South Carolina compliance
South Carolina hazardous waste regulations
How SCDES runs the hazardous waste program, and where South Carolina goes beyond the federal baseline.
South Carolina is authorized by EPA to administer the RCRA hazardous waste program, so SCDES enforces state rules at South Carolina Regulation 61-79 in place of the federal regulations. The state program is at least as stringent as federal RCRA and in several areas goes further.
Source: South Carolina Regulation 61-79Where South Carolina goes beyond federal RCRA
An authorized state may be more stringent than the federal baseline, and South Carolina is:
- South Carolina levies hazardous waste disposal and treatment taxes that affect in state disposal economics
- Environmental programs moved from DHEC to the new Department of Environmental Services in 2024, so older guidance may reference the former agency
- The state maintains capacity restrictions on hazardous waste received from out of state
Federal RCRA is the floor, not the ceiling. Compliance with 40 CFR alone does not establish compliance in an authorized state.
The industry mix that drives South Carolina waste streams
Automotive and tire manufacturing, aerospace, Port of Charleston logistics, textiles, chemical manufacturing. That mix determines which waste codes turn up most often and which treatment capacity matters.
Knowing the local stream profile is practical rather than academic. It is why a quote for a South Carolina site is built from the process rather than from a rate card, and why the treatment path is named before anything is scheduled.
Waste streams we see most in South Carolina
- Tire and rubber processing chemicals
- Aerospace solvents and surface treatment waste
- Automotive paint and coating waste
- Textile dye and finishing chemicals
- Port and terminal chemical residues
Common questions
Does federal RCRA or South Carolina law apply to my site?
Both, but in practice you comply with the South Carolina rules. Because EPA has authorized the state program, SCDES enforces South Carolina Regulation 61-79. Those rules incorporate the federal requirements and add state specific provisions.
Who inspects hazardous waste generators in South Carolina?
South Carolina Department of Environmental Services, through the Bureau of Land and Waste Management. EPA retains oversight and can inspect directly, but routine generator inspections are a state function.
Are there state only waste codes in South Carolina?
Authorized states can regulate wastes the federal program does not. Check the state rule for any state only classifications before assuming a stream is unregulated, particularly for used oil, universal waste and industrial non hazardous waste.
Related services
Generating hazardous waste in South Carolina?
Send a profile, an old manifest, or photographs of the drums. A technical professional will tell you what applies and what it costs.
This page summarizes state and federal requirements and is not legal advice. State rules change. Verify against the current version of the state code and with the state agency before acting. Last reviewed September 2026.