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Board hears pleas for clearer signage, volunteers and hauler oversight as recycling contamination rises
Summary
Board members and a resident urged clearer signage and renewed volunteer support at convenience centers after staff noted a 7% countywide recycling contamination rate and higher contamination in plastic streams; participants proposed outreach mailers, renewed volunteer shifts and a hauler roundtable.
A visiting board member, Megan Fitzpatrick (S2), told the Solid Waste & Recycling Advisory Board she had visited convenience centers and relayed staff requests for clearer recycling signage and more on‑site volunteer support. “The signage that we currently have is just it's not really effective,” Fitzpatrick said, describing handwritten cardboard signs and requests from attendants for printed, durable signs and an employee or volunteer on shift to reduce contamination.
Board and staff context: Solid Waste staff (Victoria Hoffman, S4) and recycling partners described past volunteer green‑team pilots at Bluffton and Hilton Head that temporarily reduced contamination; staff said they will order magnets and new signs in both English and Spanish and continue outreach. S3 reported county data showing the overall contamination rate “sits in 7% contamination overall” but said plastic contamination is notably higher and drives costs at processing facilities.
Hauler oversight and curbside confusion: Board members raised questions about curbside haulers and where curbside recycling is taken. Hoffman noted the county oversees convenience centers but does not contract curbside collection; she told members that permitted haulers must offer recycling under county ordinance and that a hauler’s permit (hauler decal) can be revoked if they are found to send recyclable material to landfill. “If a company is doing that, they're not following the ordinance … then they would be revoking their hauler decal,” Hoffman said.
Proposals and next steps: Members proposed a hauler roundtable to clarify curbside practices and a field trip to the recycling/transfer facility so board members can see sorting operations and contamination sources. Staff said they will coordinate outreach tools (mailers, commercials, website updates), pursue reclassification to create a lead center attendant position, seek an intern to support education, and revisit volunteer recruitment and scheduling. The board did not adopt new ordinances at this meeting; staff were asked to work with haulers and return with findings.
Attribution note: direct quotes and data points in this article are attributed to the speakers who made them during the public discussion (see speaker list).
