Trash & Recycling in York County, SC (2026)
7 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in York County, South Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
South Carolina law, not just county ordinance, sets who runs trash and recycling pickup in York County. S.C. Code § 44-96-80(J) puts the County Council in charge of solid waste facilities serving the unincorporated area, while § 44-96-80(P) protects a resident's right to sell or hand off recyclables to a private recycler before the county ever collects them.
York County Trash & Recycling Pickup Rules
Some RestrictionsS.C. Code Ann. § 44-96-80(J); § 44-96-80(D), (P)
(J) The governing body of a county has the responsibility and authority to provide for the operation of solid waste management facilities to meet the needs of all incorporated or unincorporated areas of the county. ... a county which does not regulate the operation or closure of a solid waste management facility shall not be held liable for the operation, closure, and postclosure of that facili...
Bulk Item Disposal
Illegal dumping of bulky trash, appliances, or construction debris on roadsides and vacant land is a crime in South Carolina. The Litter Control Act sets escalating fines by weight, and York County channels bulk waste to its centers.
York County Bulk Item Disposal & Pickup
Heavy RestrictionsS.C. Code Ann. § 16-11-700(A)
A person, from a vehicle or otherwise, may not dump, throw, drop, deposit, discard, or otherwise dispose of litter or other solid waste ... upon waters or public or private property in the State for which he is not the legal owner or a person otherwise granted permission by the legal owner including, but not limited to, a highway, park, beach, campground, forest land, recreational area, trailer...
Illegal Dumping
Dumping litter, garbage, solid waste or bulk items anywhere in unincorporated York County outside a licensed disposal site is unlawful, and a conviction adds mandatory litter-collection labor on top of any fine. A second offense doubles the required community service to 20 hours.
York County Illegal Dumping Penalties
Some RestrictionsYork County, S.C. Code § 56.116(A); § 56.117(B), (D)
(A) Generally. It shall be unlawful for any person to dump, deposit, throw, drop, discard or otherwise dispose of litter, garbage, solid waste, rubbish, or trash on any public or private property within the unincorporated area of York County except in containers, convenience centers, transfer stations or other authorized disposal sites. ... In addition to any fine and for each offense under the...
Yard Waste Collection
York County treats yard trash, land-clearing debris and untreated lumber as 'cellulosic materials,' which residents can drop at the landfill or a convenience center without the special disposal permit required for other nonhousehold waste. The county charges $36 per ton (minimum $5 per load) for cellulosic/yard waste, though qualifying residents get up to 2,000 pounds free each month.
York County Yard Waste Disposal Rules
Some RestrictionsYork County, S.C. Code of Ordinances §§ 50.02, 50.26, 50.33(B)(2), (E)
CELLULOSIC MATERIALS. Any solid waste composed of unsoiled plant tissue, such as, yard trash, land clearing debris, untreated and unpainted lumber, and the like, that has not come into contact with hazardous constituents, special waste, petroleum products or PCBs. ... Any person, firm or corporation desiring to deposit or dispose of any waste materials other than normal household solid waste, i...
Dumpster Rules
In unincorporated York County, dumpsters serving qualifying commercial buildings must be screened or placed so they cannot be seen from any street or sidewalk next to an active building wall. The duty attaches to buildings on arterial roads, in designated town centers, over 5,000 square feet, or inside developments whose combined floor area tops 20,000 square feet.
York County Commercial Dumpster Screening Rules
Some RestrictionsYork County, S.C. Code § 155.790
(A) Applicability. (1) The screening requirements in this section shall apply to: (a) All buildings located on an arterial road; (b) All buildings located within an area designated as a town center on the future land use map; (c) Any building containing more than 5,000 square feet of gross floor area; and (d) Any building, regardless of size, that is located in a development containing building...
Collection Schedule
York County runs no curbside garbage truck route in the unincorporated area. Residents haul household waste themselves to a county convenience center or roadside container, which the code limits to normal business hours and to actual county residents. Private garbage-collection companies are barred from using these public drop-off sites entirely.
York County Solid Waste Collection Rules
Some RestrictionsYork County, S.C. Code of Ordinances §§ 50.04(A), 50.07
The collection and disposal of solid waste in areas of the county outside the municipal limits of any incorporated city or town which regulates the collection and disposal of its solid waste shall be governed and regulated by the provisions of this code. ... Convenience centers and roadside containers may be established or placed by the county at convenient locations throughout the county. Coun...
Recycling Rules
York County runs no curbside recycling truck for the unincorporated area. Residents haul recyclable material to county convenience centers, where accepted items depend on market conditions and department policy. A County Material Recovery Facility processes recyclables from haulers and businesses for $50 per ton, but it accepts only material actually generated or collected inside York County.
York County Recycling Drop-Off Rules
Some RestrictionsYork County, S.C. Code of Ordinances §§ 50.02, 50.33(B)(9)
RECYCLABLE MATERIAL. Raw or processed material that can be recovered from a waste stream for reuse or repurpose. In York County, accepted recyclable material is subject to market availability and operational capabilities. Acceptable materials are included in the policies and procedures of the department. ... CONVENIENCE CENTERS. Centers established by the county throughout the county for the co...
Trash & Recycling by City in York County
1 cities in York County have their own trash & recycling rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All York County ordinances
See every category we cover for York County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
York County Ordinance Hub →