The Pinewood Site encompasses approximately 534 acres located on Camp MacBoykin Road (SC County Road 51) in a rural area of Sumter County between Summerton and Pinewood. The site was operated by Safety-Kleen as a hazardous waste landfill from 1978 until 2000, when it filed for bankruptcy. Although the site no longer accepts hazardous waste, environmental permits are required for ongoing monitoring, sampling, and cleanup of historic contamination.

In 2003, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) and Safety-Kleen reached a settlement agreement which established the Pinewood Site Custodial Trust (PSCT), holding the site in trust for the benefit and protection of the people of South Carolina. The settlement agreement required the following:

• Transfer of the Pinewood Site, equipment, permits, and other site assets to the PSCT;
• Establishment of a Trustee for the PSCT to oversee closure and post-closure care of the site; and
• Appointment of DHEC as the sole beneficiary of the PSCT. 

By law, the Pinewood Site must be maintained and monitored under post-closure care until 2103. Pinewood Trustee, Inc. has served as Trustee of the Pinewood Site since 2014. The Trustee holds all environmental permits for the site, while the SCDES maintains regulatory oversight of its day-to-day post-closure operations. 

A comprehensive overview with additional historical information and updates concerning the Pinewood Site can also be found at Pinewood Trustee, Inc.

Please bring these webpages to the attention of others you know who may be interested in learning more about the Pinewood Site.

Site History

The Pinewood Site operated as a claystone mine from 1972 until 1978. It operated as a hazardous waste landfill site after the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) became law in 1980. The Pinewood Site received hazardous and non-hazardous waste which was disposed of in three separate landfill sections commonly referred to as cells. The site stopped receiving waste in 2000 when site closure began. All landfill cells have since been closed and capped. A post-closure care RCRA hazardous waste permit is still required for the site due to hazardous waste that was left in place.

The three separate hazardous waste landfill sections at the Pinewood Site are referred to as Section I, Section II, and Section III. Each section is made up of individual cells where waste was disposed. 

Map of Pinewood Landfill Sections and Other Site Features

Environmental Protection

The Pinewood Site is regulated by SCDES under a Post Closure Care RCRA Hazardous Waste Permit. This permit requires the PSCT to ensure that maintenance and closure of the site is protective of human health and the environment, specifically:

• Maintaining the three closed landfill sections and covers;
• Operation of the leachate collection system;
• Operation of the leachate treatment system; and
• Collecting and analyzing groundwater samples from monitoring wells.

Additionally, reports of these activities must be submitted to the SCDES for review and approval.

Leachate Management

All landfills generate leachate. Leachate is rainwater that collects contaminants as it passes through the waste. Leachate typically contains 90% water and 10% contaminants and includes solid particles such as sand. Leachate is not contaminated groundwater. Leachate at the Pinewood Site is collected through a series of collection pipes and sumps at the bottom of the landfill. The leachate is pumped from each landfill cell sump to storage tanks located in what is known as the central tank farm. The leachate is then sent to the leachate treatment building for treatment as hazardous waste. The residual solids are then shipped out-of-state for disposal.

Groundwater Monitoring

There are over 200 groundwater monitoring wells located at the Pinewood Site. Monitoring wells are used to sample groundwater from roughly 20 feet below the ground surface to 180 feet below the surface in four different aquifers. Groundwater samples are collected at least four times per year and analyzed by a SCDES certified laboratory. Groundwater monitoring at the Pinewood Site will continue indefinitely.

RCRA Hazardous Waste Permit

Draft Renewal RCRA Hazardous Waste Permit

The SCDES Bureau of Land and Waste Management (BLWM) received a renewal RCRA hazardous waste permit application for post-closure care activities at the Pinewood Site. A draft permit was written by SCDES to comply with the South Carolina Hazardous Waste Management Regulations and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), as amended by the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments. The draft permit contained conditions for the following:

• Continued post-closure care of the three closed hazardous waste landfill units;
• Continued collection and onsite treatment of landfill leachate as a remediation waste; and
• Identification of solid waste management units (SWMUs) and areas of concern (AOC) and corrective action for those units, if needed.

The draft permit is a continuation of existing post-closure care at the Pinewood Site and is not a proposal for new hazardous waste management. The BLWM provided notice of the draft permit in the Sumter Item and The State Newspaper on February 5, 2025. Additionally, the public notice was mailed to everyone on our mailing list – including, adjacent landowners, local and state legislative delegations, and other interested parties. The public notice was also posted on the SCDES Public Notice Webpage and advertised on Sumter/Florence WIBZ FM and WDXY AM on February 6, 2025.

• Public Notice of Draft Hazardous Waste Permit – January 30, 2025
• Notification to Interested Parties - January 30, 2025 

The draft permit and a fact sheet about the draft permit are available below. 

• Draft Hazardous Waste Renewal Permit – January 30, 2025
• Pinewood Fact Sheet (Explains Conditions of Draft Permit and the Hazardous Waste Permitting Process) – January 30, 2025 

SCDES Final RCRA Hazardous Waste Permit Decision

After careful consideration of all comments and information received during the public comment period, SCDES issued RCRA Hazardous Waste Permit SCD 070 375 985 to the Pinewood Site Custodial Trust on May 13, 2025. This permit covers post-closure care and corrective action for all solid waste management units (SWMUs) and areas of concern (AOCs) at the Pinewood Site. The permit will expire on May 13, 2035.

Prior to making a final permit decision, the BLWM completed its review and consideration of all information and public comments received in writing, as well as those shared during the SCDES public availability session held on February 20, 2025.

The final decision letter, permit, and response to comments are available at the link below.

• Final RCRA Hazardous Waste Permit for the Pinewood Site – May 13, 2025 

SCDES appreciates the interest, engagement, and comments received from all concerned citizens and other stakeholders during the environmental permitting process for the Pinewood Site.

Additional Information

Questions about the BLWM’s hazardous waste permitting process may be directed to:

Joe Bowers
Phone: (803) 898-0247
Email: joe.bowers@des.sc.gov 

Public Availability Session

SCDES held a public availability session on Thursday, February 20, 2025, to discuss and accept written comments on the draft renewal RCRA hazardous waste permit for post-closure care activities at the Pinewood Site. The public availability session began at 6:00 PM at Furman Middle School located at 3400 Bethel Church Road in Sumter, SC.

Impact of Public Comments in SCDES's Permitting Process

SCDES values all comments made during the public comment period. Local community members provide a unique perspective and are valuable resources in addressing community concerns in the permitting process. Becoming better informed is an important first step in providing effective public comments that may influence specific terms and conditions that must be followed by the owner/operator if a permit is issued.  

Effective comments are those that provide accurate, specific details about the site of a proposed project, inaccuracies in the permit application, errors in SCDES’s technical review or draft permit, and any other information demonstrating that a proposed project cannot operate in compliance with environmental regulations.   

It is important to know that SCDES cannot make a permit decision based on a vote or how many comments are received. There may also be some issues or comments that SCDES does not have the regulatory or legal authority to consider when making a permit decision.

Beginning a conversation about these and other quality of life issues is an effective way for communities to work together with local government officials, their legislative delegation, company representatives, and other interested parties to find solutions and reach common goals. 

What to Expect After the Public Comment Period Closes

After the public comment period closes, SCDES reviews and considers all comments received and determines if any modifications should be made to the draft permit. Additional information may also be requested from the applicant, if needed. SCDES will then make a final decision to approve or deny the draft renewal RCRA hazardous waste renewal permit for the Pinewood Site. 

SCDES’s final permit decision will be made available to everyone who attended the public availability session and to those who submitted written comments during the public comment period. The final permit decision will also be posted on this webpage.

Stay Connected - Community Engagement

SCDES appreciates the unique perspective that local residents are able to provide concerning their communities. SCDES is committed to providing meaningful opportunities to hear the questions and concerns of community members and share information on our permitting processes. We offer multiple ways to connect with our staff during the permitting process and beyond, including:

• Calling or connecting with SCDES staff to discuss a proposed permit or project one-on-one.
• Submitting a written comment or question.
• Receiving additional information by email or mail.
• Visiting our webpage(s) for additional information.
• Staying informed about local environmental issues in your community.

SCDES encourages residents to ask questions and share information with us. Staying engaged in our process helps us to learn more about your community. 

Questions about community engagement in SCDES’s permitting processes may be directed to:

Donna Moye
Phone: (803) 898-1382
Email: donna.moye@des.sc.gov