Horry County, SC Trash & Recycling: Collection Schedule (2026)
Key Facts
- Set collection day
- None fixed by county ordinance
- Who arranges pickup
- Property owner via licensed hauler
- Hauler license
- Annual, expires June 30 (§ 10.5-27)
- Civil penalty
- $100 per violation (§ 10.5-28)
- License revoked after
- 4 civil penalties in one year
Summary
Horry County sets no countywide trash pickup day. Instead, each property owner in the unincorporated area must arrange removal, either by contracting an SWA-licensed hauler or hauling waste to a designated disposal facility directly, under the county's 2009 solid waste ordinance.
In order to provide for public health and safety and to facilitate the conservation of vital resources, each person shall provide for the removal of solid waste and construction and demolition debris, from the property on which they are generated, either through a service provided by a hauler or by direct haul by such person to the appropriate disposal facility as set forth in this chapter. This provision does not restrict the lawful reuse or resale of construction and demolition debris/waste. It shall be a violation of this law for any person to place at curbside or other designated area for collection any appliance containing chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), such as freon, in such a manner that would allow for it to be crushed or for CFCs to escape into the atmosphere.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 88).
Full Breakdown
" There is no municipal crew or fixed weekly collection day set by ordinance for the unincorporated area, which covers fast-growing communities like Carolina Forest and Socastee that have no city government of their own. 5-23(a) adds the setout mechanics: whoever generates the waste must separate it and place it into a dumpster, compactor, or other suitable container for a hauler to collect, and anything not recycled must ultimately reach the SWA's designated facility. Haulers themselves are separately regulated: Sec. 5-27 requires anyone collecting waste commercially in the county to hold an annual SWA hauler's license, renewed each June 30, with government entities and municipalities exempted.
5-22(b) adds a specific rule that appliances containing CFCs, such as old refrigerators with freon, cannot be set at curbside in a way that lets the refrigerant escape or the unit get crushed before collection. Because collection runs through private, licensed haulers rather than a county truck route, the frequency and day of pickup is a matter of the resident's contract with their hauler, not something county ordinance fixes.
Violations & Fines
Placing a freon-containing appliance at curbside so it can be crushed or vented is a violation under § 10.5-22(b). Collecting waste commercially without the required SWA hauler's license violates § 10.5-26(a), and each pickup made without a license is a separate offense. Ordinance summonses carry a $100 civil penalty per violation under § 10.5-28(b)(2), and a hauler who racks up four civil penalties loses its license for a full year under § 10.5-28(c)(2)e.
Frequently Asked Questions
What day does Horry County pick up trash?
Do trash haulers need a license to operate in Horry County?
Can I put an old refrigerator out with the trash?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Horry County
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