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Anderson County, SC Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)

Light Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Leaf rule
Keep leaves out of gutters/inlets
Dumping rule
No yard waste in storm drains, ditches
Civil penalty
Up to $1,000 per violation
Criminal penalty
Up to $500 fine or 30 days
Enforcer
Public works stormwater mgmt. dept.

Summary

Anderson County makes it the property owner's duty to keep leaf piles out of gutters, inlets, catch basins and ditches, and makes it unlawful to place yard waste anywhere concentrated stormwater flow will carry it into the county's storm drain system.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Anderson County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

(a)It shall be the duty of the property owner to keep piles of leaves out of any gutter, inlet, catchbasin or ditch.(b)It shall be unlawful to place yard waste into any storm drain, stream, or conveyance where concentrated stormwater flows will wash such wastes into the SMS4.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 2).

Full Breakdown

Anderson County treats yard waste disposal as part of its stormwater pollution program rather than a curbside-collection rule: § 24-875, in the litter and refuse control division of the county's Stormwater Management and Sedimentation Control article, makes it the property owner's duty to keep piles of leaves out of any gutter, inlet, catch basin or drainage ditch, and separately makes it unlawful to place yard waste into any storm drain, stream or conveyance where concentrated stormwater flows will wash the waste into the county's small municipal separate storm sewer system (SMS4).

Violations of this rule are treated the same as any other illicit discharge under the article: § 24-878 lets the county's stormwater management division order compliance by written notice, requiring the discharge to cease, the pollution abated, and the property restored by a set deadline, with the county authorized to do the work itself and bill the violator if the deadline is missed. 00 or up to 30 days' confinement, with every additional day of noncompliance charged as a new violation. The county's public works division, stormwater management department, and the state Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) share inspection and enforcement authority under § 24-876, and the department may seek a search warrant if access to inspect a site is refused.

Violations & Fines

Piling leaves in a gutter or catch basin, or raking, blowing or dumping grass clippings and yard waste into a storm drain, stream or ditch, is a violation under § 24-875 enforced through the article's general penalties in § 24-793: a civil penalty of up to $1,000.00 per violation, or a misdemeanor fine of up to $500.00 or 30 days in jail for willful violations, with each additional day counted as a separate offense.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I rake leaves into the street gutter in Anderson County?
No. Section 24-875(a) makes it the property owner's duty to keep piles of leaves out of any gutter, inlet, catch basin or ditch, because leaves left there wash into the county's storm sewer system during rain events.
Is dumping grass clippings into a drainage ditch illegal?
Yes. Section 24-875(b) makes it unlawful to place yard waste into any storm drain, stream or conveyance where concentrated stormwater flows will carry it into the county's small municipal separate storm sewer system (SMS4).
What can happen if I keep dumping yard waste in a storm drain?
The stormwater management department can issue a written compliance order under § 24-878 and, under § 24-793, pursue a civil penalty of up to $1,000.00 per violation or, for willful conduct, misdemeanor prosecution carrying up to a $500.00 fine or 30 days in jail, with each day of continued dumping a separate offense.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Anderson County

All Anderson County rules

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