South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control

We promote and protect the health of the public and the environment.

• Calendar of Events
• Clean-up
• Contacts
• Education & Outreach
• Emergency Response
• Forms
• Laws & Regulations
• Online Databases
• Organizational Chart
• Permitting
• Public Notices
• Publications
• Program Index
• Recycle
• Regional Offices

 

Lee County Landfill
Bishopville, Lee County, South Carolina

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) has developed this Web site to better inform the public of issues related to the Lee County Landfill.  This site will:

• Provide quick access to background documents, timelines and other related information about the landfill;
• Provide a way for citizens to sign up for future updates; and
• Continue to grow as more information is added.

All documents are in pdf format.

Current Events

 

Flare Replacement Project Open for Public Comments Through August 12, 2010

The Lee County Landfill typically sends 80% of its captured landfill gas to Santee Cooper for energy production.  Lee County Landfill then destroys the remaining captured gas through the use of flares.  The landfill currently operates two open flares.  In this construction project, Lee County Landfill plans to replace one of the existing flares with a larger, enclosed flare, which will allow more landfill gas to be destroyed. 

Santee Cooper has future plans to expand its energy production and use all of the captured landfill gas.  At that time, Lee County Landfill would only need to use the flares to destroy the gas when Santee Cooper is not operating. 

The landfill’s capacity to generate gas will continue to increase in the future before it will decline.  How much more the gas generation rate will increase is predicted by how much garbage is in place, the age of the garbage, and how much more garbage will be received over the lifetime of the landfill.  The addition of the new flare should provide the landfill with the ability to handle the maximum amount of gas generated over the lifetime of the landfill.

Lee County Landfill SC, LLC has applied to DHEC for a construction permit (1540-0029-CD) for this project.  Interested persons may review the materials drafted and maintained by DHEC for this facility and submit written comments on the draft permit by August 12, 2010, to Karen Lee at the above DHEC address or by e-mail at leeka@dhec.sc.gov. 

The public notice along with the draft permit and Statement of Basis may be viewed through August 12, 2010, on this website at: http://www.scdhec.gov/environment/baq/publicnotice.asp.

For additional information on the Flare Replacement Construction Project, please contact James Myers at (803) 898-4621 or by e-mail at myersjm@dhec.sc.gov.

 

Introduction

The Lee County Landfill is located on U.S. Highway 15, near Bishopville, South Carolina, just south of the intersection of Interstate 20 and U.S. Highway 15.

There have been multiple ownership changes since the site originally opened in 1992.  It is currently owned and operated by Republic Services of South Carolina.

The Lee County Landfill:

• Encompasses 1,155 acres.
• Includes a 203-acre waste disposal area.
• Accepts approximately 4,000 tons of solid waste and construction and demolition waste per day.
• Includes a gas-to-energy plant where some of the landfill gas is converted to electricity. 
• Has an expected remaining life of 15-17 years.

DHEC’s Bureau of Land and Waste Management (BLWM) issued a landfill permit for the Lee County site on June 3, 1992.  DHEC has also issued the following permits for the landfill:

• An air permit for the management of landfill gas; and
• A water permit for the management of storm water on the landfill site and discharge of the storm water run-off into Gin Branch Creek.

Air Quality

• Frequently Asked Questions about Landfill Gas and How it Impacts Public Health
  United States Environmental Protection Agency From the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - June 2008.

Land and Waste

• Dec 1, 2009 - Lee County Landfill Community Meeting (pdf)
• June 18, 2009 - Subsurface Landfill Fire
• April 7, 2009 - DHEC Community Meeting Follow-up Letter
• March 12, 2009 – DHEC Community Meeting Invitation (pdf)
• Solid Waste Permitting Time Line for the Lee County Landfill (pdf)
• How Landfills Work (pdf)
• Municipal Solid Waste Landfills (pdf)
• Import, Export of Solid Waste in South Carolina (pdf)
• More on Management of Solid Waste in South Carolina
  
  

 

DHEC Updates

• July 2009 Lee County Landfill Update (pdf)

 

 

Sign up for DHEC updates on Lee County Landfill

 

 

 

 

If you have questions, or for general information on environmental issues in your area, please call Chris McCluskey or Greer McLaurin at the DHEC Regional Office in Sumter at (803) 778-6548.
________________________________________________________________________
If you need help navigating this Web site, please contact Donna Moye at (803) 896-4281.

To report chemical spills, oil spills, or fish kills call our toll-free 24-hour emergency response line at 1-888-481-0125
In Columbia, call 253-6488.