Following an increase in odor complaints from the nearby Telfair Community, SCDES staff began an investigation.
Coastal Waste owns and operates a construction and demolition (Class II) landfill on Lady’s Island in Beaufort County. Site inspections were conducted, and staff found that a slope of the landfill had washed out during a rain event in August, which may have contributed to offsite odors.
Community members are encouraged to report odors using this link. The information provided will help guide our ongoing investigation.
Weather conditions are an important part of odor investigations. When water interacts with some of the construction debris in the landfill, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas may be generated. When reporting odors, please record the wind direction and, if possible, the wind speed. You can check current wind conditions from the National Weather Service or a weather app on your phone.
SCDES and local partners continue to work to resolve odor concerns. This webpage will be updated as new information about the odor investigation is available.
Summary of Actions to Address Odor Concerns
SCDES
- A site inspection was performed Aug. 20, 2025. A slope washout from recent rain was noted during the inspection.
- Once odor complaints became more frequent, staff frequently rode by the site in the morning and afternoon.
- A site inspection was performed Sept. 24, 2025. Landfill cover was actively being applied, and the ditches had been cleaned. No noticeable odor was noted.
- An odor assessment request letter was sent to the facility on Sept. 26, 2025. An odor assessment plan was submitted to SCDES on Oct. 15, 2025 and is currently under review.
Coastal Waste
- Since the week of Aug. 18, 2025, the company has re-applied, stabilized, and re-seeded cover to the landfill after heavy localized rain. Additional rain events reversed initial progress to repair the washout.
- On Sept. 20, 2025, the facility completed repairs to the washout and had some grass growing on the slope at the last inspection. The surrounding ditches have also been cleaned out.
- On Sept. 25, Coastal Waste hosted a community meeting in Beaufort. Citizens who do not live near the site were invited out to the landfill to perform a ‘sniff’ test.