R.61-107.4, SWM: Compost and Mulch Production from Land-clearing Debris, Yard Trimmings, and Organic Residuals
The Department is proposing amendments to R.61-107.4, Solid Waste Management: Compost and Mulch Production from Land-clearing Debris, Yard Trimmings and Organic Residuals. The regulation was originally effective in 1993 and was revised in 2014.
The current revisions are proposed to improve environmental protection, by means such as clarifying storage limits and financial assurance requirements, by adding material management requirements and by adding notification requirements for conditionally exempt facilities. The amendments also propose a reorganization of the text to improve readability.
The Department published a Notice of Drafting published in the May 22, 2020, State Register, and is seeking DHEC Board approval to publish a Notice of Proposed Regulation in the October 23, 2020 State Register. The final regulation revision will also require a public hearing, DHEC Board approval and legislative approval before becoming effective.
Timeline
| NOD Publication | May 22, 2020 |
| NOD Comment Period | May 22 - June 22, 2020 |
| Stakeholder Meeting | August 24, 2020 |
| Presentation to DHEC Board | October 8, 2020 |
| NPR Publication | October 23, 2020 |
| NPR Comment Period | Oct. 23 - Nov. 23, 2020 |
| Public Hearing before Board | December 10, 2020 |
| Submittal to Legislature | January 2021 |
| Published in the State Register | May 28, 2021 |
Stakeholder Engagement
The Department conducted a virtual stakeholder meeting on August 24, 2020 to discuss proposed changes and receive comments. Stakeholders invited to participate in the meeting include representatives of the composting industry, the waste industry, the manufacturing industry, city, county and regional governments and environmental organizations. Additionally, representatives from Clemson University’s Department of Plant Industry and the U.S. Department of Agriculture were invited to participate and/or comment. All persons that provided written comments during the Notice of Drafting comment period were also invited to participate in the stakeholder meeting.