Bamberg, South Carolina (April 2017) – In April, the Department of Health and Environmental Control’s Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling awarded Bamberg County four environmental grants totaling $330,400. Given annually, the Used Oil Grant, Waste Tire Grant, Solid Waste (General Recycling) Grant, and Solid Waste (Increased Collection) Grant provide funding to counties for proper waste disposal. County Administrator Joey Preston recognized the substantial grant award, nothing that “it’s never happened here or anywhere else I’ve worked.”
Prepared in-house by Bamberg County’s Director of Operations, Bill Johnson, Solid Waste Manager, Melissa Waltz, and former Keep Bamberg County Beautiful Coordinator, Mallory Biering, each of the four grants will aid in Bamberg County’s collective efforts to sustain and improve the local environment. The Used Oil Grant of $16,150 will be used to improve equipment and purchase supplies at various Bamberg County work sites. New facilities will be added at convenience sites, which will aid farmers needing to dispose of different types of oil used in their equipment.
The Waste Tire Grant of $254,250 will be used to purchase a roll-off truck as well as roll-off containers that will be used at each convenience center to assist with the collection and recycling of waste tires from residents, retailers, and automobile dismantlers. The grant funding is expected to save taxpayer’s the $180,000 purchase price of the roll-off truck. The County hopes the availability of the new containers will help alleviate the illegal dumping and storage of waste tires throughout the County.
The $10,000 Solid Waste (General Recycling) Grant will provide for the purchase of mesh containers with attached trailer and cover to be placed throughout the County at schools, convenience sites, and businesses to collect aluminum, plastic, and cardboard recyclables. The $50,000 Solid Waste (Increased Collection) Grant will be used to open a Business Recycling Center within the City Limits of Denmark. To increase the recycling rate, Bamberg County hopes the Business Recycling Center will aid smaller businesses with their recycling needs by offering them exclusive access to the site. The center will accept paper, ink toner, used cooking oil, plastic, cardboard, aluminum, white goods, and much more.
For more information on the grant awards and how you might be able to get involved with the upcoming projects, email info@bambergcounty.sc.gov.