A 60-foot pile of construction and demolition (C&D) debris on a property near Okatie, South Carolina, is the center of debate as officials and residents attempt to remove the mound, a report by the Island Packet says. A loophole in South Carolina law allows the mound to stay.
The debris pile contains wood, cardboard, plastic and other construction debris. It is on the property of Able Contracting Inc., owned by Chandler Lloyd, a company the state classified as a “recovered material processing facility.”
Regulations that haven’t been updated since their implementation in 1991 has left a loophole for companies like Able Contracting. According to South Carolina’s Solid Waste Policy and Management Act, Able Contracting voluntarily registered with the state and must submit an annual report to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control to show the weight of materials recycled is at least 75 percent the weight of materials the facility receives.
According to the report, facilities that accept mixed material and C&D debris meet the weight requirement by processing mostly concrete while allowing other debris to pile up. In 2016, crushed concrete and dirt from crushed concrete accounted for 83 percent of the materials recycled by Able Contracting.
The height of the pile has fluctuated, reaching as high as 90 feet tall at some points in the last four years, the report says. Smaller piles of material near the mound have recently caught fire twice. In 2015, one pile took 32 hours and 1.6 million gallons of water to extinguish.
Residents near the site have previously complained about its appearance and smell. In 2016, the county told Llyod to put a screen around the mound to stop any migration, but the screen was never installed.
According to the report, the county planning department informed Lloyd in June that it would now renew his business license for Able Contracting, saying the height of the pile violates fire codes. The county allowed for a 30-day grace period, which was extended until Aug. 15, to provide an acceptable plan while continuing to operate his business.
The International Fire Code states that debris piles at recycling facilities must not exceed 25 feet in height, 150 feet in width and 250 feet in length.
The debris pile contains wood, cardboard, plastic and other construction debris. It is on the property of Able Contracting Inc., owned by Chandler Lloyd, a company the state classified as a “recovered material processing facility.”
Regulations that haven’t been updated since their implementation in 1991 has left a loophole for companies like Able Contracting. According to South Carolina’s Solid Waste Policy and Management Act, Able Contracting voluntarily registered with the state and must submit an annual report to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control to show the weight of materials recycled is at least 75 percent the weight of materials the facility receives.
According to the report, facilities that accept mixed material and C&D debris meet the weight requirement by processing mostly concrete while allowing other debris to pile up. In 2016, crushed concrete and dirt from crushed concrete accounted for 83 percent of the materials recycled by Able Contracting.
The height of the pile has fluctuated, reaching as high as 90 feet tall at some points in the last four years, the report says. Smaller piles of material near the mound have recently caught fire twice. In 2015, one pile took 32 hours and 1.6 million gallons of water to extinguish.
Residents near the site have previously complained about its appearance and smell. In 2016, the county told Llyod to put a screen around the mound to stop any migration, but the screen was never installed.
According to the report, the county planning department informed Lloyd in June that it would now renew his business license for Able Contracting, saying the height of the pile violates fire codes. The county allowed for a 30-day grace period, which was extended until Aug. 15, to provide an acceptable plan while continuing to operate his business.
The International Fire Code states that debris piles at recycling facilities must not exceed 25 feet in height, 150 feet in width and 250 feet in length.
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