2025 National Take Back Day
Oftentimes, unwanted prescription drugs are kept or disposed of improperly, putting people's health and the environment at risk by making their way into the wrong hands or into our water bodies. This is why the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) sponsors “National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.” On National Take Back Day—which occurs twice a year in April and October—members of the public…, What is generally accepted: , Vitamins Prescription patches Prescription or over-the-counter creams/ointments Prescription or over-the-counter syrups/liquids Prescription or over-the-counter pet medications, What is generally NOT accepted: , Aerosol cans Hydrogen peroxide Thermometers Needles Inhalers Illegal drugs Controlled and uncontrolled substances are both accepted. However, in order to drop off controlled substances, you must be an “ultimate user” as defined by the federal Controlled Substances Act. See this webpage for more information. Where are Collection Sites Located? To find collection sites accessible on…Champions of the Environment: Recent Winners
$2,500 Winners, Allendale Fairfax Middle School, Allendale County , “Cultivating Sustainability Through School Gardening” , Students will design and plant raised garden beds with native plants to create a pollinator habitat. They will practice sustainable gardening techniques including composting and rainwater harvesting. Project partners include Master Gardeners, Allendale County Stormwater Department, and the local 4-H Club. A local native plant nursery will donate plants and help install a wildflower bed, and a…, Blue Ridge High School, Greenville County, “Sustainable Courtyards”, High school students will plan the courtyard garden by mapping different layouts, choosing native plants, and identifying maintenance needs. During installation, students will also prepare reclaimed materials such as lumber, bricks, and metal for use as benches, planters, and decoration. Future Farmers of America, Clemson Extension, and Blue Oak Horticulture will partner on the project and…, Conway Elementary School, Horry County, “CES Pollinator Oasis”, Conway Elementary School’s Go Green Club will retrofit a dry stormwater pond to create a native pollinator garden. Students will help design the garden and select plants based on the specific pollinators they want to attract. As they plant and maintain the garden, they will learn about soil health, water quality testing, and pollinator ecology. Project partners include Coastal Carolina University…, Diamond Hill Elementary School, Abbeville County, “Garden Restoration and Expansion”, This project will build upon existing vegetable and herb gardens by adding native and non-native gardens to compare ecological differences between the two. A dedicated butterfly habitat will also be installed. A detailed maintenance schedule for watering and weeding will keep students involved throughout the year and ensure the long-term health of the gardens. This Green Step School will partner…, James H. Hendrix Elementary School, Spartanburg County, “HES Community Garden”, Students will add drip irrigation to existing raised beds and use compost to enrich the soil. They will also share stories about how gardens can help connect cultures through newsletters, garden labels, community outreach events, and art displays. Community families and Master Gardeners will be partners on the project., Leaphart Elementary School, Lexington County, “Seed to Fitness”, Students at this Green Step School will compare production of vegetables grown in both soil and hydroponic gardening systems. They will also study insects, food webs, soil health, erosion prevention, and weather data, and showcase their harvest in a student-led farmers' market. In addition to Green Steps mentors, Clemson Extension, Future Farmers of America, and Master Gardeners will provide…, Lowcountry Montessori School, Beaufort County, “Monarchs and Milkweeds”, After noticing many Monarch butterflies with a protozoan parasite known as Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (OE), the school’s Garden and Ecology Lead resolved to guide students in replacing tropical Milkweed in the school garden with native Milkweed species. In addition to planting and maintaining the garden, students will tag monarchs and study butterflies with OE using a microscope. The South…, Mullins High School, Marion County, “Solar Learning Lab”, Students in Biology 1, Integrated Science, Chemistry, and STEM-focused courses will learn about sustainable energy by measuring how much sunlight the school gets daily, studying how solar panels work, and analyzing real-time data generated from solar panels installed on the outdoor learning lab. They will also help monitor and maintain the solar panels. Clemson Extension and Marion County Soil…, Tall Pines STEM Academy, Aiken County, “Creek Connections”, Middle school students at this Green Step School will establish an Adopt-a-Stream club to monitor water quality of a creek adjacent to the school campus. Physical, chemical, and biological data will be recorded and uploaded to the statewide database used by the SC Adopt-a-Stream program. Students will also learn to identify the invertebrates and plant life that indicate healthy water quality, as…, Virtus Academy of South Carolina, Florence County, “Ethnobotanical Garden”, Students involved in this project will grow native plants, including those with cultural significance, using sustainable and organic gardening methods. They will learn about the plants’ cultural uses in food and medicine, as well as their ecological importance to pollinators. Clemson Extension, Master Naturalists, the South Carolina Native Plant Society, and Florence County Stormwater staff will…, $1,500 Winners, Pickens Elementary School, Pickens County, “Restoring Our School Pond”, This project will restore a school pond that once attracted turtles, frogs, dragonflies, and pollinators. Students will remove debris and invasive plants, install native aquatic and shoreline plants, monitor water quality, and identify and record wildlife that visits the pond. The Farm Bureau, Pickens County 4H, and the Pickens County Clemson Extension Water Resource Coordinator will help…, South Aiken High School, Aiken County, “The Pollinator Patch”, Students will practice sustainable gardening practices as they install containers around the school with pollinator plants to increase the biodiversity of the schoolyard. Bird baths and bee houses will add to the critical habitat components required by the SC Wildlife Federation to certify South Aiken High School as a schoolyard habitat. Students will also create signage for each container…, St. Joseph Catholic School, Anderson County, “Butterfly Garden”, Elementary school students will expand the school’s current garden habitat by adding drought tolerant plants that attract native butterflies such as Monarchs and Swallowtails. Students will visit the Butterfly Garden at the Clemson Botanical Garden to learn about the life cycle of butterflies, and they will host a butterfly festival in Spring 2026 for the school and the community. Clemson…Construction & Demolition Debris
c+d logo Construction and demolition (C&D) debris is non-hazardous solid waste generated during the construction, remodeling, repair, or demolition of homes, buildings, roads, and bridges. C&D debris includes: Kitchen cabinets and sinks; Bathroom sinks, vanities, tubs, and toilets; Doors; Energy-efficient windows; Hardwood flooring; Stone or solid-surface countertops; Lighting fixtures;…, Proper Management of C&D Debris, Builders/contractors and residents can reduce C&D debris disposal through best management practices such as source reduction, salvaging, reuse, and recycling. Learn more at the following links:, Builders/Contractors, Residents, The sustainable management of C&D debris helps all stakeholders save money. Builders/contractors can reduce costs through avoided disposal fees and/or not having to buy additional material. Homeowners may be able to lower building or renovation costs as well as qualify for a tax benefit when recovered material is donated to qualified 501(c)(3) non-profits., Additional Information, Asbestos Builders/contractors and residents should be aware of the required management of asbestos-containing material., Learn more about asbestos, . C&D Debris on Personal Property Homeowners never should allow or use C&D debris – including concrete – on their property to fill a ravine or gully without checking with SCDES for permitting requirements. If improperly managed, the landowner may be subject to a fine. Secure Vehicle Loads Builders/contractors and residents are required by law to secure all loads of material to prevent any…, Learn more about South Carolina litter laws, ., Resources, Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE), is a 501(c)(3) organization that focuses on market-based solutions that increase landfill diversion and recycling of post-consumer carpet. , Construction & Demolition Recycling Association (CDRA), promotes the environmentally sound recycling of recoverable C&D material. CDRA also offers in-depth information on commodities such as gypsum wallboard and concrete., C&D Recycling, is a bi-monthly magazine, e-newsletter, and website that provides the latest industry information and insight on best management practices, trends, equipment, and more. S.C. Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) offers information on a variety of C&D debris-related topics, which include:, Comprehensive clearinghouse on asbestos management, rules, regulations, and requirements, ,, Listing of all C&D debris recyclers and solid waste processors that accept C&D debris in South Carolina, ,, Listing of all Class 2 landfills that accept C&D debris, , and, C&D debris project planning tools for Builders/Contractors, The S.C. Recycling Markets Directory: Connecting Materials is Markets, is designed to help businesses, local governments, and others reduce waste, conserve resources and, ultimately provide raw material to manufacturers to make recycled-content products. The directory offers a listing of more than 300 recycling companies, organizations, and others that make available a variety of services and markets as well as a robust selection of recyclable commodities. The…, Southern Carolina Material Exchange, is a free service designed to help businesses, industries and other organizations find markets for materials they have traditionally discarded. Registered users can post both wanted and available listings, similar to a classified ad section. Businesses, industries and other organizations can list their available materials by type, quantity, frequency of availability, geographic location, and…, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), , provides a comprehensive clearinghouse of information on the sustainable management of C&D material. Topics include source reduction, reducing material use, deconstruction, salvaging and reusing, recycling, and rebuying C&D debris. Check out EPA’s , new video on deconstruction, to learn more about the work of Lifecycle Building Center in Atlanta.Delivery Prohibition
Delivery Prohibition (R.61-92, Part 280.26 (a)-(h)) is when the Division prohibits the delivery of fuel to an underground storage tank system by placing a red tag on the fill port. The process of delivery prohibition will most often begin by issuance of a Notice of Alleged Violation, either for compliance violations, financial responsibility violations, or operator training violations. After the…, delivery prohibition list, when delivery prohibition is implemented. The owner is also referred to the Enforcement Section. Once a tank is tagged, fuel already in the system can be sold, but no deliveries may be made to the tank. Deliveries made to any prohibited tank could lead to civil penalties for both the tank owner and the supplier and/or transporting company. Once the Division receives adequate documentation of…Underground Storage Tanks
REGULATION REVISION EFFECTIVE MAY 26, 2017, 61-92, Part 280, How will the new regulations affect you? Learn more about the revised UST Regulation . SCDES regulates underground storage tanks (USTs) for the entire life of a tank system. This includes the planning, compliance, permitting, enforcement, and remediation efforts of underground storage tanks throughout the state. We provide technical oversight on all releases that occur from USTs as well as a Site…, Related Topics, SUPERB Funding Underground Storage Tank Registry Forms Aboveground Petroleum Storage Tanks & Heating Oil TanksSCDES Recognizes 13 South Carolina Schools as ‘Champions of the Environment’
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 28, 2025 COLUMBIA, S.C. – Thirteen South Carolina schools were recently awarded grants to support the education of the next generation of environmental stewards, the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) announced today. The “Champions of the Environment” awards are issued each school year to foster environmental education and action in South…, said Myra Reece, SCDES Director., “We hope these classroom projects encourage collaboration, curiosity and a lifelong commitment to sustainability.” SCDES started Champions of the Environment in 1993 with the goal of encouraging, enabling, and recognizing youth environmental education projects that develop awareness, promote behavior change, or improve and protect our water, air, and land. “We had a record-breaking 85 grant…, said Amanda Ley, SCDES’s coordinator for the Champions of the Environment program., “The winning schools demonstrated strong student involvement, outstanding use of funds, outreach to those outside of the projects, and partnerships with environmental organizations. Ten schools were awarded $2,500 and three schools were awarded $1,500 for projects including pollinator gardens, habitat restoration, water quality monitoring and alternate energy. , The 2025-26 Champions of the Environment winners are below., $2,500 winners: Allendale Fairfax Middle School, Allendale County Blue Ridge High School, Greenville County Conway Elementary School, Horry County Diamond Hill Elementary School, Abbeville County James H. Hendrix Elementary School, Spartanburg County Leaphart Elementary School, Lexington County Lowcountry Montessori School, Beaufort County Mullins High School, Marion County Tall Pines STEM…Champions of the Environment - Past Winners
Looking for ideas on how you can participate in Champions of the Environment? Find some inspiration from past winners. 2024-25 2023-24 2022-23 2021-22 2019-20 2018-19 2017-18 2016-17 2015-16 2014-15 2013-14 2012-13 2011-122024-2025 Champions of the Environment
Pine Island Property Holdings, LLC - Critical Area Permit Application
Voluntary Disclosure Act
(View full text by visiting the following site:, http://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t48c057.php, ), Purpose, The Legislative Purpose of this Act was to encourage the use of internal, voluntary self-audits to improve compliance and to provide limited protection from penalties for disclosure of environmental violations or audit findings., Voluntary Disclosure Criteria, A disclosure would be considered voluntary if it meets the following criteria: Disclosure is made within 14 days following a reasonable investigation Disclosure is made to an agency with regulatory authority over the violation being disclosed Action is initiated to resolve the violation in a diligent manner Person or entity cooperates in the investigation of issues identified in the disclosure…