Beaufort County solid waste board approves 2025 schedule, names chair; staff outlines e‑waste, compost and automation pilots

The Beaufort County Solid Waste & Recycling Board on Thursday approved the remainder of its 2025 meeting schedule, appointed a chair and a co‑chair and received a multi‑part update from staff on recycling operations, e‑waste collection and a USDA‑funded compost pilot.

Victoria Hoffman, who identified herself as representing Solid Waste and Recycling, led the presentation and urged the board to expect a mix of short‑term operational changes and longer planning tasks. “We received $273,600 from USDA to initiate a pilot program,” she told the board, describing the department’s timeline and forthcoming consultant deliverables.

The board approved meeting dates for 2025 — including May 22, July 24, Sept. 25 and Dec. 18 — and voted to approve minutes from Nov. 21, 2024, and Jan. 31, 2025. The panel also confirmed its leadership: Sally Dennis was nominated and approved as chair; the co‑chair position was nominated and approved during the meeting (the transcript does not record a full name for the successful co‑chair nomination). All procedural votes were recorded as approved by the voting members present.

Why it matters: the staff updates include several operational changes that could reduce county costs and change how residents access services. Hoffman described programs that aim to cut the cost of periodic e‑waste events, reduce on‑site staffing needs through automation pilots, and launch residential compost collection that county staff say will be accompanied by outreach and training.

Key program details and timelines

- E‑waste clearinghouse: Hoffman said the county will join a state clearinghouse program…