State of South Carolina Releases New Recycling Economic Impact Study

The S.C. Department of Commerce‘s Recycling Market Development Division recently released the results of a new economic impact study on the benefits of increased household recycling rates in South Carolina.

Produced in conjunction with the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control’s (DHEC) Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling, the study found that small increases in household-level recycling can have a substantial economic impact on the state as a whole.

If just one percent of all South Carolina households was to recycle an additional eight newspapers per month, the extra effort could generate an annual gain of up to $3.8 million in economic activity. And, during positive market trends, recycling can cost less than landfilling.

The full report can be accessed online here.

The S.C. Department of Commerce’s Recycling Market Development Division is tasked with facilitating job growth and capital investment by assisting recycling industry companies operating within the state. To complete the study, which was conducted by the University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business, S.C. Commerce’s Recycling Market Division worked with DHEC’s Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling, which assisted with the development of the structure of the study, provided recycling data and technical assistance and helped review the final report.