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Beaufort County outlines compost pilot, e‑waste scheduling and recycling changes; committee approves grants and contracts
Summary
Solid Waste Manager Victoria Hoffman summarized recycling improvements, a USDA‑funded compost pilot worth $273,600 with a target to begin food‑waste collection by November 2025, and new vendor partnerships; the committee approved a Palmetto Pride grant ($9,654), a compost‑vessel contract and other related procurement items.
Victoria Hoffman, Solid Waste and Recycling Program Manager, presented a multi‑part update on Feb. 18 that covered program goals, vendor changes, education partnerships and a USDA‑funded compost pilot.
Hoffman said the program has partnered with Recycle Coach for resident education, contracted a new local MRF operator (i2Recycle), and is transitioning the decal system at convenience centers to an electronic pass with pilot gate arms at select sites. She described a new e‑waste scheduling option to replace quarterly drop‑off events and said the change will reduce annual costs and improve resident access.
On the compost pilot, Hoffman said the county accepted a USDA grant totaling $273,600 to buy equipment and supplies and fund outreach; staff also received an approximately $100,000 grant from the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services to support the effort. The plan calls for phased rollout (education, municipal and school partnerships, then center outfitting) and a preliminary target to begin accepting food waste at county centers by November 2025.
The committee approved a resolution to accept a Palmetto Pride litter‑prevention grant for $9,654 and approved contract awards and purchases related to the program: a renewal with Waste Management of South Carolina for municipal solid‑waste disposal (terms unchanged), a contract to Green Mountain Technologies for enclosed composting vessels (contract total described as $165,890 with $95,000 of that funded from the USDA award and additional support from SCDES) and a request to purchase six waste compactors (estimated around $480,000) that will proceed to county council for approval.
Jesus Rodriguez was introduced and the committee moved to commission him as an enforcement officer to focus on illegal dumping investigations; staff said the role is civil‑oriented, intended to work with the sheriff's office on investigations and not to serve as armed enforcement. The motion to commission Rodriguez passed with no objection and will proceed to county council for final action.
Next steps: staff will post detailed program data online, proceed with awarded procurements and return any items requiring county‑council approval to the full council.
