The ordinance was amended in December 2023, with changes set to take effect on July 1, 2024, allowing a six-month grace period for businesses to adjust.  While most regulations remain the same, a few specific changes will affect a limited number of businesses.

The updated regulations are as follows:

• Prohibition of Extra Thick Plastic Bags: Businesses are no longer permitted to use extra thick plastic bags. Encouraging customers to bring reusable bags can help save costs and reduce waste. Providing a bag incentive refund at checkout and using signage in parking lots can promote this behavior. Paper bags are also permissible.
• Drive-thru and Take-out Utensil Policy: Drive-thru and take-out businesses may still offer disposable cutlery, but only upon customer request, affirmative response, or through self-service stations or dispensers.  This measure aims to reduce unnecessary automatic inclusion of utensils in to-go bags, thereby saving costs and minimizing plastic waste.

For resources and information please visit www.charleston-sc.gov/plastic

For questions about the ordinance, please contact your respective jurisdiction:

• City of Charleston:  call Katie at (843) 724-3789 or email mckaink@charleston-sc.gov 
• Town of James Island: call (843) 795-4141 or email info@jamesislandsc.us 
• Charleston County:  call (843) 720-7111 or email recycle@charlestoncounty.org

For questions about what products are recyclable, please contact the Charleston County Recycling Center: 

• Web: https://www.charlestoncounty.org/departments/environmental-management/recycle-what.php
• Phone: (843)720-7111
• Email: recycle@charlestoncounty.org

In Charleston, our environment is essential to our economy.

This ordinance is designed to protect the engine of our economy and livability of our City so businesses, particularly those influenced by tourism, and residents can continue to enjoy what the beauty and bounty of Charleston's waterways offer for generations to come. 

These new measures are about cleaner streets and waterways, preserving the beauty and livability of Charleston for generations to come. 

Plastic bags and containers are convenient, but they also —

• Trash Our Neighborhoods and Waterways: 

More than 302 million tons of plastics are discarded worldwide each year¹.  Plastic waste ends up on Charleston’s streets and 7.6 tons are in Charleston Harbor alone.²

• Threaten Wildlife Health:

As many as 100,000 marine animals have been injured or killed by entanglement with or ingestion of plastic waste.³

• Pose Risks to Human Health:

Plastics never fully biodegrade, but when pieces of these bags and containers are eaten by animals, the plastic enters our food chain.

1: https://ourworldindata.org/plastic-pollution#empirical-view

2: https://today.citadel.edu/change-leading-research-dr-john-weinstein/ 

Provide Information

You can help your community by first providing assistance and information to establishments about the new regulations and encouraging managers to visit our resources online at www.charleston-sc.gov/plastic.  The webpage is designed specifically to help facilitate a smooth transition with information on the new code requirements that we hope businesses find helpful.  

Report Violators 

If you find establishments are not responsive to your outreach and warning efforts, please report potential violators ONLINE via the City’s Citizen Service Desk web portal at https://www.charleston-sc.gov/879/Citizen-Support-Center.  The web portal has an option to upload photographs if you choose to include any.  You can choose to report anonymously.

The ordinance applies to all organizations and businesses within the City of Charleston, including any City of Charleston facility or property, City sponsored event, or other event (public or private) within City limits.  

This includes but is not limited to:

• Concession and event vendors
• Farmers markets/stands
• Food trucks
• Grocery stores
• Liquor stores
• Restaurants and bars
• Retail stores
• Takeout stands
• Schools
• Government
• Non-profit organizations

 Yes.  Regulations apply to all sales, activities and events within the City of Charleston limits, including, in City facilities and on City property.  

This includes public events and private events within City limits.  For example, a vendor for a wedding held within City limits would need to comply with the regulations.

By definition in the City's ordinance, RECYCLABLE shall mean any material that is accepted by the Charleston County recycling program.

Visit the Charleston County website  for more information on materials accepted for recycling at https://www.charlestoncounty.org/departments/environmental-management/recycle-what.php.  

If you have specific questions about a particular product not listed on their website, please contact the Charleston County Recycling Center at: 

• Phone: (843)720-7111
• Email: recycle@charlestoncounty.org

By definition in the City's ordinance:

• COMPOSTABLE shall mean all the materials in the product or package, when composted in an industrial or municipal compost operation, will break down, or otherwise become part of, usable compost (e.g. soil-conditioning material, mulch) in a safe and timely manner. 
• Compostable food service ware must meet ASTM-Standards for compostability and any bio-plastic or plastic-like product must be clearly labeled, preferably with a color symbol, to allow proper identification such that the collector and processor can easily distinguish the ASTM standard compostable plastic from non-ASTM standard compostable plastic. 
• Compostable products are considered compostable under this section only if a business establishment or food or grocery establishment using the products is composting them with an industrial or municipal compost operation.

Visit the Charleston County website  for more information on materials accepted for composting and information on how to participate in Charleston County’s Composting Program: https://www.charlestoncounty.org/departments/environmental-management/compost-program.php 

 On January 1, 2020 the ordinance went into effect and became enforceable.  

The ordinance was signed into law on November 27, 2018 with an effective date of January 1. 2020.  This offered a 13-month grace period to support a smooth transition and allow time for businesses and organizations to best plan ahead for enforcement starting on January 1, 2020.

Reusable bags and reusable food service ware are ideal, as possible.  

Remember to bring your own reusable bags and encourage customers to bring their own reusable bags and/or own reusable food service ware (such as takeout containers, reusable straws, etc.,) as this is the best way to reduce the amount of waste that goes to the landfill or ends up in the environment.  

When disposable food service ware is necessary, encouraging the proper disposal of compostable and recyclable materials is important.  If an organization provides compostable containers, ensure the vessel to compost is available.  Also remember, all disposable service ware must be free of any food residue to be accepted for recycling in Charleston County.  If food waste cannot be easily removed, your business may be a better candidate for compostable products.

The intention of this ordinance is not to hurt our business community. You may request an exemption at any time for any unique circumstances that may arise.  

Establishments may file for a temporary exemption if you qualify for one of the below reasons.  Read below to see if you qualify, and how to apply.  

• Undue Hardship or Practical Difficulty (includes excess inventory) not generally applicable to other persons in similar circumstances (up to one year exemption, applies to entire Article V)

Applications for an Undue Hardship or Practical Difficulty (not including excess inventory) should prove proactive efforts have been made and be substantiated with factual evidence of why the hardship or difficulty exists despite best efforts to uphold the spirit of the ordinance.

Applications for excess inventory should include proof excess inventory was purchased prior to 11/27/18, the date of ratification.  The City may ask for information periodically on inventory reduction and remaining stock.

• Public Health and Safety Requirement or Medical Necessity to use the product (up to one year exemption, applies to foam products only)

If you qualify for either of the above reasons, the next step is for you to complete an exemption application(Temporarily Suspended due to Covid-19).  Make sure to explain clearly why you feel like you qualify for an exemption.  Please also remember to attach documents that support your claim.   Please note, approved requests may be posted publicly on the City’s webpage. 

No.  Plastic bags such as produce bags, bread bags, newspaper bags, dry cleaning/garment bags, garbage bags, pet waste bags, bags used for charity or emergency and medical supplies, bags that are used inside stores for bulk foods and other items, bags for meats and produce, bags for unwrapped bakery goods, and bags for flowers and plant wrappings are all still allowed.  

Yes.  Customers may bring any type of bag with them to transport purchases.  The City encourages residents to remember their reusable bags!

No.  Per the ordinance, please provide your customers an option to transport their purchases free of charge, and please encourage the use of reusable bags.  

No.  Paper bags are not required to be made with recycled-content, but the City encourages establishments to use recycled-content paper bags as possible.

The Livability and Tourism Department has primary responsibility for enforcement of the regulations.  

If a code enforcement officer determines that a violation has occurred, a written warning accompanied with outreach about the law and what is needed to comply will typically be a first step.  If it happens again or becomes clear a retailer is intentionally not complying they can be fined. 

Yes!  The City of Charleston is collaborating closely with nearby jurisdictions to ensure our ordinances are similar so it is easy for businesses with multiple locations to plan ahead.  

Starting January 1, 2020, the new regulations will take effect in the City of Charleston, Town of James Island, and in the unincorporated areas of Charleston County.  These same regulations are already in effect in the Town of Mount Pleasant, as of April 2019.