Dorchester County, SC Trash & Recycling: Recycling Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Citation
- Dorchester County Code § 34-65(h)
- Single-family fee
- $85.00 per year
- Large commercial fee
- $160.00 per cubic yard weekly
- Billing
- Collected with property taxes annually
- Appeal path
- Office, then 7-member appeals board, then council
- Authority
- S.C. Code §§ 4-9-30(5), 44-55-1210
Summary
Dorchester County funds its recycling and disposal system through a mandatory annual user fee charged to every property owner, not through a sorting mandate. Article III of Chapter 34 sets the fee at $85.00 for single-family homes and up to $160.00 per cubic yard for larger commercial generators.
(h)Solid waste user fees.(1)Residential properties. The annual solid waste recycling and disposal user fee for residential properties shall be as follows: Single Family Residence $85.00 Multi-Family Unit $85.00 per unit (2)Small non-residential generator. The annual solid waste recycling and disposal user fees for small non-residential generator shall be $85.00. A small non-residential generator shall be a non-residential property which generates 1.0 cubic yard or less of non-compacted waste per week.(4)Other non-residential properties. The annual solid waste recycling and disposal user fees for all non-residential properties which generate more than 1.0 cubic yard of non-compacted waste per week shall be the product of $160.00 multiplied by the average number of cubic yard or part thereof of non-compacted waste generated per week.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 34, Article III of the Dorchester County Code, first adopted by Ordinance No. 96-22 on December 9, 1996 and most recently updated by Ordinance No. C. Code 1976 §§ 4-9-30(5) and 44-55-1210. 00 multiplied by the average cubic yards of non-compacted waste it generates per week, based on container size times weekly pickups. The fee is billed the same way as property taxes and is collected by the county treasurer, with the sheriff's office or a delinquent tax collector authorized to pursue unpaid balances under § 34-66.
An owner who thinks the fee was miscalculated can file a written appeal with the county's solid waste office within the payment window, then escalate to a seven-member solid waste recycling and disposal user fee appeals board, and finally to county council and the circuit court under § 34-68. The fee applies even to tax-exempt property under § 34-70, and it funds the county's obligations under the South Carolina Solid Waste Policy and Management Act of 1991, which requires counties to plan for solid waste and recycling services.
Violations & Fines
Failing to pay the fee is enforced as delinquent tax collection, not a criminal charge, with the sheriff's codes enforcement staff or a delinquent tax collector authorized to collect under § 34-66. Section 34-73 separately makes any violation of the article's other requirements a misdemeanor, and unpaid accounts referred to an outside collector make the property owner responsible for that agency's costs and attorney's fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is Dorchester County's recycling and disposal fee?
Is recycling mandatory in Dorchester County?
Can I appeal my solid waste fee?
Does the fee apply to tax-exempt property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dorchester County
Compare Dorchester County to another location·View the South Carolina trash & recycling overview
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