Mount Pleasant, SC Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)
Key Facts
- Leaf bag minimum
- 30-gallon biodegradable paper bags
- Tree limb limit
- 6 ft long, 10 in diameter max
- Tree stumps
- Never collected by the town
- Fine range
- $25 to $500 and/or 30 days
- Civil penalty cap
- Up to $1,000
- Commercial landscape debris
- Contractor must remove it
Summary
Mount Pleasant requires leaves and grass clippings in biodegradable paper leaf bags of at least 30 gallons, and tree limbs no longer than six feet or thicker than ten inches, kept separate from other trash, under § 50.23. Violations carry a fine of $25 to $500, up to 30 days in jail, and/or a civil penalty up to $1,000.
§ 50.23 LEAVES, GRASS CLIPPINGS AND TREE LIMBS. ... (A) Natural trash and refuse such as limbs, bagged leaves, grass clippings, and the like, must be deposited separately from manmade trash and refuse in order to accommodate the recycling of natural trash and refuse. (B) Leaves and grass clippings shall be placed in biodegradeable paper leaf bags of 30-gallon capacity or greater. Tree limbs shall not exceed six feet in length and ten inches in diameter. (C) Tree stumps will not be collected by the town. ... § 50.99 PENALTY. ... (B) Any person who violates any provision of §§ 50.23 through 50.26 shall, upon conviction, be fined not less than $25 nor more than $500, or imprisoned for not more than 30 days, or both; and/or shall be subject to a civil penalty that shall not exceed $1.000 ... A violation of §§ 50.23 through 50.26 shall not be considered a continuing offense, but each day §§ 50.23 through 50.26 is violated shall be considered a separate and distinct violation.
Full Breakdown
Section 50.23(A) requires natural yard debris, such as limbs, bagged leaves, and grass clippings, to be kept separate from manmade trash so it can be recycled rather than landfilled. Under (B), leaves and grass clippings must go in biodegradable paper leaf bags of 30-gallon capacity or larger, and tree limbs cannot exceed six feet in length or ten inches in diameter. Section 50.23(C) flatly excludes tree stumps from town collection, and (D) requires vegetative debris mixed with other debris to be separated into distinct piles before it will be picked up at all. Commercial landscaping operations get no town service: (E) puts the duty to remove and legally dispose of that debris squarely on the landscaping contractor. Because § 50.23 falls within the range covered by § 50.99(B), it carries the chapter's toughest tier of penalty rather than the general $500/30-day cap that applies elsewhere in Chapter 50.
Violations & Fines
Under § 50.99(B), a violation of § 50.23 (through § 50.26) is punishable by a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $500, imprisonment of not more than 30 days, or both, and/or a civil penalty of up to $1,000 that can be pursued through a lien for unpaid amounts. Each day the violation continues counts as a separate, distinct offense rather than one continuing offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of bags do I need for leaves in Mount Pleasant?
How big can tree limbs be for curbside pickup?
Will Mount Pleasant haul away a tree stump?
What's the fine for breaking the yard waste rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mount Pleasant
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