Charleston working to make composting an easier option

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The city of Charleston hopes workshops and food-scrap drop sites will make it easier for residents to begin composting to help fight climate change.

Charleston Director of Sustainability Katie McKain said this will be the first full year for the city’s Residential Composting program.

A new partnership between the city, Charleston County and Folly Beach will allow residents to sign up to take their food scraps to a number of drop-sites, including the Bees Ferry Convenience Center, the Folly Beach Community Center, Ackerman Park, Corrine Jones Park and Medway Park.

They’re also hosting free composting workshops through April where residents can learn how drop-off sites work, the difference between commercial and backyard composting and how to compost at home.

McKain said composting combats climate change by saving space and reducing methane in landfills She said more than 25% of garbage currently consists of food scraps.

“If you can imagine, if we can take that out of the garbage stream and reuse it, we are not only saving space in our landfills but we’re cutting down on expenses to collect garbage and store it in landfills which is a major advantage,” McKain said.

The city has scheduled five workshops in the coming months at various locations across the Lowcountry:

• Tuesday, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Folly Beach Community Center: Click here for details or to RSVP (SOLD OUT)
• March 4, 11 a.m. to noon at Daniel Island Recreation Facility: Click here for details or to RSVP
• March 20, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at James Island Recreation Complex: Click here for details or to RSVP
• April 19, Noon to 1 p.m. at 2 George St.: Click here for details or to RSVP
• April 19, Noon to 1 p.m. Zoom only: Click here for details or to RSVP

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.