Reducing Waste at Your Business | South Carolina Department of Environmental Services

The first step for any business in waste reduction is to analyze the current waste and any existing programs. The Smart Business Recycling Program can assist you to create or enhance a waste reduction and recycling program.

Schedule a Site Visit

Site visits help determine how your business can best reduce waste, save energy, conserve water, and save money.

DES's Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling offers free, non-regulatory, and confidential site visits to assess waste reduction and recycling opportunities. Site visits also provide technical assistance for program implementation or expansion, as well as resources such as potential vendor contacts for recyclable material.

Analyze your current waste stream through a Waste Audit found in Smart Business: A Guide for Reducing Waste and Recycling at your Business. Use these helpful worksheets with your recycling guide to start or improve your program:
Identify waste reduction and recycling opportunities.
For more information or to schedule a visit, email smartbiz@des.sc.gov or call 1-800-768-7348.

Start a Green Team

Securing management support and forming a Green Team is essential to your recycling program's success. Here are some tips to keep employees engaged and excited about the program.

Purchase Recycled-Content Goods

Environmentally Preferred Purchasing is the procurement of products and services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment over the life cycle of the products and services when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose. Finding products made from recycled materials can be easy. Try to select products with the highest recycled content, if the product can be competitively sourced. Visit the State Fiscal Accountability Authority's Procurement Services for purchasing recycled-content goods and other information.

Reduce Wasted Food

Businesses often have the opportunity to reduce food waste or donate to local food banks. Learn more through the Don’t Waste Food SC campaign. For more information on preventing wasted food, email dontwastefoodsc@des.sc.gov or call 1-800-768-7348.

Donate or Reuse Goods and Other Material

Many charitable organizations accept materials such as furniture, office equipment, appliances, books, and clothing for donation and reuse. Another option is to set up an in-house "take it or leave it" area for surplus items that employees may find useful.