carryout and merchandise bags, as well as certain plastic carryout food and packaging items. The ordinance went into effect on January 1, 2020 and applies to the County's unincorporated areas.
Adopt-a-Stream
Are you interested in water quality monitoring? Charleston County residents can take citizen science into their own hands! To learn more about or to participate in the program, check out Clemson's SC Adopt-a-Stream Program. The map below shows the sites already being monitored in Charleston County.
The map below shows the sites already being monitored in Charleston County.
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