South Carolina county picks Sonoco to operate MRF

The finance committee of Charleston County, S.C., has approved a 10-year contract with Sonoco, Hartsville, S.C., under with the papermaking and recycling company will operate the county’s recycling facility. The contract was approved by the finance committee at a special meeting in mid-January 2014 but has yet to be approved by the county administrator.

The county’s existing material recovery facility (MRF) operating contract is with Republic Services. That contract ends on Jan. 31, 2014, so the county says it has an urgent need to find a new operator for the MRF.

Also up for discussion in Charleston County is the introduction of a new recycling program with two phases: a first phase involving single-stream processing of the recyclables and a second phase that would involve investing to convert nonrecyclable materials into a renewable energy product.

According to the Charleston Post & Gazette, the county’s administrator recommends the council approve the contract with Sonoco. The news item says the first portion of the contract with Sonoco would cover an upcoming 18-month period, during which the company would run the existing MRF.

The county plans build a new, larger MRF.