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User Fee Information

The Solid Waste User Fee is the principal funding source for the County's solid waste management programs. The User Fee is applied to individual parcels and is divided into two main categories: Residential and Commercial. The residential User Fee is included as part of the annual Real Property Tax Bill. The commercial User Fee is billed separately and is based on the prior year's volume as reported by the hauler.

Single Family - $99 per single family residence (includes mobile homes)
Multi-Family - $70 per multi-family unit (i.e. apartments)
Commercial - $172 per cubic yard of garbage

The User Fee funds programs and services that include but are not limited to:

Curbside recycling collection
Drop off sites and convenience centers
Waste transfer and disposal
Material recovery facility (recycling center)
Composting facility
Household hazardous waste program
Administration

User Fee Rate Computations – Residential Accounts

Residential Single Family: The average single-family residence produces 1.5 tons of garbage per year, which has been verified by national studies, and independent consultant hired by Charleston County. Therefore, the rate is 1.5 times the tipping rate per ton. (1.5X$66 =$99)

Residential Multi-Family: The same national studies and consultant recommendations are used to verify that a multi-family residence produces 1.05 tons of garbage per year. Therefore, the rate is 1.05 times the rate per ton. (1.05 X $66 = 69.3 rounded to $70)

User Fee Rate Computations – Commercial Accounts

National studies along with the Revenue Collections Department's own studies have verified that one cubic yard of garbage weighs 100 lbs. Therefore, this figure is converted by using the following formula: $66 (price per ton) divided by 2,000 (lbs. in a ton) times 100 (lbs. in a cubic yard) times 52 (weeks per year) = $172 rate per cubic yard. The weekly averaged yards are then multiplied by the $172 rate per cubic yard to generate the User Fee.

Example
1 -8 cubic yard Container dumped 1x weekly is calculated:
8 CY x 1 weekly x $172= User Fee of $1,376 per year

Compactors are calculated as 4 cubic yards for every 1 yard of compacted waste.

Example
1- 30 cubic yard compactor picked up 1x per week is calculated:
30 CY x4 = 120 CY per week
120 CY per week x $172 = User Fee of $20,640 per year

User Fee Information

The User Fee funds programs and services that include but are not limited to:

User Fee Rate Computations – Residential Accounts

User Fee Rate Computations – Commercial Accounts

Municipalities

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