Hilton Head Reporter

Starting later this month, residents approved for a convenience center decal or seeking a replacement will receive a plastic decal card instead of a sticker. The plastic card will be similar to a grocery store reward card or gas station card.

This change comes after receiving feedback from our citizens that a sticker decal was challenging for homes with multiple cars.

The Solid Waste & Recycle Department highly encourages the use of digital decals that can be displayed on your phone.

Residents that currently have a decal sticker will not need to replace it with a card. Decal stickers will continue to be accepted at all convenience centers.

The Decal Program started in 2021 and has saved property tax-paying citizens $734,903. Eleven collection centers in Beaufort County served 61,555 households, and 80 percent of the county's households had a curbside pickup in 2018.

Collection centers struggled to handle issues associated with the growing population and the increase of contractors' illegal dumping, leading to the decal system.

"We discovered, as suspected, that many contractors and out-of-county residents were illegally using the county's collection centers, costing the county thousands of dollars in disposal fees," said Jared Fralix, Assistant County Administrator for Engineering.

South Carolina Association of Counties recognized the program with The J. Mitchell Graham Memorial Award, recognizing innovative projects completed by South Carolina's counties during the past fiscal year. Winners represent the best qualities of local governance—attention to detail, service to citizens, efficient use of tax dollars, and improved quality of life.

We would also like to include the following reminders for residents:

1. Visits are limited to 3 per week. (Sunday-Saturday)
2. Renters of single-family homes should request the decal from property owners.
3. Citizens who rent from large apartment complexes will use the trash service provided by the complex; for large items, they should go to the landfill.
4. Commercial properties are not eligible for a decal.

Here's the link to the decal help and information page https://www.beaufortcountysc.gov/solid-waste-and-recycle/convenience-centers/decal-info.html.

For additional information please call Beaufort County Solid Waste & Recycle at 843-255-2930.

Original source can be found here.