Georgetown County, SC Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)
Key Facts
- Definition
- Vegetative matter: leaves, brush, grass, small limbs (Sec. 8-21)
- Size limit
- Limbs under 8 in. diameter, under 6 ft length
- Bagging
- Plastic bags prohibited (Sec. 8-22(b)(2))
- Bagged/mixed fee
- $150.00 per occurrence (Sec. 8-24(d)(3))
- Self-haul exemption
- Fee-free, 2 loads/day max (Sec. 8-24(b)(6))
Summary
Georgetown County defines yard waste as pure vegetative matter like leaves, brush, grass and limbs under eight inches thick and six feet long, and it must go loose, never bagged in plastic. Homeowners can self-haul up to two loads a day free of the tipping fee, but bagged or mixed yard waste draws a $150.00 handling charge at the solid waste complex.
Yard waste. ... Solid waste consisting solely of vegetative matter resulting from landscaping maintenance including, leaves, brush, grass, small limbs less than eight (8) inches in diameter and less than six (6) feet in length. ... (2)Yard waste bagged in plastic bags is not acceptable solid waste. ... (6)Yard waste and limbs less than eight (8) inches in diameter and less than six (6) feet in length that are transported by individual homeowners in noncommercial vehicles with a two-load per day maximum limit. ... (3)Yard waste mixed with other debris, or bagged in plastic will not be accepted at the solid waste complex. Violators will be charged a special handling fee of one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00) per occurrence.
Full Breakdown
County Code Sec. 8-21 defines yard waste narrowly: solid waste consisting solely of vegetative matter from landscaping maintenance, meaning leaves, brush, grass, and small limbs under eight inches in diameter and under six feet long. Anything larger, such as stumps or bigger limbs, falls instead under the 'land clearing debris' definition in the same section and is billed differently.
Both the recycling centers and the solid waste complex share one hard rule: yard waste cannot be bagged in plastic. Sec. 8-22(b)(2) blocks plastic-bagged yard waste from the county's recycling centers outright, and Sec. 8-24(d)(3) backs that up at the landfill with a $150.00 special handling fee per occurrence for yard waste that arrives mixed with other debris or bagged in plastic. Georgetown County wants yard waste delivered loose so it can be processed separately from household garbage.
There's a real incentive to comply: Sec. 8-24(b)(6) exempts yard waste and small limbs from the county's tipping fee altogether when an individual homeowner transports it in a noncommercial vehicle, up to a two-load-per-day maximum. Haul it loose, within the size limits, and the county waives the fee; haul it bagged or mixed with other debris and the county both rejects it and can charge the $150.00 handling fee instead.
Violations & Fines
Bringing bagged or mixed yard waste to the solid waste complex costs $150.00 per occurrence under Sec. 8-24(d)(3), on top of whatever else the load contains. Recycling centers won't accept plastic-bagged yard waste at all under Sec. 8-22(b)(2), so a bagged load simply gets turned away there. Staying loose and under the two-load-per-day cap in Sec. 8-24(b)(6) is what keeps the trip free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put my yard waste in a plastic bag for Georgetown County disposal?
Is there a fee to drop off yard waste in Georgetown County?
What size limbs count as yard waste versus land clearing debris in Georgetown County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Georgetown County
Compare Georgetown County to another location·View the South Carolina trash & recycling overview
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