H 3096 General Bill, By H.H. Keyserling, J.M. Baxley, Boan, Cork, R.S. Corning, 
J.L.M. Cromer, Elliott, Haskins, M.F. Jaskwhich, J.W. Johnson, Keegan, 
K.G. Kempe, S.G. Manly, J.G. Mattos, J.T. McElveen, D.E. McTeer, J. Rama, 
Meacham, J.I. Rogers, T.F. Rogers, I.K. Rudnick, Sheheen, C.Y. Waites, 
L.S. Whipper and J.B. Wilder
 A Bill to amend Title 44, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding
 Chapter 95 so as to establish the policy of this State regarding solid waste
 and to provide for the management of solid waste; to amend Chapter 7 of Title
 12 relating to the tax laws by adding Section 12-7-1255 to provide a tax
 credit for qualified recycling equipment; to amend the 1976 Code by adding
 Section 12-7-2417 so as to provide for a deduction from state income tax
 refunds or a contribution to be added to state income tax payments for the
 support of the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund; and to amend Section
 16-11-700, as amended, so as to increase the penalties for violations of the
 litter laws.

   12/27/90  House  Prefiled
   12/27/90  House  Referred to Committee on Ways and Means
   01/08/91  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-64
   01/08/91  House  Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural
                     Resources and Environmental Affairs HJ-64
   03/20/91  House  Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental
                     Affairs HJ-7
   03/28/91  House  Debate adjourned until Wednesday, April 3, 1991 HJ-21
   04/03/91  House  Debate adjourned HJ-9
   04/04/91  House  Point of order- Bills appropriating money must go
                     to Ways & Means(R4.4) HJ-96
   04/04/91  House  Committed to Committee on Ways and Means HJ-96
   04/10/91  House  Committee report: Favorable with amendment Ways
                     and Means HJ-29
   04/18/91  House  Tabled HJ-41

COMMITTEE REPORT

April 10, 1991

H. 3096

Introduced by REPS. Keyserling, Baxley, Boan, Corning, D. Elliott, Haskins, Jaskwhich, Keegan, Kempe, Mattos, McElveen, McTeer, Meacham, Rama, J. Rogers, T. Rogers, Rudnick, Sheheen, Waites, Wilder, Cork, Manly, Cromer, Whipper and J.W. Johnson

S. Printed 4/10/91--H.

Read the first time January 8, 1991.

To whom was referred a Bill (H. 3096), to amend Title 44, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Chapter 95 so as to establish the policy of this state regarding solid waste, etc., respectfully

That they have duly and carefully considered the same, and recommend that the same do pass with amendment:

Amend the report of the Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs, as and if amended, in Section 44-96-40(F), page 3096-18, line 19, by deleting: /In determining whether this waste recycling goal has been achieved, no more than fifty percent of this goal may be met by the removal from the municipal solid waste stream of yard trash, land-clearing debris, and construction and demolition debris./ The item when amended reads:

/(F) The total municipal solid waste stream generated in this State must be recycled, on a statewide per capita basis, at least twenty-five percent, calculated by weight, not later than six years after this chapter is effective. For the purpose of this subsection, `total municipal solid waste generated' means the total amount of solid waste being received at municipal solid waste landfills./

Amend further, in the last paragraph of Section 44-96-50(C) by inserting after /authority./ on page 3096-22, line 27, /Members shall promulgate regulations concerning meeting attendance./ When amended the paragraph reads:

/The members of the council serve at the pleasure of their appointing authority. Members shall promulgate regulations concerning meeting attendance. The council shall advise the department on the preparation of the state solid waste management plan, on methods of implementing the state plan, and on the preparation of the annual reports by the department on solid waste management. The council must be provided with drafts of the plan and reports and given adequate opportunity to comment. The council also must be advised on a regular basis by the department regarding the grant applications which have been accepted or denied under the Solid Waste Management Grant Program and on the status of the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund. the council ceases to exist six years after this chapter is effective./

Amend further, Section 44-96-60(E) by inserting after /members./ on page 3096-24, line 14 /Members shall promulgate regulations concerning meeting attendance./ The item when amended reads:

/(E) The chairman must be designated by the State Development Board, and the council shall select a vice-chairman. The council shall adopt operating procedures and meet on the call of the chairman or of a majority of the members. Members shall promulgate regulations concerning meeting attendance. A majority of the members constitutes a quorum to do business. The State Development Board shall provide the necessary staff and administrative facilities and services to the council. The Department of Health and Environmental Control shall provide technical assistance to the council at the request of the chairman or the vice-chairman, or by majority vote of the council./

Amend further, in the last paragraph of Section 44-96-70(O) by inserting after /members./ on page 3096-33, line 4 /Members shall promulgate regulations concerning meeting attendance./ The paragraph when amended reads:

/Each local council shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman from among its members. Members shall promulgate regulations concerning meeting attendance. Each council, at a minimum, must remain in existence until the end of the one hundred eighty-day review period for the plans but may remain in existence for a longer time as determined by its appointing entities. The comments of a local council on the final solid waste management plan must be forwarded to the department when the final plan is submitted./

Amend further, in Section 44-96-160(C), by inserting after /programs./ on page 3096-47, line 28 /If a hazardous substance is mixed with used oil accepted at a volunteer used oil collection center, costs for the proper disposal of this contaminated waste must be incurred by the Petroleum Fund, if no more than five gallons of used oil was accepted from any one person at any one time./ The item when amended reads:

/(C) The department shall encourage the voluntary establishment of used oil collection centers and recycling programs and provide technical assistance to persons who organize these programs. If a hazardous substance is mixed with used oil accepted at a volunteer used oil collection center, costs for the proper disposal of this contaminated waste must be incurred by the Petroleum Fund, if no more than five gallons of used oil was accepted from any one person at any one time./

Amend further, Section 44-96-160(D), by inserting before /./ on page 3096-47, line 37 /, if there is no private used oil collection center in the county/. The item when amended reads:

/(D) All government agencies and private businesses that change motor oil for the public and major retail dealers of motor and lubricating oil are encouraged to serve as used oil collection centers.

The Department of Highways and Public Transportation shall establish or contract for at least one used oil collection center in every county, if there is no private used oil collection center in the county./

Amend further in Section 44-96-290(E) by deleting the sentences beginning on page 3096-75, line 15, and ending on page 3096-75, line 44. The item when amended reads:

/(E) No permit to construct a new solid waste management facility or to expand an existing solid waste management facility may be issued until a demonstration of need is approved by the department. No construction of new or expanded solid waste management facilities may begin until all permits required for construction have been issued. In determining if there is a need for new or expanded solid waste disposal sites, the department may not consider solid waste generated in jurisdictions not subject to the provisions of a county or regional solid waste management plan pursuant to this chapter. This subsection does not apply to industrial facilities managing solid waste generated in the course of normal operations on property under the same ownership or control as the solid waste management facility if the industrial facility is not a commercial solid waste management facility./

Amend further, in Section 44-96-290, by adding an appropriately lettered subsection to read:

/( ) In considering a demonstration of need from an applicant to construct a new facility before adoption and approval of state and county or regional solid waste plans as required by Section 44-96-70, the department may consider only the amount of waste generated within this State; except that no county or proposed region may be required to use a facility permitted during this interim period unless the governing body of the county or the governing bodies of the counties in a proposed region adopt a resolution expressing their intent to use the facility. The governing body of the county in which the landfill will be located shall request that the department issue a permit to the new facility. A new facility which is to be permitted must comply with the county zoning and land use ordinances and must meet the requirements of Sections 44-96-320, 44-96-330, and 44-96-350.

In considering a demonstration of need from an applicant to construct an expansion to an existing permitted facility before adoption and approval of state and county or regional solid waste plans as required by Section 44-96-70, the department may only consider the amount of waste generated within this State; except that no county or proposed region may be required to use a facility permitted during this interim period unless the governing body of the county or the governing bodies of the counties in a proposed region adopt a resolution expressing their intent to use the facility. An expansion to an existing facility which is to be permitted must comply with the county zoning and land use ordinances and must meet the requirements of Sections 44-96-320, 44-96-330, and 44-96-350. For the purpose of this subsection, expansion means the process of permit renewal for the continuation of operations at an existing site when the renewal is in conformity with the service area and scope of operations of the original permit. During the interim period, the department shall take into account financial impact on the county for expansions of county landfill facilities which are at or near their permitted capacity in determining whether to require the county to meet all or a portion of the minimum requirements of Sections 44-96-320, 44-96-330, and 44-96-350.

In order to promote the comprehensive and proper management of solid waste in South Carolina and protect the public health and welfare of its citizens, before the adoption of the state and county or regional solid waste management plans as required under Section 44-96-70, and before the promulgation of regulations required by Sections 44-96-340 and 44-96-350, whichever comes later, no new or expanded solid waste facility, which proposes to incinerate solid waste, may be sited or permitted without a finding by the South Carolina Board of Health and Environmental Control that the new or expanded facility is necessary to prevent an imminent and substantial threat to the health of persons or the environment.

This subsection does not apply to inert or cellulosic solid waste facilities or to industrial facilities managing solid waste generated in the course of normal operations on property under the same ownership or control as the solid waste management facility if the industrial facility is not a commercial solid waste management facility./

Renumber sections to conform.

Amend title to conform.

MARION P. CARNELL, for Committee.

House Bill 3096 amends Title 44 by adding Chapter 95 so as to establish the policy of this state regarding solid waste and to provide for the management of solid waste; to amend Chapter 7 of Title 12 relating to the tax laws by adding Section 12-7-1255 to provide a tax credit for qualified recycling equipment; to amend the 1976 Code by adding Section 12-7-2417 so as to provide for a deduction from state income tax refunds or a contribution to be added to state income tax payments for the support of the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund; and to amend Section 16-11-700, so as to increase the penalties for violations of the litter laws.

This bill, for sales made on or after November 1, 1991, requires collection for certain fees by the Tax Commission. In the first full year of enforcement, it is estimated that these additional revenues would amount to approximately $11,701,000. The counties would receive approximately $4,639,000, and the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund would receive approximately $7,062,000 for use in recycling and solid waste reduction programs. This bill also provides for taxpayers to designate contributions to the trust fund on appropriate state income tax forms. The revenue increase from this provision is estimated to be approximately $250,000 per year. The fee collections described above will have no effect on General Fund revenue.

This bill would decrease state revenues by approximately $2,632,500 beginning in FY 1992-93.

Approved By:

S. Hunter Howard, Jr.

S.C. Tax Commission

A BILL

TO AMEND TITLE 44, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING CHAPTER 95 SO AS TO ESTABLISH THE POLICY OF THIS STATE REGARDING SOLID WASTE AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF SOLID WASTE; TO AMEND CHAPTER 7 OF TITLE 12 RELATING TO THE TAX LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 12-7-1255 TO PROVIDE A TAX CREDIT FOR QUALIFIED RECYCLING EQUIPMENT; TO AMEND THE 1976 CODE BY ADDING SECTION 12-7-2417 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR A DEDUCTION FROM STATE INCOME TAX REFUNDS OR A CONTRIBUTION TO BE ADDED TO STATE INCOME TAX PAYMENTS FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT TRUST FUND; AND TO AMEND SECTION 16-11-700, AS AMENDED, SO AS TO INCREASE THE PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS OF THE LITTER LAWS.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Findings; purposes.

(A) The General Assembly finds that:

(1) Over 3,800,000 tons of solid waste are generated in South Carolina each year.

(2) On the average, each South Carolinian currently produces approximately four and one-half pounds of solid waste each day.

(3) Unless steps are taken to reduce or recycle the amount of waste produced in this State, over five million tons of solid waste will be generated annually in South Carolina by the year 2000.

(4) Approximately eighty percent of the solid waste generated in South Carolina is landfilled.

(5) There are currently some seventy-nine permitted sanitary landfills in this State.

(6) Most of the permitted landfill capacity will be used within the next ten years. Twenty-three of forty-six counties have ten years or less of landfill space remaining.

(7) Siting of solid waste facilities is becoming increasingly difficult due to the opposition of local residents.

(8) The costs of solid waste management will increase significantly due to decreased landfill capacity and more stringent federal requirements for solid waste management facilities. More stringent federal and state requirements also may force a number of existing solid waste landfills to close.

(9) Insufficient and improper methods of managing solid waste can create hazards to public health, cause pollution of air and water resources, constitute a waste of natural resources, and create public nuisances.

(10) The economic growth and population growth of our State have required increased industrial production which, together with related commercial and agricultural operations to meet our needs, have resulted in increased amounts of discarded materials. (11) The continuing technological progress and improvements in methods of manufacturing, packaging, and marketing of consumer products have resulted in an increasing amount of material discarded by the purchasers of these products, necessitating a statewide approach to assist local governments in improving solid waste management practices and to promote more efficient methods of solid waste management.

(12) The failure or inability to recover economically material and energy resources from solid waste results in the unnecessary waste and depletion of our natural resources, so that maximum resource recovery from solid waste and maximum recycling and reuse of these resources must be considered goals of the State.

(13) A coordinated statewide solid waste management program is needed to protect public health and safety, protect and preserve the quality of the environment, and conserve and recycle natural resources.

(14) The statewide solid waste management program should be implemented through the preparation of a state solid waste management plan and through the preparation by local governments of solid waste management plans consistent with the state plan and with Chapter 95, Title 44 of the 1976 Code as added by Section 3 of this act.

(B) It is the purpose of Article 1, Chapter 95, Title 44 of the 1976 Code, as added by Section 3 of this act to:

(1) provide for in the most economically feasible, cost-effective, and environmentally safe manner, the storage, collection, transport, separation, treatment, processing, recycling, and disposal of solid waste in order to protect the public health and safety, protect and preserve the environment of this State, and recover resources which have the potential for further usefulness;

(2) establish and maintain a cooperative state program for providing planning assistance, technical assistance, and financial assistance to local governments for solid waste management; (3) require counties and municipalities to plan adequately for and provide efficient, environmentally acceptable solid waste management services and programs;

(4) promote the establishment of resource recovery systems that preserve and enhance the quality of air, water, and land resources;

(5) ensure that solid waste is transported, stored, treated, processed, and disposed of in a manner adequate to protect human health, safety, and welfare and the environment;

(6) promote the reduction, recycling, reuse, and treatment of solid waste, and the recycling of materials which otherwise would be disposed of as solid waste;

(7) encourage counties and municipalities to utilize all means reasonably available to promote efficient and proper methods of managing solid waste, which may include contracting with private entities to provide management services or operate management facilities on behalf of the county or municipality, when it is cost effective to do so;

(8) promote the education of the general public and the training of solid waste professionals to reduce the generation of solid waste, to ensure proper disposal of solid waste, and to encourage recycling;

(9) encourage the development of waste reduction and recycling programs through planning assistance, technical assistance, grants, and other incentives;

(10) encourage the development of the state's recycling industries by promoting the successful development of markets for recycled items and by promoting the acceleration and advancement of the technology used in manufacturing processes that use recycled items;

(11) establish a leadership role for the State in recycling efforts by requiring the General Assembly, the Governor's Office, the Judiciary, and all state agencies to separate solid waste for recycling and by granting a preference in state procurement policies to products with recycled content; (12) require counties to develop and implement source separation, resource recovery, recycling programs, or all three programs, or enhance existing programs so that valuable materials may be returned to productive use, energy and natural resources conserved, and the useful life of solid waste management facilities extended;

(13) require counties, municipalities, and state agencies to determine the full cost of providing storage, collection, transport, separation, treatment, recycling, and disposal of solid waste in an environmentally safe manner; and

(14) encourage counties and municipalities to pursue a regional approach to solid waste management.

SECTION 2. Findings; purposes.

(A) The General Assembly further finds that:

(1) South Carolina is generating increasingly large volumes of solid waste which may pose a threat to human health and safety and to the environment if not properly managed or if managed in facilities inadequately designed and operated to ensure protection of human health and safety and the environment.

(2) Many communities are managing solid waste in existing facilities not designed and operated with technology and engineering controls that are adequately protective of the environment.

(3) A number of new solid waste management facilities will have to be established in coming years to replace older facilities as they reach capacity or as they are required to close because they cannot meet new state or federal regulatory requirements.

(4) It is the policy of South Carolina to protect human health and safety and the environment from the effects of improper or inadequate solid waste management.

(5) Legislation is needed to establish an adequate regulatory framework for the siting, design, construction, operation, and closure of solid waste management facilities in order to provide protection for human health and safety and for the environment.

(6) A regional approach to the establishment of solid waste management facilities is strongly encouraged in order to provide solid waste management services in the most efficient and cost-effective manner and to minimize any threat to human health and safety or to the environment.

(B) It is the purpose of Article 3, Chapter 95, Title 44 of the 1976 Code, as added by Section 3 of this act, to:

(1) regulate solid waste management facilities other than hazardous waste management facilities subject to the South Carolina Hazardous Waste Management Act, infectious waste management facilities subject to the South Carolina Infectious Waste Management Act, and radioactive waste facilities subject to the South Carolina Atomic Energy and Radiation Control Act and other federal and state laws.

(2) ensure that all solid waste management facilities in this State are sited, designed, constructed, operated, and closed in a manner that protects human health and safety and the environment.

SECTION 3. Title 44 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"CHAPTER 95

Solid Waste Policy and Management

Article 1

Solid Waste Policy; Specific Wastes

Section 44-95-10. Short Title.

This chapter may be cited as the `South Carolina Solid Waste Policy and Management Act of 1991'.

Section 44-95-20. Applicability.

This chapter does not apply to hazardous waste regulated under the South Carolina Hazardous Waste Management Act, to infectious waste regulated under the South Carolina Infectious Waste Management Act, or to radioactive waste regulated under the South Carolina Atomic Energy and Radiation Control Act, the Southeast Interstate Radioactive Waste Compact, or to mine waste or refuse regulated under the South Carolina Mining Act.

Section 44-95-30. Definitions.

As used in this chapter:

(1) `Beverage' means beer or malt beverages, mineral water, soda water, and similar carbonated soft drinks in liquid form, and all other liquids intended for human consumption, except for liquids marketed for and intended for consumption for medicinal purposes.

(2) `Beverage container' means the individual, separate, and sealed glass, aluminum or other metal, or plastic bottle, can, jar, or carton containing beverage intended for human consumption.

(3) `Collection' means the act of picking up solid waste materials from homes, businesses, governmental agencies, institutions, or industrial sites.

(4) `Compost' means the humus-like product of the process of composting waste.

(5) `Composing facility' means a facility used to provide aerobic, thermophilic decomposition of the solid organic constituents of solid waste to produce a stable, humus-like material.

(6) `County solid waste management plan' means a solid waste management plan prepared, approved, and submitted by a single county pursuant to Section 44-95-70.

(7) `Construction and demolition debris' means discarded solid wastes resulting from construction, remodeling, repair and demolition of structures, road building, and land clearing. The wastes include, but are not limited to, bricks, concrete, and other masonry materials, soil, rock, lumber, road spoils, paving material, and tree and brush stumps, but does not include solid waste from agricultural or silvacultural operations.

(8) `Degradable', with respect to any material, means that the material after being discarded, is capable of decomposing to components other than heavy metals or other toxic substances after exposure to bacteria, light, or outdoor elements.

(9) `Department' means the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

(10) `Discharge' means the accidental or intentional spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, or dumping of solid waste, including leachate, into or on land or water.

(11) `Disposal' means the discharge, deposition, injection, dumping, spilling, or placing of solid waste into or on land or water, so that the substance or a constituent of it may enter the environment or be emitted into the air or discharged into water, including groundwater.

(12) `Energy recovery' means the beneficial use, reuse, recycling, or reclamation of solid waste through the use of the waste to recover energy from it. (13) `Facility' means all contiguous land, structures, other appurtenances, and improvements on land used for treating, storing, or disposing of solid waste. A facility may consist of several treatment, storage, or disposal operational units, for example, one or more landfills, or surface impoundments, or a combination of them.

(14) `For hire carrier' means those motor carriers transporting persons or property over any improved public highway under a rate, fare, or charge established and approved by the Public Service Commission for transportation services available to the public and does not include or apply to businesses and vendors operating their own motor carriers to transport persons or property for their own internal business operations.

(15) `Generation' means the act or process of producing solid waste.

(16) `Groundwater' means water beneath the land surface in the saturated zone.

(17) `Hazardous waste' has the meaning provided in Section 44-56-20 of the South Carolina Hazardous Waste Management Act.

(18) `Incineration' means the use of controlled flame combustion thermally to break down solid, liquid, or gaseous combustible wastes, producing residue that contains little or no combustible materials.

(19) `Industrial waste' means solid waste that results from industrial processes including, but not limited to, factories and treatment plants.

(20) `Infectious waste' has the meaning given in Section 44-93-20 of the South Carolina Infectious Waste Management Act.

(21) `Land-clearing debris' means solid waste which is generated solely from land-clearing activities, but does not include solid waste from agricultural or silvacultural operations.

(22) `Landfill' means a disposal facility or part of a facility where solid waste is placed in or on land, and which is not a land treatment facility, a surface impoundment, or an injection well.

(23) `Lead-acid battery' means a battery that consists of lead and sulfuric acid, is used as a power source, and has a capacity of six volts or more.

(24) `Lead-acid battery collection facility' means a facility authorized by the Department of Health and Environmental Control to accept lead-acid batteries from the public for temporary storage before recycling.

(25) `Motor oil' and `similar lubricants' means the fraction of crude oil or synthetic oil which is sold for the purposes of reducing friction in an industrial or mechanical device. The terms include re-refined oil but does not include heavy greases.

(26) `Municipal solid waste landfill' means a sanitary landfill or landfill unit, publicly or privately owned, that receives household waste. The landfill also may receive other types of solid waste, such as commercial waste, nonhazardous sludge, and industrial solid waste.

(27) `Office' means the Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling established within the Department of Health and Environmental Control pursuant to Section 44-95-110.

(28) `Owner/operator' means the person who owns the land on which a solid waste management facility is located, the person who is responsible for the overall operation of the facility, or both.

(29) `Person' means an individual, corporation, company, association, partnership, unit of local government, state agency, federal agency, or other legal entity.

(30) `Plastic bottle' means a plastic container intended for single use, that has a neck that is smaller than the body of the container, accepts a screw-type, snap cap, or other closure, and has a capacity of sixteen fluid ounces or more but less than five gallons.

(31) `Plastic container' means any container having a wall thickness of not less than one one-hundredth of an inch used to contain beverages, foods, or nonfood products and composed of synthetic polymeric materials.

(32) `Recovered materials' means those materials which have known use, reuse, or recycling potential; feasibly can be used, reused, or recycled; and have been diverted or removed from the solid waste stream for sale, use, reuse, or recycling, whether or not requiring subsequent separation and processing, but does not include materials when recycled or transferred to a different site for recycling in an amount which does not equal at least seventy-five percent by weight of materials received during the previous calendar year.

(33) `Recyclable material' means those materials which are capable of being recycled and which otherwise would be processed or disposed of as solid waste.

(34) `Recycling' means a process by which materials which otherwise would become solid waste are collected, separated, or processed and reused or returned to use in the form of raw materials or products (including composting).

(35) `Region' means a group of counties which is planning to or has prepared, approved, and submitted a regional solid waste management plan to the department pursuant to Section 44-95-70.

(36) `Regional solid waste management plan' means a solid waste management plan prepared, approved, and submitted by a group of counties pursuant to Section 44-95-70.

(37) `Resource recovery' means the process of obtaining material or energy resources from solid waste which no longer has any useful life in its present form and preparing the waste for recycling.

(38) `Resource recovery facility' means a combination of structures, machinery, or devices, utilized to separate, process, modify, convert, treat, or prepare collected solid waste so that component materials or substances or recoverable resources may be used as a raw material or energy source.

(39) `Reuse' means the return of a commodity into the economic stream for use in the same kind of application as before without change in its identity.

(40) `Rigid plastic container' means a formed or molded container, other than a bottle, intended for single use, composed predominantly of plastic resin, and having a relatively inflexible finite shape or form with a capacity of eight ounces or more, but less than five gallons.

(41) `Sanitary landfill' means a land disposal site employing an engineered method of disposing of solid waste on land in a manner that minimizes environmental hazards and meets the design and operation requirements of this chapter.

(42) `Secondary lead smelter' means a facility which produces metallic lead from various forms of lead scrap, including used lead-acid batteries.

(43) `Solid waste' means garbage, refuse, or sludge from a waste treatment facility, water supply plant, or air pollution control facility and other discarded material, including solid, liquid, semi-solid, or contained gaseous material resulting from industrial, commercial, mining, and agricultural operations and from community activities. This term does not include solid or dissolved material in domestic sewage, recovered materials, or solid or dissolved materials in irrigation return flows, or industrial discharges which are point sources subject to NPDES permits under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, or the Pollution Control Act of South Carolina, as amended, or source, special nuclear, or by-product material as defined by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended. Also excluded from this definition are application of fertilizer and animal manure during normal agricultural operations and materials from mining operations which are otherwise regulated by the State.

(44) `Solid waste disposal facility' means a solid waste management facility or part of a facility at which solid waste intentionally is placed into or on land or water and at which waste will remain after closure.

(45) `Solid waste management' means the systematic control of the generation, collection, source separation, storage, transportation, treatment, recovery, and disposal of solid waste.

(46) `Solid Waste Management Grant Program' means the grant program established and administered by the Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling pursuant to Section 44-95-130.

(47) `Solid Waste Management Trust Fund' means the trust fund established within the Department of Health and Environmental Control pursuant to Section 44-95-120.

(48) `Source separation' means the act or process of removing a particular type of recyclable material from other waste at the point of generation or under control of the generator for the purposes of collection, disposition, and recycling.

(49) `Solid waste management facility' means a solid waste disposal area, volume reduction plant, transfer station, or other facility, the purpose of which is the storage, collection, transportation, treatment, utilization, processing, recycling, or disposal, or any combination of them, of solid waste. The term does not include a recovered materials processing facility or facilities which use or ship recovered materials, except that portion of the facilities which is managing solid waste.

(50) `Specific wastes' means solid waste which requires separate management provisions, including plastics, used oil, waste tires, lead-acid batteries, yard trash, compost, and white goods.

(51) `State solid waste management plan' means the plan which the Department of Health and Environmental Control is required to submit to the General Assembly and to the Governor pursuant to Section 44-95-50.

(52) `Storage' means the containment of solid waste, either on a temporary basis or for a period of years, in a manner so as not to constitute disposal of the solid waste. However, storage in containers by persons of solid waste resulting from their own activities on their property, leased or rented property, if the solid waste in the containers is collected at least once a week, does not constitute `storage' for purposes of this act. The term does not apply to containers provided by or under the authority of a county for the collection and temporary storage of solid waste before disposal.

(53) `Surface water' means lakes, bays, sounds, ponds, impounding reservoirs, springs, rivers, streams, creeks, estuaries, marshes, inlets, canals, the Atlantic Ocean within territorial limits, and all other bodies of surface water, natural or artificial, inland or coastal, fresh or salt, and public or private.

(54) `Tire' means the continuous solid or pneumatic rubber covering encircling the wheel of a motor vehicle, trailer, or motorcycle as defined in Section 56-3-20(2), (4), and (13).

(55) `Tire' means the continuous solid or pneumatic rubber covering encircling the wheel of a motor vehicle, trailer, or motorcycle as defined in Section 56-3-20(2), (4), and (13).

(56) `Transport' means the movement of solid waste from the point of generation to an intermediate point and finally to the point of ultimate processing, treatment, storage, or disposal.

(57) `Transporter' means a person engaged in the off-site transportation of solid waste by air, rail, highway, or water.

(58) `Treatment' means a technique designed to change the physical, chemical, or biological character or composition of solid waste so as to render it safe for transport, amenable to storage, recovery, or recycling, safe for disposal, or reduced in volume or concentration.

(59) `Used oil' means any oil which has been refined from crude or synthetic oil and, as a result of use, storage, or handling, has become unsuitable for its original purpose due to the presence of impurities or loss of original properties, but which may be suitable for further use and may be economically recyclable.

(60) `Used oil collection center' means a facility which, in the course of business, accepts used oil for subsequent disposal or recycling.

(61) `Used oil recycling facility' means a facility that recycles more than six thousand gallons of used oil annually.

(62) `Used Oil Energy Recovery Facility' means a facility that burns more than six thousand gallons of used oil annually for energy recovery.

(63) `Waste tire' means a tire that is no longer suitable for its original intended purpose because of wear, damage, or defect.

(64) `Waste tire collection site' means a permitted site, or a site exempted from the permit requirement, used for the temporary storage of waste tires before treatment or recycling.

(65) `Waste tire hauler' means a person engaged in the picking up or transporting of waste tires for the purpose of storage, processing, or disposal.

(66) `Waste tire treatment site' means a permitted site used to produce or manufacture usable materials, including fuel, from waste tires.

(67) `Waste tire site' means an establishment, site, or place of business, without a collector or processor permit, that is maintained, operated, used, or allowed to be used for the disposal, storing, or depositing of unprocessed used tires, but does not include a truck service facility which meets the following requirements:

(a) all vehicles serviced are owned or leased by the owner or operator of the service facility;

(b) no more than two hundred scrap tires are accumulated for no more than thirty days at a time;

(c) the facility does not accept tires from sources other than its own; (d) all scrap tires are stored under a covered structure.

(68) `Waters of the State' means lakes, bays, sounds, ponds, impounding reservoirs, springs, wells, rivers, streams, creeks, estuaries, marshes, inlets, canals, the Atlantic Ocean within the territorial limits, and all other bodies of surface or underground water, natural or artificial, public or private, inland or coastal, and fresh or salt, which wholly or partially are within or bordering the State or within its jurisdiction.

(69) `White goods' include refrigerators, ranges, water heaters, freezers, dishwashers, trash compactors, washers, dryers, air conditioners, and commercial large appliances.

(70) `Yard trash' means solid waste consisting solely of vegetative matter resulting from landscaping maintenance.

Section 44-95-40. State solid waste management policy and goals.

(A) Appropriate methods of solid waste management must be promoted by this State before utilizing the option of disposal in landfills, and units of local government with solid waste management functions must be assisted by this State. The following methods of managing solid waste are established, in descending order of preference:

(1) waste volume reduction at the source;

(2) recycling and reuse;

(3) composting;

(4) incineration for energy production;

(5) incineration for volume reduction; and

(6) disposal in landfills.

(B) Research by private entities, by state agencies, and by state-supported educational institutions into innovative solid waste management methods and products must be encouraged by this State.

(C) A regional approach to solid waste management must be encouraged by this State. (D) The amount of solid waste being received at municipal solid waste landfills must be reduced on a statewide per capita basis by thirty percent, calculated by weight, of the fiscal year 1993 solid waste level, not later than six years after this chapter is effective. In determining whether this waste reduction goal has been achieved, no more than fifty percent of this goal may be met by the removal from the municipal solid waste stream of yard trash, land-clearing debris, white goods, construction, demolition debris, and waste tires.

In a county or municipality where a recycling or reduction program is in place before 1993, the base figure for determining a thirty percent reduction goal is the weight of solid waste reduced or recycled during the preceding year in that county or municipality added to the amount of solid waste currently being disposed of by that county or municipality in municipal solid waste landfills.

(E) New and revised goals after the initial six-year period referenced in subsection (D) of this section must continue to be set by the State. The goals must be established in a manner so as to attempt to further reduce the flow of solid waste being disposed of in municipal solid waste landfills after meeting the initial goal of a thirty percent reduction. The total solid waste stream generated in this State must be recycled, on a statewide basis, at least twenty-five percent, calculated by weight, not later than six years after this chapter is effective.

(F) Each county or region shall make every effort to meet, on an individual basis, the state solid waste recycling and reduction goals, and each county or region, and municipalities located in them, which meet this goal must be rewarded financially by the State.

Section 44-95-50. State solid waste management plan; revision of plan and annual report.

(A) Not later than eighteen months after this chapter is effective, the department shall submit to the Governor and to the General Assembly a state solid waste management plan. All regulations promulgated by the department in accordance with this chapter are subject to the provisions of Chapter 23 of Title 1, the Administrative Procedures Act. The plan, at a minimum, must include:

(1) an inventory of the amounts and types of solid waste currently being disposed of at solid waste disposal facilities in this State, both in the municipal solid waste stream and in the industrial solid waste stream;

(2) an estimate of solid waste which will require disposal at solid waste disposal facilities in this State projected for the twenty-year period following this chapter's effective date;

(3) an estimate of the current capacity in this State to manage solid waste, including an identification of each solid waste management facility and a projection of its remaining useful life;

(4) an evaluation of current solid waste management practices, including without limitation waste reduction, recycling, incineration, storage, processing, disposal, and export;

(5) an analysis of the types of solid waste facilities which will be needed to manage the state's solid waste during the projected twenty-year period;

(6) a description of procedures by which the State may facilitate the siting, construction, and operation of new facilities needed to manage the state's solid waste over the projected twenty-year period;

(7) an evaluation of existing local government solid waste management programs, including recommendations, if necessary, on ways to improve the programs; (8) a description of the means by which the State shall achieve its statewide solid waste recycling and reduction goals, including recommendations on which categories of solid waste materials should be recycled;

(9) procedures and requirements for meeting state goals for waste reduction and recycling, including composting, and objectives for waste-to-energy implementation and sanitary landfilling;

(10) a description of existing state programs and recommendations for new programs or activities that will be needed to assist local governments in meeting their responsibilities under this article, whether by financial, technical, or other forms of aid;

(11) procedures by which counties, regions, or municipalities may request assistance from the department;

(12) procedures for encouraging and ensuring cooperative efforts in solid waste management by the State, counties, municipalities, and private industry, including a description of the means by which the State may encourage counties and municipalities to pursue a regional approach to solid waste management;

(13) minimum standards and procedures developed after consulting with local government officials which must be met by a county or region in its solid waste management plan, including the procedures which will be used to provide for input from private industry and from private citizens;

(14) a comprehensive analysis of the amounts and types of hazardous waste currently being disposed of in municipal solid waste landfills and recommendations regarding more appropriate means of managing the waste;

(15) a description of the public education programs to be developed in consultation with local governments, other state agencies, and business and industry organizations to inform the public of solid waste management practices in this State and the need for and the benefits of recycling, reduction, and other methods of managing the solid waste generated in this State;

(16) a description of the program for the certification of operators at solid waste management facilities;

(17) recommendations on whether to require that certain solid waste materials be made degradable and, if so, which categories of materials; and

(18) a fiscal impact statement identifying the costs incurred by the department in preparing the state solid waste management plan and which will be incurred in carrying out all of the department's duties and responsibilities under this chapter, including the number of new employees which may be necessary, and an estimate of the revenues which will be raised by the various fees authorized by this chapter.

(B) After submission of the state solid waste management plan, the department shall submit to the Governor and to the General Assembly by the end of each calendar year a comprehensive report on solid waste management in this State. The annual report, at a minimum, must include:

(1) revisions in the state solid waste management plan which the department determines are necessary;

(2) a description and evaluation of the progress made in implementing the state solid waste management plan;

(3) a description and evaluation of the progress made by local governments in implementing their solid waste management plans;

(4) an inventory of the amounts and types of solid waste received, recycled, incinerated, or disposed at solid waste disposal facilities during the previous year and the methods of recycling, incineration, or disposal used, including, but not limited to paper, polystyrene, and beverage containers;

(5) a determination of the success of the State and of each county or region in achieving the solid waste recycling and reduction goals established in Section 44-95-40; (6) recommendations to the Governor and to the General Assembly for improving the management of solid waste in this State; and

(7) the number of lead-acid batteries recycled.

(C) Not later than six months after this chapter is effective, there must be established a State Solid Waste Advisory Council. The council consists of the following twenty-two members:

(1) three House members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(2) three Senate members appointed by the President of the Senate;

(3) thirteen members appointed by the Governor which must include one member to represent the Governor; one member to represent manufacturing interests; one member to represent the retail industry; two members to represent the solid waste disposal industry; one member to represent existing private recycling industry; two members to represent the general public; three members to represent county governments to be recommended by the South Carolina Association of Counties, one shall represent a county with a population of 50,000 or less, one shall represent a county with a population more than 50,000 and up to 100,000, and one shall represent a county with a population over 100,000; two members shall represent municipalities to be recommended by the South Carolina Municipal Association;

(4) the Consumer Advocate or his designee;

(5) one member to represent the Department of Health and Environmental Control; and

(6) one member to represent the State Development Board.

The members of the council serve at the pleasure of their appointing authority. The council shall advise the department on the preparation of the state solid waste management plan, on methods of implementing the state plan, and on the preparation of the annual reports by the department on solid waste management. The council must be provided with drafts of the plan and reports and given adequate opportunity to comment. The council also must be advised on a regular basis by the department regarding the grant applications which have been accepted or denied under the Solid Waste Management Grant Program and on the status of the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund. The council ceases to exist six years after this chapter is effective.

Section 44-95-60. Establishment of the Recycling Market Development Council; initial report; annual report.

(A) There is established within the State Development Board a Recycling Market Development Council to assist in the development of markets for recovered materials and products with recycled content in this State.

(B) The members of the council must be appointed not later than ninety days after this chapter is effective.

(C) The council consists of sixteen members. Fourteen must be appointed by the Governor, one House member appointed by the Speaker of the House, and one Senator appointed by the President of the Senate. Of the members appointed by the Governor:

(1) one member shall represent the State Development Board;

(2) one member shall represent county governments;

(3) one member shall represent municipalities;

(4) one member shall represent the solid waste collection and disposal industry;

(5) one member shall represent the existing recycling industry;

(6) one member shall represent the glass industry;

(7) one member shall represent the paper industry;

(8) one member shall represent the aluminum industry;

(9) one member shall represent the plastics industry; (10) one member shall represent the tire industry;

(11) one member shall represent the general public;

(12) one member shall represent the oil industry;

(13) one member shall represent the scrap iron industry; and

(14) one member shall represent higher education research institutions.

(D) Each member of the council serves a two-year term beginning on the date of appointment and serves until a successor is appointed and qualified. Members serve at the pleasure of their appointing authority and receive the usual mileage, per diem, and subsistence provided by law for members of boards, committees, and commissions. Until sufficient funds have accumulated in the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund to cover the council's expenses the appointing authorities must provide the mileage, per diem, and subsistence for their respective appointees. Any other expenses of the council must be shared equally by the appointing authorities until the trust fund has sufficient funds to cover the expenses.

(E) The chairman must be designated by the State Development Board, and the council shall select a vice-chairman. The council shall adopt operating procedures and meet on the call of the chairman or of a majority of the members. A majority of the members constitutes a quorum to do business. The State Development Board shall provide the necessary staff and administrative facilities and services to the council. The Department of Health and Environmental Control shall provide technical assistance to the council at the request of the chairman or the vice-chairman, or by majority vote of the council.

(F) Not later than fifteen months after this chapter is effective, the council shall provide to the Governor and to the General Assembly an initial report which, at a minimum, must include:

(1) a description and analysis of this state's existing recycling industry;

(2) an analysis of the projected long-term capacity of existing markets to absorb materials generated by source separation, recovery, or recycling programs;

(3) an analysis of potential markets in this State, in other states, or in foreign countries for recovered materials and products with recycled content from this State;

(4) an analysis of institutional, economic, and technical barriers to the use of recovered materials and products with recycled content;

(5) recommendations for actions which may be taken to increase demand for source separated, recovered, or recycled materials or products;

(6) recommendations for actions which may be taken to increase the incentives for private individuals and for business and industry to consume or export recovered materials and products with recycled content;

(7) an analysis of the compatibility of recycling with solid waste treatment or disposal methods and recommendations on the feasibility of the implementation of mechanisms for cooperative marketing of recyclable materials;

(8) recommendations on categories of materials which should be recovered, given existing and potential markets for such materials;

(9) recommendations for a public education program to be implemented by the Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling within the department to provide information to the public and to business and industry on the benefits of source separation, recovery, and recycling and on the availability of the materials or products;

(10) a study of methods of and cost effectiveness of source separation and recycling of recovered materials;

(11) a study of packaging reduction; and

(12) a study of the design of products at the primary stage of development to promote recyclability.

(G) Following its initial report, the council shall submit to the Governor and to the General Assembly by the end of each calendar year an annual report on recycling activities in this State which, at a minimum, must include:

(1) revisions which the council determines are necessary to its initial report;

(2) a description and analysis of the amounts and types of solid waste materials recovered or recycled in this State during the preceding year;

(3) recommendations regarding materials which should be added to or deleted from source separation, recovery, and recycling programs; and

(4) any other recommendation, including tax incentives, to facilitate the development of markets for recovered materials or products in this State.

Section 44-95-70. County or regional solid waste management plans; local government responsibilities.

(A) Not later than fifteen months after the date on which the department submits its state solid waste management plan to the Governor and to the General Assembly, the governing body of each county, if the county intends to submit a single county plan, or the governing bodies of the counties in a region, if two or more counties intend to submit a regional plan, in cooperation with the municipalities located in the county or region, shall prepare a solid waste management plan for the area within that county or region. Municipalities within the county or region shall participate in the development of the county or regional plan and are required to be a part of the plan. This plan must provide for public participation and, at a minimum, must include:

(1) an estimate of the amount of solid waste currently disposed of at solid waste disposal facilities within that county or region and a projection of the amount of solid waste which will be disposed of at solid waste disposal facilities during the twenty-year period following this chapter's effective date;

(2) an estimate of the current capacity within that county or region to manage solid waste, including identification of each solid waste management facility and a projection of its useful life;

(3) an analysis of the existing and new solid waste facilities which will be needed to manage the solid waste generated within that county or region during the projected twenty-year period;

(4) an estimate of the cost of implementing the solid waste management plan within that county or region;

(5) an estimate of the revenue which each county, region, or municipality in them needs and intends to make available to fund implementation of the solid waste management plan;

(6) an estimate of the cost of siting, constructing, and bringing into operation new facilities needed to manage solid waste within that county or region during the projected twenty-year period;

(7) a description and estimate of the sources and amount of revenues which can be made available for the siting, construction, and operation of new solid waste management facilities;

(8) a description of resource recovery, recycling program, or both, which must be implemented in each county or region which, at a minimum, must include:

(a) the designation of a recycling coordinator;

(b) an identification of the categories of solid waste materials to be source separated, recovered, recycled, or all three;

(c) an identification of the means by which the materials will be collected and marketed;

(d) a description of the incentives or penalties, or both, that will be used to ensure compliance with the recycling program; and (e) a description of the public education program which will be used to inform the public of the need for and benefits of source separation, recovery, and recycling and of the requirements of the recycling program.

A county or region may be exempted from the requirements of this item if it provides sufficient justification to the department that the implementation of a source separation, resource recovery, recycling program, or all three programs, within that county or region is economically infeasible or impracticable or that the program is unnecessary for the county or region to meet the waste recycling and reduction goals established in Section 44-95-40.

(9) a description of efforts, in addition to the recycling program, which will be undertaken within that county or region to meet the solid waste reduction goal as established on a statewide basis in Section 44-95-40.

(B) Each county or region shall submit its solid waste management plan to the department for review. The department has one hundred eighty days from the date on which a plan is submitted to review the plan and provide comments to the submitting entity. At the end of the one hundred eighty-day review period, the county or region shall begin implementation of its solid waste management plan. The plan must be implemented not later than one year after the end of the one hundred eighty-day review period.

(C) Each solid waste management plan submitted by a county or region must be designed to achieve within that county or region the same recycling and waste reduction goals established on a statewide basis in Section 44-95-40. Nothing in this chapter, however, prohibits a county or region from setting higher percentage goals for recycling and waste reduction in its solid waste management plan that the goals established in Section 44-95-40. The department may reduce or modify the statewide goals for a county or region to account for industrial growth or other good cause shown.

(D) Each county or region submitting a solid waste management plan containing a source separation, resource recovery, recycling programs, or all three programs to the department shall provide its residents with the opportunity to recycle the categories of solid waste materials designated in the county or regional solid waste management plan. The opportunity to recycle may include one or more of the following:

(1) curbside collection systems;

(2) drop-off centers;

(3) collection centers;

(4) collection systems for multi-family residences.

(E) Each solid waste management plan submitted pursuant to this section must be consistent with the state solid waste management plan, with the provisions of this chapter, with all other applicable provisions of state law, and with regulation promulgated by the department for the protection of public health and safety or for protection of the environment.

(F) Each county or region submitting a solid waste management plan to the department shall submit an annual progress report to the department by a date to be determined by the department. The annual report must contain information as may be requested by the department, but at a minimum must contain:

(1) revisions to the solid waste management plan previously submitted by the county or region;

(2) the amount of waste disposed of at municipal solid waste disposal facilities during the previous year by type of waste;

(3) the percentage reduction each year in solid waste disposed of at municipal solid waste disposal facilities;

(4) the amount, type, and percentage of materials that were recycled, if any, during the previous year;

(5) the percentage of the population participating in various types of source separation, recovery, or recycling activities during the previous year; and

(6) a description of the source separation, recovery, recycling activities, or all three activities attempted, if any, their success rates, the reasons for their success or failure, and a description of the activities which are ongoing.

(G) Counties are encouraged strongly to pursue a regional approach to solid waste management. Nothing in this chapter, however, requires a county to participate in a regional plan or to prohibit two or more counties within the State which are not contiguous from preparing, approving, and submitting a regional solid waste management plan or one or more counties, including industrial waste generators located in them, from contracting with an in-state solid waste disposal facility located outside of the county or region. Not later than eighteen months after this chapter is effective, each county shall notify the department in writing whether it intends to submit a single county solid waste management plan or to participate in a regional plan.

(H) Counties and municipalities may enter into cooperative agreements with other counties and municipalities to provide for the collection, separation, or recycling of solid waste at mutually agreed upon sites. Counties and municipalities may expend funds received from any source to establish and maintain the regional facilities and to provide for sharing the costs of establishing and maintaining the facilities in an equitable manner.

(I) Each county or region shall ensure that municipalities participate in the preparation and implementation of the solid waste management plan, including the source separation, resource recovery, recycling program, or all three programs.

(J) The governing body of a county has the responsibility and authority to provide for the operation of solid waste management facilities to meet the needs of all incorporated or unincorporated areas of the county. Nothing in this chapter, however, prohibits a municipality from continuing to operate or to use an existing management facility, permitted on or before this chapter is effective, in accordance with the provisions of the solid waste management plan submitted by the county or region within which the municipality is located. A county which does not regulate the operation or closure of a solid waste management facility, or which has not obtained a permit for that solid waste management facility, is not liable for the operation, closure and post-closure of that solid waste management facility if it is owned and operated by a private entity under a permit issued by the department. However, inclusion in a county or regional plan does not constitute regulation by a county or region under this section.

(K) The governing body of a county may enact an ordinance necessary to carry out its responsibilities under this chapter. However, the governing body of a county may not enact an ordinance inconsistent with the state solid waste management plan or with a provision of this chapter.

(L) vacant

(M) In addition to all other fees provided in this chapter, there is imposed a fee of ten dollars a ton on all solid waste generated out of state and disposed of in this State except that if the other state's tipping fees for in-state or out-of-state solid waste are higher than this state's out-of-state fee, then the higher fee is imposed. The revenue generated from the imposition of the out-of-state fee must be deposited in the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund established in Section 44-95-120.

(N) Not later than eighteen months after this chapter is effective, each operator of a municipal solid waste disposal facility shall install scales conforming to requirements established by the department to weigh and record all solid waste when it is received. The department shall promulgate regulations exempting existing facilities which can demonstrate financial hardship and establishing a volume equivalent for the facilities to use in estimating the weight of the solid waste which they receive. All solid waste disposal facilities permitted on or after this chapter is effective shall install scales.

(O) Not later than one year after this chapter is effective, there must be established a local Solid Waste Advisory Council for each county or region intending to submit a solid waste management plan. The local council shall advise the county or region on the preparation of the solid waste management plan and on methods of implementing the plan. The local council must be provided with all drafts of the plan and given sufficient opportunity to comment on the drafts. Each local council consists of not more than fifteen members. One third of the members shall represent:

(1) the county or member counties of a region and must be appointed by the governing body or bodies of the county or counties;

(2) the municipalities within the county or region and must be appointed by the governing body of the municipalities within the county or region; and

(3) private solid waste management industry, private recycling or processing industry, if any, operating within the county or region, and at least two members of the general public who have been active in public participation on environmental issues for the past five or more years. These members must be appointed by the county and municipal representatives serving on the council.

Each local council shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman from among its members. Each council, at a minimum, must remain in existence until the end of the one hundred eighty-day review period for the plans but may remain in existence for a longer time as determined by its appointing entities. The comments of a local council on the final solid waste management plan must be forwarded to the department when the final plan is submitted.

Section 44-95-80. Full cost disclosure.

(A) Not later than one year after this chapter is effective, the department shall promulgate regulations establishing the method for local governments to use in calculating the full cost for solid waste management within the service area of the county or municipality which, at a minimum, must include the provisions of subsections (C), (D), and (E). The department shall comply with the requirements of the South Carolina Administrative Procedures Act and notify local government officials of the opportunity to provide input before issuing proposed regulations for comment under this article.

(B) Not later than one year after promulgation of these regulations, each county and municipality shall determine the full cost for solid waste management within the service area of the county or municipality for the previous year. The county or municipality shall inform by publication of a notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, municipality, or region, no less than once a year, residential and nonresidential users of solid waste management services within the county's or municipality's service area of the user's share, on an average or individual basis, of the full cost for solid waste management as determined pursuant to subsection (A). Counties must provide the information required of municipalities only to residential and nonresidential users of solid waste management services within the county's service area that are not served by a municipality. Counties and municipalities must include costs charged to them by persons contracting with them for disposal of solid waste in the full cost information provided to residential and nonresidential users of solid waste management services.

(C) For counties and municipalities which provide collection, recycling, transfer station services, or all three services, `full cost', at a minimum, must include an itemized accounting of:

(1) the cost of equipment, for example, trucks, containers, and compactors, plus parts, labor, maintenance, depreciation, insurance, fuel and oil, and lubricants for equipment maintenance; (2) the cost of overhead including supervision, payroll, land, office and building costs, personnel and administrative costs of running the waste management program, and support costs from other departments, government agencies, and outside consultants or firms;

(3) the cost of employee social security, worker's compensation, pension and health insurance payments;

(4) disposal cost and laboratory and testing costs.

(D) For counties and municipalities which provide disposal services, `full cost', at a minimum, must include an itemized accounting of:

(1) the cost of land, disposal site preparation, permits and licenses, scales, buildings, site maintenance, and improvements;

(2) the cost of equipment, including operation and maintenance costs such as parts, depreciation, insurance, fuel and oil, and lubricants;

(3) the cost of labor and overhead including supervision, payroll, office and building costs, personnel and administrative costs of running the waste management program, and support costs from, and studies provided by, other departments, government agencies, and outside consultants or firms;

(4) the cost of employee social security, worker's compensation, pension, and health insurance payments; and

(5) disposal costs, leachate collection and treatment costs, site monitoring costs including sampling, laboratory and testing costs, environmental compliance inspections, closure and post closure expenditures, and escrow, if required.

(E) For purposes of this section, `service area' means the area in which the county or municipality provides, directly or by contract, solid waste management services.

(F) A person operating under an agreement to collect or dispose of solid waste within the service area of a county, municipality, or region shall assist and cooperate with the county, municipality, or region to make the calculations or to establish a system to provide the information required under this section. However, contracts entered into before this chapter is effective are exempt from the provisions of this section.

Section 44-95-90. Additional powers and duties of the department.

In addition to the other powers and duties set forth in this article, the department shall:

(1) establish programs and promulgate regulations necessary to implement the state solid waste management plan;

(2) establish programs and promulgate regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this article;

(3) provide to counties and municipalities, upon request, planning and technical assistance in preparing and implementing their solid waste management plans;

(4) provide to state agencies, upon request, planning and technical assistance in carrying out their responsibilities under this article;

(5) cooperate and coordinate with federal agencies in carrying out federal and state solid waste management requirements, including seeking available federal grants and loans for solid waste management plans and activities in this State;

(6) cooperate and coordinate with private organizations and with business and industry in implementing the requirements of this article;

(7) encourage counties to pursue a regional approach to solid waste management within a common geographical area;

(8) contract as needed with private entities or state-supported educational institutions to carry out the department's responsibilities under this article and contract with private entities or with state-owned educational institutions to conduct research on solid waste management technologies;

(9) receive appropriated funds and receive and administer grants, other funds, or gifts from public or private entities, including the State and the federal government, to carry out the requirements of this article;

(10) increase public awareness of solid waste management issues through appropriate statewide educational programs on recycling, volume reduction, litter control, proper methods of managing solid waste, and other related issues.

Section 44-95-100. All regulations promulgated by the department pursuant to this chapter must be in consultation with officials representing local governments which own or operate municipal solid waste disposal facilities pursuant to the Administrative Procedures Act.

Section 44-95-110. Establishment of the Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling.

(A) Ninety days after this chapter is effective there is established within the department an Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling which shall promote and assist in the development of source separation, recovery, and recycling programs for local governments and for private entities under a contractual agreement with local governments or state supported institutions. The Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling is separate from, and may not participate in, the regulatory functions of the department with regard to solid waste management.

(B) The Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling has the following duties and responsibilities:

(1) receive funds for and disburse funds from the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund established in Section 44-95-120;

(2) manage the Solid Waste Management Grant Program established in Section 44-95-130;

(3) promote and assist in the development of solid waste reduction, source separation, recycling, and resource recovery programs;

(4) maintain a directory of recycling and resource recovery systems in the State and provide assistance in matching recovered materials with markets; (5) provide for the education of the general public and the training of solid waste management professionals to encourage recycling and solid waste reduction;

(6) develop descriptive literature to educate local governments on solid waste reduction and recycling issues; and

(7) conduct at least one workshop each year in each region served by a council of governments.

(C) Not later than six months after this chapter is effective, the Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling, in consultation with the State Department of Education, shall develop guidelines for the establishment and implementation of recycling demonstration projects in school districts in this State. The office shall notify the superintendent of each school district of the existence of the demonstration project program and provide information on how to apply for the program. Upon the request of the school board of a district, the office shall provide technical assistance and financial assistance from the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund in establishing a recycling demonstration project, including private funding for the project, and shall coordinate the establishment and implementation of the project with the school district and with private industry. The office shall determine the number of such demonstration projects that feasibly may be initiated in a single calendar year. The office, in consultation with the Department of Education, also shall develop and make available to school districts, upon request, curriculum materials and resource guides for recycling awareness programs for instruction at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.

Section 44-95-120. Establishment of the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund.

(A) There is established a Solid Waste Management Trust Fund to be administered by the Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling to fund:

(1) activities of the department to implement the provisions of this chapter;

(2) research by state-supported educational institutions or by private entities under contract with state-supported educational institutions on solid waste management technologies;

(3) activities of the Recycling Market Development Council;

(4) demonstration projects or pilot programs to be conducted by local governments within their jurisdictions, including local governments which contract with private entities to assist in conducting the demonstration projects or pilot programs;

(5) grants to local governments to carry out their responsibilities under this article, pursuant to the provisions of Section 44-95-130, including local governments which contract with private entities to assist in carrying out their responsibilities under this article.

(6) start-up administrative costs of the Tax Commission in the amount of one hundred thousand dollars and the State Treasurer in the amount of fifty thousand dollars. In addition, the Tax Commission shall receive annually fifty thousand dollars to offset its recurring administrative costs.

(B) The Solid Waste Management Trust Fund consists of:

(1) funds appropriated by the General Assembly;

(2) contributions and grants from public and private sources;

(3) five million dollars of oil overcharge refund monies, which are not legally obligated to any local government, agency, board, commission, or institution or other entity on the effective date of this act. Oil overcharge funds may be used only for local government grants and local government demonstration projects and pilot programs;

(4) the balance of the funds generated by the two-dollar fee imposed pursuant to Section 44-95-170(L) which is not remitted back to the counties for the management of waste tires, to be remitted to a special fund designated as the Scrap Tire Grant Trust Fund;

(5) funds generated by the two-dollar fee for each lead-acid battery fee imposed pursuant to Section 44-95-180(F) for the management of lead-acid batteries;

(6) funds generated by the two-dollar fee for each white good fee imposed pursuant to Section 44-95-200(D) for the management of white goods;

(7) funds generated by fees imposed on motor oil and similar lubricants pursuant to Section 44-95-160(V);

(8) funds generated by fees imposed on out-of-state waste disposed of in this State;

(9) interest earnings accrued on the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund.

(10) funds generated by the registration and permit fees pursuant to Section 44-95-260(3).

(C) The department shall report on a quarterly basis to the State Solid Waste Advisory Council, House Ways and Means Committee, Senate Finance Committee, and the Joint Legislative Committee on Energy on the condition of the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund and on the use of all funds allocated from the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund. Quarterly reports must be made not later than sixty days after the last day of each fiscal quarter beginning with the first full quarter after this chapter is effective. Notwithstanding Chapter 39 of Title 11, the Department of Health and Environmental Control, through the Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling, shall make decisions on the allocation of oil overcharge funds transferred to the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund pursuant to Section 44-95-120(B)(3). The department's decision must be made upon the approval of the statewide Solid Waste Advisory Council, after consultation with the Governor's Office and the Joint Legislative Committee on Energy, to assure that the funds are administered according to decisions of the federal courts and requirements of the United States Department of Energy. All oil overcharge funds transferred to the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund not committed for projects or programs authorized by this chapter five years from the date this chapter is effective, must be returned to the Governor's Office.

Section 44-95-130. Solid Waste Management Grant Program.

(A) The Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling shall establish a grant program utilizing funds within the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund to assist counties and municipalities in carrying out their responsibilities under this chapter. Grant disbursements must be approved by the State Solid Waste Advisory Council.

(B) The department shall ensure that, for the first five years after this chapter is effective, one hundred percent of the grant funds made available to counties, regions, and municipalities must be utilized for activities necessary to carry out their solid waste management responsibilities established by this article. The grants must be made available as soon as possible following the promulgation by the department of regulations establishing the Solid Waste Management Grant Program. After the date on which county or regional solid waste management plans are required to be submitted to the department, no county, region, or municipalities located in them, is eligible for a grant from the Solid Waste Management Grant Program unless it has submitted a solid waste management plan meeting the requirements of Section 44-95-90.

(C) Beginning six years after this chapter is effective, the department shall ensure that at least twenty-five percent of the grant funds made available to counties, regions, and municipalities must be bonus grants to the counties, regions, or municipalities located in them, which have met the solid waste reduction, recycling goals, or both set forth in their solid waste management plans. Bonus grants must be used to fund activities which are related to solid waste management.

(D) Not later than twelve months after this chapter is effective, the Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling shall promulgate regulations establishing the Solid Waste Management Grant Program. The regulations, at a minimum, must establish the criteria for counties, regions, and municipalities to qualify for grants, and set forth the procedures for applying for grants. The department may require the information of the entity applying for the grant necessary to evaluate properly the grant proposal. The department shall comply with the requirements of the South Carolina Administrative Procedures Act and notify local government officials of the opportunity to provide input before issuing proposed regulations for comment under this article.

(E) The regulations required to be promulgated by subsection (D) must include procedures for a party aggrieved by a grant decision of the Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling to obtain review of that decision.

Section 44-95-140. Recycling programs of state government; state procurement policy; report of the Department of Highways and Public Transportation.

(A) Not later than twelve months after the date on which the department submits the state solid waste management plan to the Governor and to the General Assembly, the General Assembly, the Governor's Office, the Judiciary, each state agency, and each state-supported institution of higher education shall:

(1) establish a source separation and recycling program in cooperation with the department and the Division of General Services of the State Budget and Control Board for the collection of selected recyclable materials generated in state offices throughout the State, including but not limited to, high-grade office paper, corrugated paper, aluminum, glass, tires, composting materials, plastics, batteries, and used oil;

(2) provide procedures for collecting and storing recyclable materials, containers for storing materials, and contractual or other arrangements with collectors, buyers of the recyclable materials, or both;

(3) evaluate the amount of waste paper material recycled and make all necessary modifications to the recycling program to ensure that all waste paper materials are recycled to the maximum extent feasible; and

(4) establish and implement, in cooperation with the department and the Division of General Services, a solid waste reduction program for materials used in the course of agency operations. The program must be designed and implemented to achieve the maximum feasible reduction of solid waste generated as a result of agency operations.

(B) Not later than six months after this chapter is effective, the Division of General Services shall submit a report to the Governor and to the General Assembly reviewing all goods and products purchased by the State and determining what percentage of state purchases contain recycled materials using content specifications established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The report also must review existing procurement regulations for the purchase of products and materials and identify portions of regulations that discriminate against products and materials with recycled content and products and materials which are recyclable.

(C) Not later than one year after this chapter is effective, the Division of General Services shall amend the procurement regulations to eliminate the portions of the regulations identified in its report as discriminating against products and materials with recycled content.

(D) Not later than one year after the effective date of the amendments to the procurement regulations, the General Assembly, the Governor's Office, the Judiciary, all state agencies, all political subdivisions using state funds to procure items, and all persons contracting with the agency or political subdivision where the persons procure items with state funds shall procure products and materials with recycled content where practicable. State and local governmental agencies shall reflect a twenty-five percent goal in their procurement policies. The decision not to procure the items must be based on a determination that the procurement items:

(1) are not available within a reasonable period of time;

(2) fail to meet the performance standards set forth in the applicable specifications; or

(3) only are available at a price that exceeds by more than seven and one-half percent the price of alternative items.

(E) Not later than six months after this chapter is effective, and annually after that time, the Department of Highways and Public Transportation shall submit a report to the Governor and to the General Assembly on the use of:

(1) compost as a substitute for regular soil amendment products in all highway projects;

(2) ground rubber from tires in road surfacing of subbase materials;

(3) glass aggregate, plastic, or both in asphalt or concrete; and

(4) recycled mixed-plastic materials for guard rail posts, right-of-way fence posts, and sign supports.

Section 44-95-150. Packaging; plastics.

(A) Six months after this chapter is effective, no beverage may be sold or offered for sale within this State in a beverage container designed and constructed so that the container is opened by detaching a metal ring or tab.

(B) One year after this chapter is effective, no person may distribute, sell, or offer for sale in this State any food or drink in packages or containers, including point of sale packaging, made with fully halogenated chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's). Producers or manufacturers of all types of containers, packaging, or packing material made with fully halogenated CFC's are urged strongly to introduce alternative containers, packages, and packing materials which are environmentally acceptable as soon as possible. Not later than three years after this chapter is effective, the department shall report to the Governor and to the General Assembly on the progress made in introducing alternative containers, packages, and packing materials. The report may include recommendations for legislative actions to encourage or require the development and use of alternatives.

(C) One year after this chapter is effective, no plastic bag may be provided at any retail outlet to any retail customer for use in carrying items purchased by that customer unless the bag is composed of material which is recyclable. Notice of recyclability must be printed on each bag.

(D) One year after this chapter is effective, no plastic rings or any other device or material used to connect one container to another may be provided at a retail outlet to a retail customer unless the rings or other device or material are degradable or recyclable. Producers of plastic ring carriers are urged strongly to introduce alternatives as soon as possible. Not later than three years after this chapter is effective, the department shall report to the Governor and to the General Assembly on the progress made in introducing the alternative packaging or materials. The report may include recommendations for legislative actions to encourage or require the development and use of alternatives.

(E) One year after this chapter is effective, no person may distribute, sell, or offer for sale in this State a polystyrene foam product for use in conjunction with food for human consumption unless the product is composed of material which is recyclable.

(F) Not later than eighteen months after this chapter is effective, no person may distribute, sell, or offer for sale in this State a plastic bottle or rigid plastic container unless the bottle or container is labeled with a code identifying the appropriate resin type used to produce the structure of the container. The code must consist of a number placed within three triangulated arrows. The three arrows must form an equilateral triangle with the common point of each line forming each angle of the triangle at the midpoint of each arrow and rounded with a short radius. The arrowhead of each arrow must be at the midpoint of each side of the triangle with a short gap separating the arrowhead from the base of the adjacent arrow. The triangle formed by the three arrows curved at their midpoints must depict a clockwise path around the code number. The label shall appear on or near the bottom of the plastic container product and be clearly visible. The numbers and letters must be for:

(1) polyethylene terephthalate, the letters `PETE' and the number `1';

(2) high density polyethylene, the letters `HDPE' and the number `2';

(3) vinyl, the letter `V' and the number `3';

(4) low density polyethylene, the letters `LDPE' and the number `4';

(5) polypropylene, the letters `PP' and the number `5';

(6) polystyrene, the letters `PS' and the number '6';

(7) any other, the letters `OTHER' and the number `7'. (G) Not later than five years after this chapter is effective, the department shall make a determination as to the number of beverage containers being sold annually in this State and the percentage of containers that are being recycled or recovered by individual category of glass, aluminum, and plastic. If the department determines that one or more categories of beverage containers are being recycled at a rate of less than twenty-five percent, the department shall submit a report to the Governor and to the General Assembly making recommendations on incentives, penalties, or both which may include the imposition of fees, to increase the recycling rate of that category to a minimum of twenty-five percent within a reasonable period of time. Seven years after this chapter is effective, the department shall make a determination, by individual category of container, as to the percentage of containers that are being recycled. If the department determines that one or more categories of beverage containers are being recycled at a rate of less than thirty-five percent, the department shall submit a report to the Governor and to the General Assembly making recommendations, which may include the imposition of appropriate fees, to increase the recycling rate of that category to at least thirty-five percent within a reasonable period of time. The department, by regulation, may establish a program to obtain and verify the information that is necessary to make the determinations and recommendations required by this subsection.

Section 44-95-160. Used oil.

(A) Twelve months after this chapter is effective no person knowingly may:

(1) place used oil in municipal solid waste, discard or otherwise dispose of used oil, except by delivery to a used oil collection facility, used oil energy recovery facility, oil recycling facility, or to an authorized agent for delivery to a used oil collection facility, oil recycling facility, or used oil energy recovery facility;

(2) dispose of used oil in a solid waste disposal facility unless the disposal is approved by the department;

(3) collect, transport, store, recycle, use or dispose of used oil in a manner which may endanger public health and welfare or the environment;

(4) discharge used oil into sewers, drainage systems, septic tanks, surface water or groundwater, or any other waters of this State, or onto the ground; or

(5) mix or commingle used oil with hazardous substances that make it unsuitable for recycling or beneficial use.

A person who unknowingly disposes in a landfill any used oil which has not been properly segregated or separated from other solid wastes by the generator is guilty of a violation of this subsection. Upon conviction, he must be fined not more than two hundred dollars. This provision may be enforced by a state, county, or municipal law enforcement official, or by the department.

(B) The utilization of used oil for road oiling, dust control, weed abatement, or other similar uses that have the potential to cause harm to the environment is prohibited.

(C) The department shall encourage the voluntary establishment of used oil collection centers and recycling programs and provide technical assistance to persons who organize these programs.

(D) All government agencies and private businesses that change motor oil for the public and major retail dealers of motor and lubricating oil are encouraged to serve as used oil collection centers.

The Department of Highways and Public Transportation shall establish at least one used oil collection center in every county unless it can certify to the Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling that a private used oil collection center is in operation in a county and is accepting up to five gallons of used oil from a member of the public.

(E) A person who maintains a used oil collection facility that receives a volume of used oil annually which exceeds a limit to be determined by the department must register with the department.

(F) A used oil collection center annually shall report to the department by a date to be determined by the department and shall indicate if it is accepting used oil from the public, the quantities of used oil collected in the previous year, and the total quantity of used oil handled in the previous year.

(G) No person may recover from the owner or operator of a used oil collection center any costs of response actions resulting from a release of either used oil or a hazardous substance from a used oil collection center if the used oil is:

(1) not mixed with any hazardous substance by the owner or operator of the used oil collection center;

(2) not knowingly accepted with any hazardous substances contained in it;

(3) transported from the used oil collection center by a registered transporter;

(4) stored in a used oil collection center that is in compliance with this section.

This subsection applies only to that portion of the used oil collection center utilized for the collection of used oil and does not apply if the owner or operator is grossly negligent in the operation of the public used oil collection center. Nothing in this section affects or modifies the obligations or liability of a person under any other provision of state or federal law, including common law, for injury or damage resulting from the release of used oil or hazardous substances. For the purpose of this subsection, the owner or operator of a used oil collection center may presume that a quantity of no more than five gallons of used oil accepted from a member of the public is not mixed with a hazardous substance, if the owner or operator acts in good faith and the oil is generated from the individual's personal activity. (H) A motor, lubricating, or other oil offered for sale, at retail or at wholesale for direct retail sale, for use off the premises, must be marked clearly or labeled as containing a recyclable material which must be disposed of only at a used oil collection center. A statement on a container of lubricating or other oil offered for sale is in compliance with this section if it contains the following statement: `Don't pollute. Conserve resources. Return used oil to collection centers.'

(I) Motor oil retailers shall post and maintain, at or near the point of sale, a durable and legible sign, not less than eleven inches by fifteen inches in size, informing the public of the importance of the proper collection and disposal of used oil and how and where used oil may be disposed properly.

(J) The department may inspect any place, building, or premises subject to subsections (H) and (I) and issue warnings and citations to any person who fails to comply with the requirements of those subsections. Failure to comply following a warning constitutes a violation and the entity must be fined not more than one hundred dollars a day. Each day on which an establishment fails to comply constitutes a separate violation. The proceeds of any fine imposed pursuant to this subsection must be remitted to the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund.

(K) The following persons shall register annually with the department pursuant to department regulations on forms prescribed in the regulations:

(1) a person who transports over public highways more than five hundred gallons of used oil weekly;

(2) a person who maintains a collection facility that receives more than six thousand gallons of used oil annually; and

(3) a facility that recycles more than six hundred gallons of used oil annually.

(L) The department shall require each registered person to submit by a date to be determined by the department an annual report which specifies the type and quantity of used oil transported, collected, and recycled during the preceding year. The department also shall require each registered person who transports or recycles used oil to maintain records which identify the:

(1) source of the materials transported or recycled;

(2) quantity of materials received;

(3) date of receipt; and

(4) destination or the end use of the materials.

(M) The department shall require sample analyses of used oil at facilities of representative used oil transporters and at representative recycling facilities to determine the incidence of contamination of used oil with hazardous, toxic, or other harmful substances.

(N) The following entities are exempted from the requirements of subsection (K):

(1) an on-site burner which only burns a specification used oil generated by the burner, if the burning is done in compliance with any air permits issued by the department; or

(2) an electric utility which generates during its operation used oil that is then reclaimed, recycled, or refined by the electric utility for use in its operations.

(O) A person who fails to register with the department as required by subsection (K), or to file the annual report required by subsection (L), upon conviction, must be fined not more than three hundred dollars a day. Each day on which the person fails to comply constitutes a separate violation. The proceeds of a fine imposed pursuant to this subsection must be remitted to the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund.

(P) After the effective date of regulations promulgated by the department pursuant to this section, a person who annually transports over public highways more than five hundred gallons of used oil must be a registered transporter. (Q) The department shall promulgate regulations establishing a registration program for transporters of used oil and shall issue, deny, or revoke registrations authorizing the holder to transport used oil. Registration requirements must assure that a used oil transporter is familiar with applicable regulations and used oil management procedures. The department shall promulgate regulations governing registration which must include requirements for the following:

(1) registration and annual reporting;

(2) evidence of familiarity with laws and regulations governing used oil transportation; and

(3) proof of liability insurance or other means of financial responsibility for any liability which may be incurred in the transport of used oil.

(R) Each person who intends to operate, modify, or close a used oil recycling facility shall obtain an operation or closure permit from the department before operating, modifying, or closing the facility.

(S) Not later than eighteen months after this chapter is effective, the department shall develop a permitting system for used oil recycling facilities.

(T) Permits are not required under subsection (R) for the burning of used oil as a fuel, if:

(1) a valid air permit, if required, issued by the department is in effect for the facility;

(2) the facility burns used oil in accordance with applicable state and local government regulations and the requirements and conditions of its air permit; and

(3) the on specification used oil is burned in industrial furnaces and boilers and nonindustrial furnaces and boilers.

(U) No permit is required under this section for the use of used oil for the benefication or flotation of phosphate rock.

(V) (1) For sales made on or after November 1, 1991, every person making wholesale sales of motor oil or similar lubricants, and every person importing into this State ex-tax motor oil or similar lubricants, shall pay a fee on a monthly basis of eight cents for every gallon of motor oil or similar lubricants sold at wholesale or ex-tax motor oil or similar lubricants imported. As used herein, `ex-tax motor oil or similar lubricants' means motor oil or similar lubricants upon which the fee imposed has not been levied and which is not sold at wholesale in this State. The fee imposed must be imposed only once with respect to each gallon of motor oil or similar lubricants. The Tax Commission shall administer, collect, and enforce this fee in the same manner that sales and use taxes are collected pursuant to Chapter 36 of Title 12. However, taxpayers are not required to make payments pursuant to Section 12-36-2600. In lieu of the discount allowed pursuant to Section 12-36-2610, the taxpayer may retain three percent of the total fees collected as an administrative collection allowance. This allowance applies whether or not the return is timely filed.

A for-hire motor carrier as defined under this act, who purchases lubricating oils not for resale used in his fleet is exempt from the fee. The for hire motor carrier must:

(a) have a maintenance facility to service his own fleet and properly store waste oil for recycling collections;

(b) have reported to the Environmental Protection Agency, via Report No. EXP 17, the existence of storage tanks for waste oil storage;

(c) maintain records of the dispensing and servicing of lubrication oil in the fleet vehicles;

(d) have a written contractual agreement with an approved waste oil hauler.

(2) The Tax Commission shall remit fees collected pursuant to this section to the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund. The fees must be reserved in a separate account designated as the Petroleum Fund. The Petroleum Fund is under the administration of the Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling.

The funds generated by the fees authorized by this section and set aside for the Petroleum Fund must be used by the Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling as follows:

(a) Two-fifths of the funds must be used to establish incentive programs to encourage:

(1) individuals who change their own oil to return their used oil to used oil collection centers;

(2) the establishment and continued operation of collection centers which accept used oil; and

(3) the establishment and continued operation of recycling facilities which prepare used oil for reuses or which utilize used oil in a manner that substitutes for a petroleum product made from new oil.

(b) Two-fifths of the funds must be used to provide grants for local government projects that the office determines will encourage the collection, reuse, and proper disposal of used oil and similar lubricants. Local government projects may include one or more of the following programs or activities:

(1) curbside pickup of used oil containers by a local government or its designee;

(2) retrofitting of solid waste equipment to promote curbside pickup or disposal of used oil at used oil collection centers designated by the local government;

(3) establishment of publicly operated used oil collection centers at landfills or other public places; or

(4) providing containers and other materials and supplies that the public can utilize in an environmentally sound manner to store used oil for pickup or return to a used oil collection center.

(c) One-fifth of the funds must be used for public education and research, including, but not limited to, reuses, disposal, and development of markets for used oil and similar lubricants.

The office may use funds set aside under subitem (a) of item (2) to contract for the development and implementation of incentive programs, and the office may use funds set aside under subitem (c) of item (2) to contract for the development and implementation of research and education programs.

Motor oil or similar lubricants exported from this State in its original package or container are exempt from the fee imposed in this subsection. A person purchasing motor oil or similar lubricants at wholesale in their original package or container and who exports the motor oil or similar lubricants from this State may certify in writing to the seller that the motor oil or similar lubricants will be exported, and the certification, if taken by the seller in good faith, will relieve the seller of the fee imposed. If the purchaser subsequently uses the motor oil or similar lubricants in this State, the purchaser is liable for the fee imposed and the purchaser's certification to the seller must include an acknowledgment to that effect.

(W) The fee imposed under item (V) of this section is imposed until the unobligated principal balance of the Petroleum Fund equals or exceeds three million dollars. Based upon the amount of revenue received and the time frame in which the amount is collected, the Tax Commission is required to adjust the rate of the fee to reflect a full year's collection to produce the amount of revenue required in the Fund. The increase or decrease in the fee made by the Tax Commission takes effect for sales beginning on or after the first day of the third month following determination by the commission.

(X) The department shall promulgate regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this section. The regulations may include the imposition of reasonable registration and permitting fees to assist in defraying the costs of the regulatory activities of the department required by this section.

(Y) All state agencies, all political subdivisions using state funds to procure items, and all persons contracting with the agency or political subdivision where the persons procure items with state funds shall procure used oil materials and products where practicable, subject to the provisions of Section 44-95-140(D).

Section 44-95-170. Waste tires.

(A) Not later than ninety days after this chapter is effective, the owner or operator of a waste tire site shall notify the department of the site's location, size, and the approximate number of waste tires that are accumulated at the site. However, this section does not apply to a manufacturer who disposes only of tires generated in the course of its scientific research and development activities, so long as the waste tires are buried on the facility's own land or that of its affiliates or subsidiaries and the disposal facility is in compliance with all applicable regulations.

(B) Not later than six months after this chapter is effective, the department shall submit to the Governor and to the General Assembly a report on waste tire management and disposal in this State. The report, at a minimum, must include the:

(1) number of waste tires generated in this State and the geographical distribution of the waste tires;

(2) number and location of existing waste tire sites;

(3) location of existing waste tire collection sites;

(4) necessary financial responsibility requirements for processors, collectors, and disposers of waste tires;

(5) alternative methods of collecting waste tires;

(6) current and future options for waste tire recycling;

(7) methods to establish reliable sources of waste tires for waste tire users; and

(8) types and location of facilities in this State that can utilize waste tires as a fuel source.

(C) State and county solid waste management plans must include a section on waste tires. The section on waste tires must provide for public participation in its preparation and, as a minimum, must include:

(1) an estimate of the number of waste tires currently generated annually within that county or region and a projection of the number of waste tires to be generated during the twenty-year period following the date this chapter is effective;

(2) an estimate of the current capacity in the county to manage waste tire disposal;

(3) an estimate of the annual cost of implementing the approved waste tire disposal plan;

(4) an estimate of the cost of siting, construction, and bringing into operation any new facilities needed to provide waste tire disposal;

(5) the number of waste tires generated in each county and the geographical distribution of the waste tires;

(6) the number and location of existing waste tire sites;

(7) the location of existing waste tire collection sites;

(8) alternative methods of collecting waste tires;

(9) current and future options for waste tire recycling;

(10) methods to establish reliable sources of waste tires for waste tire users; and

(11) types and location of facilities in this county that can utilize waste tires as a fuel source.

(D) Each county will be required by the department to participate in ongoing scrap tire clean-up enforcement efforts, and no later than twelve months after promulgation of regulations by the department, establish approved scrap tire accumulation sites, designate scrap tire disposal methods to be used, and begin disposal operations in compliance with the applicable regulations. Counties may contract with other counties and with private firms to implement the provisions of this chapter. The department shall administer waste tire disposal plans for those counties which do not submit proposals.

(E) Counties are prohibited from imposing an additional disposal fee on scrap tires generated within the county. However, a county may impose an additional disposal fee on waste tires, heavy equipment tires, and oversized tires that have a greater diameter than the largest tire with a Department of Transportation number. A disposal fee may be charged on scrap tires generated outside of South Carolina. Counties may require fleets to provide documentation for proof of purchase on in-state tires. For tires not included in documentation, an additional tipping fee may be charged. Counties may charge a tipping fee of up to one dollar and fifty cents for each scrap tire manufactured in this State for which no fee has been paid otherwise.

(F) Not later than six months after the department promulgates regulations, no person, except as provided, knowingly may deposit whole waste tires in a landfill as a method of ultimate disposal.

(G) Eighteen months after this chapter is effective, no person may:

(1) maintain a waste tire collection site unless the site is an integral part of the person's permitted waste tire treatment facility or that person has entered into a contract with a permitted waste tire treatment facility for the disposal of waste tires;

(2) knowingly dispose of waste tires in this State, unless the waste tires are disposed of at a:

(a) permitted solid waste disposal facility for treatment;

(b) waste tire collection site which is an integral part of a permitted waste tire treatment facility;

(c) permitted waste tire treatment facility; or

(d) permitted waste tire collection center.

For an interim period to be determined by the department, waste tires may be disposed of at a solid waste disposal facility, a waste tire treatment facility, or a waste tire collection center seeking a permit from the department pursuant to this section.

A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a violation of this section. Upon conviction, he must be fined not more than two hundred dollars. This provision may be enforced by a state, county, or municipal law enforcement official, or by the department. Each tire improperly disposed of constitutes a separate violation.

(H) Not later than twelve months after this chapter is effective, the department shall promulgate regulations requiring all collectors, processors, haulers and disposers of waste tires to obtain a permit or registration issued by the department. The regulations must set forth the requirements for the issuance of the permits or registrations. After the effective date of the regulations, no person may collect, haul, or process waste tires unless that person has obtained a permit or registration from the department for that activity or, for an interim period to be determined by the department, is seeking a permit or registration from the department for that activity.

(I) Subsection (H) does not apply to a:

(1) tire retailing business where less than one thousand waste tires are kept on the business premises;

(2) tire retreading business where less than two thousand five hundred waste tires are kept on the business premises or a tire retreading facility that is affiliated with a company that manufactures tires in this State;

(3) business that, in the ordinary course of business, removes tires from motor vehicles if less than one thousand of these tires are kept on the business premises;

(4) permitted solid waste facility with less than two thousand five hundred waste tires; or

(5) person using waste tires for agricultural purposes, if the waste tire sites are maintained so as to prevent mosquitos or other nuisances as determined by the department.

(J) The department shall encourage the voluntary establishment of waste tire collection centers, waste tire treatment facilities, and solid waste disposal facilities to be open to the public for the deposit of waste tires.

(K) The department may establish incentive programs to encourage individuals to return their used tires to waste tire disposal facilities.

(L) For sales made on or after November 1, 1991, there is imposed a fee of two dollars for a new tire sold to the ultimate consumer, whether the tire is mounted by the seller or not. The wholesaler or retailer receiving new tires from unlicensed wholesalers is responsible for the fee imposed by this section. The Tax Commission shall administer, collect, and enforce the tire disposal fee in the same manner that the sales and use taxes are collected pursuant to Chapter 36 of Title 12. The fee imposed by this section must be remitted on a monthly basis. However, taxpayers are not required to make payments under Section 12-36-2600. In lieu of the discount allowed pursuant to Section 12-36-2610, the taxpayer may retain three percent of the total fees collected as an administrative collection allowance. This allowance applies whether or not the return is timely filed. The commission shall deposit all fees collected to the credit of the State Treasurer. The State Treasurer shall establish a separate and distinct account from the State General Fund. The State Treasurer shall distribute one and one-half dollars of each tire sold to each county based upon the population in each county according to the most recent United States Census. The county shall use these funds for collection and disposal of waste tires generated within that county. The remaining portion of the tire disposal fee must be credited to the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund by the State Treasurer for the Scrap Tire Waste Fund, which is established under the administration of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. The General Assembly shall review the scrap tire disposal fee every five years.

(M) The Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling may provide grants from the Scrap Tire Grant Fund to local governments to assist in:

(1) constructing or operating a Tire Derived Fuel (TDF) burning facility for processing or building heat, electricity, or other energy recovery;

(2) constructing or operating, or contracting for the construction or operation of a waste tire treatment facility and equipment for disposal;

(3) contracting for waste tire treatment facility services;

(4) removing or contracting for the removal of waste tires; or

(5) performing or contracting for the performance of research designed to facilitate waste tire recycling or disposal.

Priority is given to TDF facilities that utilize existing combustion equipment and provide large volume uses.

For three years from this chapter's effective date, the funds in the Scrap Tire Grant Fund must be used exclusively to fund grants to a county or region to pay for the cost of disposal of the accumulated waste tires.

(N) Scrap tire grants must be awarded on the basis of written grant request proposals submitted to and approved, not less than annually, by the committee consisting of ten members appointed by the commissioner representing the:

(1) South Carolina Tire Dealers and Retreaders Association;

(2) South Carolina Association of Counties;

(3) South Carolina Association of Regional Councils;

(4) South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control;

(5) tire manufacturers;

(6) general public;

(7) public interest and environmental organization;

(8) South Carolina Department of Wildlife and Marine Resources;

(9) Division of Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources in the Office of the Governor;

(10) South Carolina Municipal Association.

Members of the committee serve for terms of three years and until their successors are appointed and qualify. Of those first appointed, three serve for terms of two years, and three serve for terms of one year, as designated by the commissioner.

Vacancies must be filled in the manner of original appointment for the unexpired portion of the term. The representative of the department serves as chairman. The committee shall review grant requests and proposals and make recommendations on grant awards to the Solid Waste Advisory Committee. Grants must be awarded by the State Solid Waste Advisory Committee.

(O) A county failing to comply with the requirements of this section and regulations promulgated under it are not be eligible for monies from the Scrap Tire Grant Fund.

Section 44-95-180. Lead-acid batteries.

(A) Twelve months after this chapter is effective, no person knowingly may place a used lead-acid battery in mixed municipal solid waste, discard or otherwise dispose of a lead-acid battery, except by delivery to a:

(1) lead-acid battery retailer or wholesaler;

(2) collection, recycling, or recovered material processing facility that is registered by the department to accept lead-acid batteries; or

(3) permitted secondary lead smelter.

(B) Twelve months after this chapter is effective, no battery retailer knowingly may dispose of a used lead-acid battery except by delivery to:

(1) the agent of a lead-acid battery wholesaler or the agent of a permitted secondary lead smelter;

(2) a vehicle battery manufacturer for delivery to a permitted secondary lead smelter;

(3) a collection, recycling, or recovered material processing facility that is registered by the department to accept lead-acid batteries; or

(4) a permitted secondary lead smelter.

(C) A person who violates the provisions of subsection (A) or (B), upon conviction, must be fined not more than two hundred dollars. This provision may be enforced by a state, county, or municipal law enforcement official or by the department. Each lead-acid battery improperly disposed of constitutes a separate violation.

(D) A person selling lead-acid batteries or offering lead-acid batteries for retail sale in this State shall:

(1) accept, at the point of transfer, lead-acid batteries from customers; and

(2) post written notice at his place of business which must be at least eight and one-half inches by eleven inches in size and must contain the state recycling symbol and the following language:

(a) `It is illegal to put a motor vehicle battery in the garbage';

(b) `Recycle your used batteries';

(c) `State law requires us to accept motor vehicle batteries for recycling'.

(E) No person may recover from the owner or operator of a lead-acid battery collection center costs of response actions resulting from a release of either a hazardous substance from lead-acid batteries unless the owner or operator is grossly negligent in the operation of the public lead-acid battery collection center or recovered materials processing facilities. Nothing in this section affects or modifies the obligations or liability of a person under other provisions of state or federal law, including common law, for injury or damage resulting from the release of hazardous substances.

(F) For sales made on or after November 1, 1991, beginning with the first day of the sixth month after this chapter is effective, there is imposed a fee of two dollars for each lead-acid battery delivered by wholesalers to licensed retail merchants, jobbers, dealers, or other wholesalers for resale in this State. Retail merchants, jobbers, dealers, or other wholesalers receiving new lead-acid batteries from unlicensed wholesalers are responsible for the fee imposed by this section. The wholesaler or retailer shall remit the fee to the Tax Commission on a monthly basis. The Tax Commission shall administer, collect, and enforce the lead-acid battery disposal fee in the same manner that the sales and use taxes are collected pursuant to Chapter 36 of Title 12. However, taxpayers are not required to make payments under Section 12-36-2600. In lieu of the discount allowed pursuant to Section 12-36-2610, the taxpayer may retain three percent of the total fees collected as an administrative collection allowance. This allowance applies whether or not the return is timely filed. The commission shall deposit all fees collected to the credit of the State Treasurer. The lead-acid battery disposal fee must be credited to the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund by the State Treasurer.

(G) The department shall produce, print, and distribute the notices required by subsection (D) to all lead-acid battery retailers.

(H) A person selling lead-acid batteries at wholesale or offering lead-acid batteries for sale at wholesale must accept, at the point of transfer, lead-acid batteries from customers.

(I) The department shall promulgate regulations necessary to carry out the requirements of this section. The regulations may include the imposition of reasonable fees to assist in defraying the costs of the regulatory activities of the department required by this section.

(J) All state agencies, political subdivisions using state funds to procure items, and persons contracting with the agency or political subdivision where persons procure items with state funds shall procure recycled lead-acid batteries where practicable, subject to the provisions of Section 44-95-140(D).

Section 44-95-190. Yard Trash; compost.

(A) Not later than twelve months after this chapter is effective, the department shall:

(1) promulgate regulations governing the proper management or disposal, or both, of yard trash and land-clearing debris;

(2) promulgate regulations establishing standards for the production of compost, including requirements necessary to produce hygienically safe compost products for varying applications;

(3) comply with the requirements of the South Carolina Administrative Procedures Act and notify local government officials of the opportunity to provide input before issuing proposed regulations for comment under this article.

(B) Fifteen months after this chapter is effective, no person knowingly may mix yard trash and land-clearing debris with other municipal solid waste that is intended for collection or disposal at a municipal solid waste landfill or a resource recovery facility.

(C) Fifteen months after this chapter is effective, no owner or operator of a municipal solid waste landfill knowingly may accept loads composed primarily of yard trash or land-clearing debris unless the landfill provides and maintains a separate waste composting facility and composts all yard trash or land-clearing debris before disposal in the landfill or contracts for the composting of the waste at the facility.

(D) A person who violates the provisions of subsection (B) or (C), upon conviction, must be fined not more than two hundred dollars. This provision may be enforced by a state, county, or municipal law enforcement official or by the department.

(E) All state agencies, political subdivisions using state funds to procure items, and persons contracting with the agency or political subdivision where persons procure items with state funds shall procure composted materials and products where practicable, subject to the provisions of Section 44-95-140(D).

Section 44-95-200. White goods.

(A) Not later than eighteen months after this chapter is effective, the department shall promulgate regulations governing the proper management or disposal, or both, of white goods requiring a person selling or offering white goods for sale at retail in this State to post written notice at his place of business informing the purchaser of the proper method of disposal of used white goods. Persons dealing with the disposal of white goods are encouraged to reclaim freon from white goods containing freon before recycling or disposal.

(B) Three years after this chapter is effective, no person knowingly may include white goods with other municipal solid waste that is intended for collection or disposal at a municipal solid waste landfill.

(C) Three years after this chapter is effective, no owner or operator of a municipal solid waste landfill knowingly may accept white goods for disposal at the landfill.

(D) A person who violates the provisions of subsections (B) and (C), upon conviction, must be fined not more than two hundred dollars. This provision may be enforced by a state, county, or municipal law enforcement official, or by the department. Each white good improperly disposed of constitutes a separate violation.

(E) For sales made on or after November 1, 1991, there is imposed a fee of two dollars for each white good delivered by wholesalers to licensed retail merchants, jobbers, dealers, or other wholesalers for resale in this State. Retail merchants, jobbers, dealers, or other wholesalers receiving new white goods from unlicensed wholesalers are responsible for the fee imposed by this section. The wholesaler or retailer shall remit the fee to the Tax Commission on a monthly basis. The Tax Commission shall administer, collect, and enforce the white good disposal fee in the same manner that the sales and use taxes are collected pursuant to Chapter 36 of Title 12. However, taxpayers are not required to make payments under Section 12-36-2600. In lieu of the discount allowed pursuant to Section 12-36-2610, the taxpayer may retain three percent of the total fees collected as an administrative collection allowance. This allowance applies whether or not the return is timely filed. The commission shall deposit all fees collected to the credit of the State Treasurer. The white good disposal fee must be credited to the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund by the State Treasurer.

Section 44-95-210. Newsprint.

(A) Five years after this chapter is effective, the department shall make a determination as to whether newsprint sold within this State is being recycled at a rate of thirty-five percent or more of the quantity sold within the State. If the department determines that newsprint is being recycled at a rate of less than thirty-five percent, the department shall submit a report to the Governor and to the General Assembly making recommendations on incentives or penalties, or both, to increase the recycling percentage of newsprint to at least thirty-five percent within a reasonable time. The department, by regulation, may establish a program to obtain and verify the information necessary to make the determination and recommendations required by this section.

(B) For the purposes of this section, `newsprint' means uncoated paper, whether supercalendered or machine finished, of the type generally used for, but not limited to, the publication of newspapers, directories, or commercial advertising mailers, which is primarily from mechanical woodpulps combined with some chemical woodpulp.

Section 44-95-220. The provisions of Chapter 54 of Title 12 apply to the administration, collection, and enforcement of the fees imposed by this chapter as administered by the Tax Commission.

Section 44-95-230. State recycling symbol.

The Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling shall establish and have trademarked a state recycling symbol that would be utilized statewide for educating the public on recycling activities and for promoting the state solid waste management plan. This symbol must consist of six open arrows pointing counter-clockwise enclosed within a dark circle with the caption `South Carolina Recycles' on the outside of the dark circle. There must be a white open circle in the center.

Section 44-95-240. Severability.

If a clause, sentence, paragraph, or part of this chapter or application of it to any person or circumstance, for any reason, is judged by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, the judgment does not affect, impair, or invalidate the remainder of this chapter or its application to other persons or circumstances.

Section 44-95-250. Definitions.

(A) The definitions set forth in Article 1 of this chapter are incorporated by reference in this article.

(B) The following definitions apply:

(1) `Applicant' means an individual, corporation, partnership, business association or government entity that applies for the issuance, transfer, or modification of a permit under this article.

(2) `Ash' means the solid residue from the incineration of solid waste.

(3) `Closure' means the discontinuance of operation by ceasing to accept, treat, store, or dispose of solid waste in a manner which minimizes the need for further maintenance and protects human health and the environment.

(4) `Commissioner' means the Commissioner of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

(5) `Composite liner' means a liner which consists of a geomembrane placed over a natural or recompacted soil layer.

(6) `Contingency plan' means a document acceptable to the department setting out an organized, planned, and coordinated course of action to be followed at or by the facility in case of a fire, explosion, or other incident that could threaten human health and safety or the environment.

(7) `Construction' means a physical modification to the site at which a potential or proposed solid waste management facility is to be located including, but not limited to, site preparation.

(8) `Cover' means soil or other suitable material acceptable to the department, or both, that is used to cover compacted solid waste in a land disposal site.

(9) `Daily cover' means a compacted layer of at least six inches of cover material that is placed on all exposed solid waste in a landfill at the end of each day of operation, except for recyclable materials properly located in a salvage area.

(10) `Disclosure statement' means a sworn statement or affirmation, the form and content of which must be determined by the department and as required by Section 44-95-300.

(11) `Double geomembrane liner' means a liner which consists of the following layers from bottom to top:

(a) properly graded and prepared subbase;

(b) minimum 60 mil HDPE geomembrane secondary liner;

(c) secondary leachate collection system;

(d) approved bentonite mat or equivalent;

(e) geomembrane primary liner; and

(f) primary leachate collection system.

(12) `Equity' means both legal and equitable interests.

(13) `Financial responsibility mechanism' means a mechanism designed to demonstrate that sufficient funds are available to meet specific environmental protection needs of solid waste management facilities. Available financial responsibility mechanisms include but are not limited to insurance, trust funds, surety bonds, letters of credit, personal bonds, certificates of deposit, financial tests, and corporate guarantees as determined by the department by regulation.

(14) `Flood plain' means the lowland and relatively flat areas adjoining inland and coastal areas of the mainland and off-shore islands including, at a minimum, areas subject to a one percent or greater chance of flooding in a given year.

(15) `Leachate' means the liquid that has percolated through or drained from solid waste or other man-emplaced materials and that contains soluble, partially soluble, or miscible components removed from the waste.

(16) `Liner' means a continuous layer of natural or manmade materials, beneath or on the sides of a surface impoundment, landfill, or landfill cell, which restricts the downward or lateral escape of solid waste, and constituents of the waste, or leachate.

(17) `Monofill' means a landfill or landfill cell into which only one type of waste is placed.

(18) `Municipal solid waste incinerator' means any solid waste incinerator, publicly or privately owned, that receives household waste. The incinerator may receive other types of solid waste such as commercial or industrial solid waste.

(19) `Permit' means the process by which the department can ensure cognizance of, as well as control over, the management of solid wastes.

(20) `Responsible party' means:

(a) an officer, corporation director, or senior management official of a corporation, partnership, or business association that is an applicant;

(b) a management employee of a corporation, partnership, or business association that is an applicant who has overall responsibility for operations and financial management of the facility under consideration;

(c) an individual, officer, corporation director, senior management official of a corporation, partnership, or business association under contract to the applicant to operate the facility under consideration; or

(d) an individual, corporation, partnership, or business association that holds, directly or indirectly, at least five percent equity or debt interest in the applicant. If a holder of five percent or more of the equity or debt of the applicant is not a natural person, the term means any officer, corporation director, or senior management official of the equity or debt holder who may make discretionary decisions with respect to the operation and financial management of the facility under consideration.

(21) `Run-off' means rainwater, leachate, or other liquid that drains over land from a part of a facility.

(22) `Solid waste processing facility' means a combination of structures, machinery or devices utilized to reduce or alter the volume, chemical, or physical characteristics of solid waste through processes, such as baling or shredding, before delivery of such waste to a recycling or resource recovery facility or to a solid waste treatment, storage, or disposal facility and excludes collection vehicles.

(23) `Transfer station' means a combination of structures, machinery, or devices at a place or facility where solid waste is taken from collection vehicles and placed in other transportation units, with or without reduction of volume, for movement to another solid waste management facility.

(24) `Vector' means a carrier that is capable of transmitting a pathogen from one organism to another including, but not limited to, flies and other insects, rodents, birds, and vermin.

(25) `Vehicle' means a motor vehicle, water vessel, railroad car, airplane, or other means of transporting solid waste.

Section 44-95-260. Powers and duties of the department.

To carry out the purposes and provisions of this article, the department may:

(1) promulgate regulations, procedures, or standards necessary to protect human health and safety or the environment from the adverse effects of improper, inadequate, or unsound management of solid waste;

(2) issue, deny, revoke, or modify permits, registrations, or orders under conditions as the department may prescribe, pursuant to procedures consistent with the South Carolina Administrative Procedures Act, for the operation of solid waste management facilities;

(3) establish, by regulation, and collect reasonable registration and permit fees to assist in defraying the costs of the department's solid waste regulatory programs. Revenue generated from the imposition of these fees must be credited to the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund, as established by Section 44-95-120;

(4) conduct inspections, investigations, obtain samples, and conduct research regarding the operation and maintenance of a solid waste management facility;

(5) enter into agreements, contracts, or cooperative arrangements, under terms and conditions the department determines appropriate, with other state, federal, or interstate agencies, counties, municipalities, educational institutions, and local health departments, consistent with the purposes and provisions of this article;

(6) receive financial and technical assistance from the federal government or private entities;

(7) cooperate with private organizations and with business and industry in carrying out the provisions of this article;

(8) establish qualifications for, and provide certification programs for, operators of landfills and other solid waste management facilities;

(9) establish and carry out an appropriate statewide educational program to inform local governments and private entities of the requirements of this article;

(10) encourage counties and municipalities to pursue a regional approach to solid waste management within a common geographical area.

Section 44-95-270. Department report on regional solid waste management facilities.

The department shall conduct a study and submit a report to the Governor and to the General Assembly not later than eighteen months after this chapter is effective on ways to encourage counties and municipalities to pursue a regional approach to solid waste management, including incentives to encourage the siting, construction, and operation of regional solid waste management facilities.

Section 44-95-280. Powers of the commissioner.

The commissioner, upon receipt of information that an aspect of solid waste management within a publicly or privately owned facility may present an imminent and substantial hazard to human health or safety or to the environment, may take necessary action to protect human health or safety or the environment which may include, but is not limited to:

(1) entering the solid waste management facility in order to assess what actions may be necessary;

(2) issuing or modifying an order directing the person responsible for facility operations to take appropriate action to prevent or eliminate the practice which is causing the hazard or a violation of a provision of this article or regulation promulgated pursuant to this article;

(3) commencing an action to enjoin any act or practice that is causing the hazard;

(4) inspecting and obtaining samples from a person owning, operating, or supervising a solid waste management facility. However, the department shall provide, upon request, a sample of equal volume or weight to the person owning, operating, or supervising the facility. The department also shall provide the person with a copy of the results of the analysis of the samples after the results have been evaluated properly by the department to determine their validity.

Section 44-95-290. Permitting.

(A) No person may operate a solid waste management facility without a permit from the department. However, pursuant to a county or regional plan, any political subdivision may hold a permit for a solid waste management facility as the owner of the facility and contract for the operation, management, or both, of the facility. A separate permit is required for each site or facility although the department may include one or more different types of facilities in a single permit if the facilities are located on the same site. The department, by regulation, may exempt certain facilities from all or part of the requirements of this section.

(B) No person may initiate construction, expansion, modification, or closure of a solid waste management facility except in accordance with requirements established by the department pursuant to this article.

(C) Permits issued by the department to existing solid waste management facilities pursuant to statutory and regulatory requirements in effect before the date this article is effective remain valid for the life of the permit. However, a solid waste management facility without an approved closure plan is subject to the closure and postclosure requirements of this article applicable to that type of facility and to any other requirements made applicable specifically to existing solid waste management facilities by this article or by regulations promulgated pursuant to it. Upon expiration of the permit, the permittee shall comply with the requirements of this article and regulations promulgated pursuant to it.

(D) The department shall promulgate regulations for the permitting of solid waste management facilities which, at a minimum, must address the following issues:

(1) contents of permit applications and application procedures;

(2) suspension, revocation, modification, issuance, denial, or renewal of a permit, including the criteria for taking such action and the procedures for taking such action consistent with the South Carolina Administrative Procedures Act;

(3) exemptions, variances, and emergency approvals;

(4) financial responsibility requirements sufficient to ensure the satisfactory maintenance, closure, and postclosure care of a solid waste management facility or to carry out a corrective action which may be required as a condition of a permit. However, consideration must be given to mechanisms which provide flexibility to the owner or operator in meeting its financial obligations. The owner or operator must be allowed to use combined financial responsibility mechanisms for a single facility and must be allowed to use combined financial responsibility mechanisms for multiple facilities, utilizing actuarially sound risk-spreading techniques. The department shall require the demonstration of financial responsibility before issuing a permit for a solid waste management facility. The department regulations regarding financial responsibility requirements do not apply to a local government or region comprised of local governments which owns and operates a municipal solid waste management facility unless federal regulations require these local governments and regions to demonstrate financial responsibility for the facilities;

(5) public notice and public hearing requirements consistent with the requirements of the South Carolina Administrative Procedures Act; and

(6) generally applicable operational requirements.

(E) No permit to construct a new solid waste management facility or to expand an existing solid waste management facility may be issued until a demonstration of need is approved by the department. No construction of new or expanded solid waste management facilities may begin until all permits required for construction have been issued. In determining if there is a need for new or expanded solid waste disposal sites, the department may not consider solid waste generated in jurisdictions not subject to the provisions of a county or regional solid waste management plan pursuant to this chapter. In considering a demonstration of need from an applicant to construct a new or expanded facility before adoption and approval of county or regional solid waste plans as required by Section 44-95-70, the department may consider the amount of waste generated within the State, except no county or proposed region may be required to use any facility permitted during this interim period unless the governing body of the county or the governing bodies of the counties in a proposed region adopt a resolution expressing their intent to use the facility. The department shall promulgate regulations to implement this section. These regulations must apply to all solid waste management facilities which have not obtained all permits required for construction. This subsection does not apply to industrial facilities managing solid waste generated in the course of normal operations on property under the same ownership or control as the solid waste management facility if the industrial facility is not a commercial solid waste management facility.

(F) No permit to construct a new solid waste management facility or to expand an existing solid waste management facility within a county or municipality may be issued by the department unless the proposed facility or expansion is consistent with the applicable local zoning and land use ordinances. Eighteen months after this chapter is effective, the proposed facility or expansion must be consistent with the local or regional solid waste management plan and the state solid waste management plan. One year after the end of the one hundred eighty day review period, the host jurisdiction and the jurisdiction generating solid waste destined for the proposed facility or expansion shall demonstrate that they are involved actively in and have a strategy for meeting the statewide goal of waste reduction established in this chapter. This subsection does not apply to industrial facilities managing solid waste generated in the course of normal operations on property under the same ownership or control as the waste management facility. However, the facilities must be consistent with the applicable local zoning and land use ordinances, if any, and must not be commercial solid waste management facilities.

(G) A permit issued pursuant to this article must contain the conditions or requirements necessary to comply with the requirements of this article, the regulations of the department, and to prevent a substantial hazard to human health or to the environment. Permits issued under this section are effective for the design and operational life of the facility, to be determined by the department, subject to the provisions of this article. However, at least once every five years, the department shall review the environmental compliance history of each permittee. The time period for review for each category of permits must be established by the department by regulation. If, upon review, the department finds that material or substantial violations of the permit demonstrate the permittee's disregard for or inability to comply with applicable laws, regulations, or requirements and would make continuation of the permit not in the best interests of human health and safety or the environment, the department, after a hearing, may amend or revoke the permit, as appropriate and necessary. When a permit is reviewed, the department shall include additional limitations, standards, or conditions when the technical limitations, standards, or regulations on which the original permit was based have been changed by statute or amended by regulation.

(H) The department may amend or attach conditions to a permit when:

(1) there is a significant change in the manner and scope of operation which may require new or additional permit conditions or safeguards to protect human health and safety and environment;

(2) the investigation has shown the need for additional equipment, construction, procedures, and testing to ensure the protection of human health and safety and the environment; and

(3) the amendment is necessary to meet changes in applicable regulatory requirements.

Section 44-95-300. Disclosure statements by permit applicants.

(A) The department may obtain a disclosure statement from the applicant at the same time that an application for a permit is filed, except that this section does not apply if the applicant is a local government or a region comprised of local governments. The disclosure statement must contain the following information with regard to the applicant and his responsible parties:

(1) the full name, business address, and social security number of all responsible parties;

(2) a description of the experience and credentials, including past or present permits or licenses for the collection, transportation, treatment, storage, or disposal of solid waste, issued to or held by the applicant within the past five years;

(3) a listing and explanation of all convictions by final judgment of a responsible party in a state or federal court, with all appeals exhausted, of a felony involving a crime of moral turpitude, within three years immediately preceding the date of the submission of the permit application;

(4) a listing and explanation of all convictions by final judgment of a responsible party in a state or federal court, with all appeals exhausted, of a felony involving a violation of an environmental law punishable as a felony in a state or federal court within five years of the date of submission of the permit application;

(5) a listing and explanation of the instances in which a disposal facility permit held by the applicant was revoked by final judgment in state or federal court, with all appeals exhausted, within five years of the date of submission of the permit application; and

(6) a listing and explanation of all adjudications of the applicant for having been in contempt of a valid court order enforcing a federal environmental law or state environmental law relative to the activity for which the permit is being sought, within five years of the date of submission of the permit application.

(B) The department shall deny a permit if it finds by clear and convincing evidence that the applicant:

(1) is not qualified financially and technically to carry out the activity for which the permit is sought;

(2) knowingly has misrepresented or concealed a material fact in the permit application or disclosure statement, or in another report or certification required under this article or under regulations promulgated pursuant to this article;

(3) has obtained or attempted to obtain the permit by misrepresentation or fraud; or

(4) has a documented and continuing history of criminal convictions such that the applicant's ability to operate within the law is questionable.

(C) In making a determination of whether clear and convincing evidence exists under subsection (B), the department shall consider:

(1) the nature and details of the acts attributed to the applicant;

(2) the degree of culpability of the applicant;

(3) the applicant's policy or history of discipline, or both, of a responsible party convicted of acts described in subsection (A);

(4) whether the applicant has complied substantially with this state's statutes, rules, regulations, permits, and orders applicable to the applicant in this State relative to the activity for which the permit is sought;

(5) whether the applicant, if the applicant has no prior history within this State, has complied substantially with other jurisdictions' statutes, rules, regulations, permits, and orders applicable to the applicant relative to the activity for which the subject permit is sought;

(6) whether the applicant has in place and observes formal management controls to minimize and prevent the occurrence of violations or other unlawful activities relative to the activity for which the subject permit is sought;

(7) mitigation based upon a demonstration of good citizenship by the applicant including, without limitation, prompt payment of damages, cooperation with investigations, termination of employment or other relationship with responsible parties or other persons responsible for the activity described in subsection (A) or other demonstration of good citizenship by the applicant that the department finds acceptable; and

(8) whether the best interests of the public will be served by denial of the permit.

(D) If the department determines that the information provided by the applicant pursuant to subsection (A) is incomplete, insufficient, or otherwise inadequate, the department may request specific information or a background investigation of an applicant by the State Law Enforcement Division or by the Attorney General specifying the information which the department has determined is either incomplete, insufficient, or otherwise inadequate. The investigations must be completed and the results provided to the department within ninety days of the department's request for the investigation.

(E) In making a determination under this section, the department shall comply with the notice and public hearing requirements for administrative proceedings pursuant to the South Carolina Administrative Procedures Act.

(F) The department shall provide for an adjudicatory hearing if the applicant appeals the granting, denial, or granting with conditions of a permit by making a written request to the department for an adjudicatory hearing within thirty days of receiving the notification required by this section.

(G) If a responsible party of an applicant is a chartered lending institution or a publicly held corporation reporting under the Federal Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 or a wholly-owned subsidiary of a publicly held corporation reporting under the Federal Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, the responsible party is not required to submit a disclosure statement in accordance with subsection (A)(1) to (5), but shall submit to the department reports covering its structure and operations required by the chartering body or the Federal Securities and Exchange Commission. The department may require a responsible party to provide additional information to the department as is reasonably necessary to make the determinations provided for in this section.

(H) Every applicant shall file a disclosure statement with the department together with the permit application or within sixty days of the adoption of the form and content of the disclosure statement by the department, whichever is later.

(I) Every holder of a permit issued pursuant this article who has not earlier filed a disclosure statement, not later than one year after this article is effective, shall file a disclosure statement with the department.

(J) Not later than two years after this article is effective, every holder of a permit issued pursuant to this article shall update its disclosure statement not later than the end of January of each calendar year regarding material changes in information in the permit holder's most recent disclosure statement on file with the department.

(K) If the department denies or revokes a permit based on this section or on Section 44-95-290(F), the applicant of the denied permit or the holder of the revoked permit may petition the department at any time for reconsideration of the denial or revocation. The department shall issue the denied permit or reinstate the revoked permit, if the applicant of the denied permit or the holder of the revoked permit affirmatively demonstrates rehabilitation of the individual or business concern by a preponderance of evidence. In determining whether subsequent issuance or reinstatement of a permit would be in the public interest, the department shall give consideration to any relevant factors including, but not limited to, the factors identified in subsection (C). The department may approve a conditional permit, not to exceed two years, to allow the applicant of the denied permit or the holder of the revoked permit a reasonable opportunity to continue to affirmatively demonstrate its rehabilitation.

Section 44-95-310. Research, development, and demonstration permits.

(A) The department may issue a research, development, and demonstration permit for solid waste management facility proposing to utilize an innovative and experimental solid waste management technology or process. The application for the permit clearly must demonstrate adequate protection of human health and safety and the environment and must be consistent with federal and state laws, regulations, and this article. A permit issued under this section must not be for an activity of a continuing nature.

(B) An application for a permit issued under this section, at a minimum, must:

(1) describe the proposed activity in detail;

(2) describe how the permit applicant intends to provide for the management of solid waste in order to determine the efficiency and performance capabilities of the technology or process and the effects of the technology or process on human health and safety and the environment, and how the permit applicant intends to protect human health and safety and the environment in the conduct of the project;

(3) state that the permit applicant will share on a timely basis with the department information obtained as a result of the activity undertaken under the permit.

(C) Not later than eighteen months after this article is effective, the department shall promulgate the criteria and procedures for the issuance of permits.

Section 44-95-320. Solid waste landfills.

(A) Not later than eighteen months after this article is effective, the department shall promulgate, in addition to regulations generally applicable to all solid waste management facilities, regulations governing the siting, design, construction, operation, closure, and postclosure activities of all landfills that dispose of solid waste. The department, by regulation, may exempt certain facilities from all or part of the requirements of this section. These regulations do not apply to the disposal of solid waste from a single family or household on property where such waste is generated.

(B) The regulations governing solid waste landfills, at a minimum, must contain following requirements for:

(1) the submission by the permit applicant of:

(a) a comprehensive engineering report that describes, at a minimum, existing site conditions and construction plans;

(b) a quality assurance and quality control report;

(c) a hydrogeologic report and water quality and air quality monitoring plans;

(d) a contingency plan describing the action to be taken in response to contingencies which may occur during construction and operation of the landfill;

(e) an operation plan describing how the facility will meet all applicable regulatory requirements;

(f) the maximum volume of solid waste the facility is capable of receiving over the operational life of the facility and the rate at which the facility will receive that waste.

(g) a landscape plan;

(2) locational criteria. However, the department shall grant exemptions from the criteria upon a demonstration by the permit applicant of circumstances which warrant an exemption;

(3) landfill construction;

(4) facility design and operation including, but not limited to, access controls, cover requirements, gas control, leachate control, exclusion of hazardous wastes, liner requirements, litter control, groundwater and surface water monitoring, and air quality monitoring;

(5) closure and postclosure;

(6) financial responsibility;

(7) corrective action.

Section 44-95-330. Minimum requirements for new and existing municipal solid waste landfills.

(A) In addition to the requirements imposed by this article, the regulations promulgated by the department, at a minimum, must require the following for new and existing municipal solid waste landfills:

(1) controls to detect and prevent the disposal of hazardous waste, nonhazardous bulk liquids, and nonhazardous liquids in containers, other than household wastes. The controls must include random inspections of incoming loads, inspection of suspicious loads, records of inspections, training of facility personnel to recognize illegal materials, and procedures for notifying the proper authorities if regulated hazardous waters are found;

(2) a minimum of six inches of soil, or other material, approved by the department for daily cover to control disease vectors, fires, odors, blowing litter, and scavenging;

(3) landfill gas monitoring and controls to minimize the buildup of explosive gases beneath, around, or in facility structures excluding gas control or recovery components;

(4) access controls to protect human health and safety and the environment, to prevent unauthorized vehicular traffic, and to prevent illegal dumping of wastes;

(5) run-on and run-off controls;

(6) landfill closure requirements that:

(a) minimize the need for further maintenance;

(b) ensure that no adverse effect is caused from postclosure releases to the groundwater, surface water, or atmosphere;

(7) closure and postclosure care plans which identify for each facility the steps necessary to ensure closure and postclosure care, time estimates, modifications to monitoring and collection systems, final cover, and cost estimates. The postclosure care period must be determined by results from the monitoring of the landfill, including leachate quality and quantity and methane gas generation or some alternative;

(8) financial responsibility for closure and postclosure care;

(9) groundwater monitoring;

(10) corrective action requirements.

(B) The regulations promulgated pursuant to this article, for each new municipal solid waste landfill and lateral expansion to existing municipal solid waste landfills, at a minimum must require the following:

(1) a single composite liner, natural or manmade materials, or both, or in situ soil, or a combination of both, capable of preventing the migration of wastes out of the landfill to the aquifer or surface water during the active life of the facility and during the required postclosure period and ensuring that leachate does not contaminate the aquifer or surface water during the active life of the facility and during the required postclosure period;

(2) leachate collection and removal systems;

(3) a construction quality assurance plan specifying the materials to be used in liner construction, the construction techniques, the engineering plans, and the installation test procedures;

(4) landfills, at a minimum, not be located in the following locations:

(a) within the 100-year flood plain unless it can be demonstrated by the owner or operator that engineering measures have been incorporated into the landfill design to ensure the landfill will not restrict the flow of the 100-year base flood, reduce the temporary water shortage capacity of the flood plain, or result in the washout of solid waste so as to pose a hazard to human health or the environment;

(b) within two hundred feet of a fault that has had displacement in Holocene time;

(c) within a seismic impact zone or other unstable areas unless it can be demonstrated by the owner or operator that engineering measures have been incorporated into the landfill design to ensure the structural stability of the landfill capable of protecting human health and the environment;

(d) within proximity of airports or wetlands to be determined by the department by regulation.

Section 44-95-340. Solid waste incinerators.

(A) Not later than eighteen months after this article is effective, the department shall promulgate, in addition to regulations generally applicable to all solid waste management facilities, regulations governing the siting, design, construction, operation, closure, and postclosure activities of all solid waste incinerators, other than facilities specifically regulated under other provisions of this article or other applicable provisions of state law. The department, by regulation, may exempt certain facilities from all or part of the requirements of this section.

(B) The regulations governing solid waste incinerators, at a minimum, must contain requirements for:

(1) the submission by the permit applicant of:

(a) an engineering report which, at a minimum, must contain a description of the facility, the process and equipment to be used, the proposed service area, the types and quantities of wastes to be treated, and storage of waste;

(b) engineering plans and specifications which, at a minimum, must describe the process equipment specifications, instrumentation and control diagrams, and performance specifications for all major equipment and control centers;

(c) a personnel training program;

(d) an ash management plan including, at a minimum, an identification of the facility approved by the department that will receive the residue and a certification that the facility has adequate capacity to handle the residue;

(e) an air quality monitoring plan;

(f) a description of the manner in which waste waters, if any, from the facility will be managed;

(g) a quality assurance and quality control report;

(h) a contingency plan describing a technically and financially feasible course of action to be taken in response to contingencies which may occur during construction and operation of the facility;

(i) an operation plan describing how the facility will meet all applicable regulatory requirements;

(j) a draft operation and maintenance manual; and

(k) a closure plan.

(2) locational criteria. However, the department shall grant exemptions from such criteria upon a demonstration by the permit applicant of circumstances which warrant an exemption;

(3) facility design and operation, including, but not limited to, access controls, recordkeeping and reporting requirements, receipt and handling of solid waste, process changes, emergency preparedness, and guidelines for identifying items or materials that should be removed before incineration;

(4) air and water quality monitoring;

(5) closure and postclosure;

(6) financial responsibility;

(7) personnel training;

(8) ash residue, including, but not limited to, testing requirements and procedures, the contents of an ash management plan, handling, storage, reuse or recycling, transportation, and disposal of the ash;

(9) corrective action.

Section 44-95-350. Minimum requirements for the management of municipal solid waste incinerator ash.

(A) In addition to the requirements imposed by this article, the regulations promulgated by the department, at a minimum, shall require that municipal solid waste incinerator ash which is disposed of at a solid waste landfill only be disposed of in:

(1) a monofill meeting the following requirements:

(a) the unit or cell is used exclusively for the disposal of municipal solid waste incinerator ash;

(b) the unit is located, designed, and operated so as to protect human health and safety and the environment;

(c) the unit has a groundwater monitoring system and a leachate collection and removal system;

(d) the unit has a single composite liner or double geomembrane liner designed, operated, and constructed of materials to restrict the migration of a constituent into and through the liner during the period as the unit remains in operation, including a postclosure monitoring period.

(2) a landfill unit, which may be used for the codisposal of municipal solid waste and municipal solid waste incinerator ash, meeting the following requirements:

(a) the unit is located, designed, and operated to protect human health and safety and the environment;

(b) the unit has groundwater monitoring and leachate collection systems;

(c) the unit has a double geomembrane liner. The liner must be designed, operated, and constructed of materials to prevent the migration of a constituent into and through the liner during the period the facility remains in operation and for any postclosure monitoring period.

(B) The department shall prescribe criteria and testing procedures for identifying the properties of municipal solid waste incinerator ash that may result in entry into groundwater or surface water in a manner as may pose a hazard to human health and safety or to the environment. The department shall prescribe the criteria and testing procedures not later than eighteen months after this article is effective. Based on the criteria and testing procedures, the regulations shall permit municipal incinerator ash which does not exhibit any of the properties identified in the criteria to be disposed of in solid waste landfill units or cells meeting the applicable regulatory requirements of this section. If the ash exhibits any of the properties identified in the criteria, the department may require that it be disposed of in a landfill meeting the requirements for hazardous waste disposal.

Section 44-95-360. Solid waste processing facilities.

(A) Not later than eighteen months after this article is effective, the department shall promulgate, in addition to regulations generally applicable to all solid waste management facilities, regulations governing the siting, design, construction, operation, closure, and postclosure activities of facilities which receive solid waste for processing. The department, by regulation, may exempt certain facilities from all or part of the requirements of this section.

(B) All new processing facilities must comply with the requirements of this section. The department shall establish a schedule for existing facilities to come into compliance with the requirements of this section.

(C) The regulations governing solid waste processing facilities, at a minimum, must contain the following requirements for:

(1) the submission by the permit applicant of:

(a) an engineering report which, at a minimum, must contain a description of the facility, the process and equipment to be used, the proposed service area, the types and quantities of waste to be processed, and a description of existing site conditions;

(b) complete construction plans and specifications;

(c) a design report;

(d) a personnel training program;

(e) an identification of possible air releases and groundwater and surface water discharges;

(f) a waste control plan describing the manner in which waste from the processing activities will be managed. The plan, at a minimum, must identify the facilities to be approved by the department that will receive the waste and a certification that the facilities have adequate capacity to manage the waste;

(g) a quality assurance and quality control report;

(h) a contingency plan describing the action to be taken in response to contingencies which could occur during operation of the facility;

(i) an operation plan describing how the facility will meet all applicable regulatory requirements;

(j) a draft operation and maintenance manual;

(k) a closure plan;

(l) a description of the restrictions, if any, that the facility places on the materials it receives for processing and a statement explaining the need for such restrictions.

(2) locational criteria. However, the department shall grant exemptions from the criteria upon a demonstration by the permit applicant of circumstances which warrant an exemption;

(3) facility design and operation, including, but not limited to, access controls, reporting and recordkeeping requirements, receipt and handling of solid waste, process changes, emergency preparedness, and guidelines for identifying items or materials that may not be accepted for processing;

(4) monitoring, including, at a minimum, air quality monitoring and analysis, groundwater and surface water quality monitoring and analysis, and product quality testing and analysis;

(5) closure and postclosure;

(6) financial responsibility;

(7) personnel training; and

(8) corrective action.

Section 44-95-370. Storage and transfer of solid waste.

(A) Not later than eighteen months after this article is effective, the department shall promulgate regulations establishing minimum standards for any storage of solid waste before processing or incineration or at or in a transfer station. The regulations must require that spillage or leakage of solid waste be contained on the storage site and that no unpermitted discharges to the environment occur. The department, by regulation, may exempt certain facilities from all or part of the requirements of this section.

(B) Not later than eighteen months after this article is effective, the department shall promulgate regulations governing solid waste transfer facilities. The regulations, at a minimum, must require the submission by a permit applicant of a plan of operation and establish locational criteria, operational requirements, and closure requirements. The department, by regulation, may exempt certain facilities from all or part of the requirements of this section.

Section 44-95-380. Land application facilities; composting facilities; construction, demolition, and land clearing debris landfills.

(A) Not later than eighteen months after this article is effective, the department shall promulgate regulations establishing minimum standards for land application facilities and composting facilities. The regulations, at a minimum, must establish operational requirements and siting requirements. The department, by regulation, may exempt certain facilities from all or part of the requirements of this section.

(B) Not later than eighteen months after this article is effective, the department shall promulgate regulations establishing minimum standards for construction, demolition, and land clearing debris landfills. The department, by regulation, may exempt certain sites or facilities from all or part of the requirements of this section. The department shall exempt a landfill for the disposal of trees, stumps, wood chips, and yard waste when generation and disposal of such waste occurs on properties under the same ownership or control. The regulation, at a minimum, must contain the following requirements for:

(1) site selection;

(2) construction;

(3) hydrogeologic;

(4) operation;

(5) closure and postclosure.

Section 44-95-390. Approval procedures for special wastes.

(A) For the purposes of this section, `special wastes' is defined as nonresidential or commercial solid wastes, other than regulated hazardous wastes, that are either difficult or dangerous to handle and require unusual management at municipal solid waste landfills, including, but not limited to:

(1) pesticide wastes;

(2) liquid wastes and bulk liquid wastes;

(3) sludges;

(4) industrial process wastes, defined as wastes generated as a direct or indirect result of the manufacture of a product or the performance of a service, including, but not limited to, spent pickling liquors, cutting oils, chemical catalysts, distillation bottoms, etching acids, equipment cleanings, point sludges, core sands, metallic dust sweepings, asbestos dust, and off-specification, contaminated, or recalled wholesale or retail products. Specifically excluded are uncontaminated packaging materials, uncontaminated machinery components, landscape waste, and construction or demolition debris;

(5) wastes from a pollution control process;

(6) residue or debris from the cleanup of a spill or release of chemical substances, commercial products, or wastes listed in items (1) through (5);

(7) soil, water, residue, debris, or articles that are contaminated from the cleanup of a facility or site formerly used for the generation, storage, treatment, recycling, reclamation, or disposal of wastes listed in items (1) through (6); (8) containers and drums.

(B) A special waste must not be disposed of nor accepted for disposal at a municipal solid waste landfill without prior written approval by the disposal facility in accordance with department requirements.

(C) A facility may apply to the department at any time for modifications or additions to the types of special waste disposed of or methods for disposal.

(D) Not later than six months after this article is effective or the initial receipt of wastes, whichever is later, the owner or operator of a municipal solid waste landfill shall prepare and submit to the department a waste analysis plan that addresses, at a minimum, the:

(1) parameters for which each waste will be analyzed and the rationale for the selection of those parameters;

(2) test methods which will be used to test for those parameters;

(3) sampling method which will be used to obtain a representative sampling of the special waste to be analyzed;

(4) frequency with which the initial analysis of the special waste will be reviewed or repeated to ensure that the analysis is accurate and up to date;

(5) procedures which will be used to inspect and, if necessary, analyze each special waste received at the facility to ensure that it matches the identity of the special waste designated on the accompanying transportation record. At a minimum, the plan must describe the:

(a) procedures which will be used to determine the identity of each special waste managed at the facility;

(b) sampling method which will be used to obtain a representative sample of the special waste to be identified, if the identification method includes sampling.

(E) The department shall respond to the analysis plan within ninety days of the date of its receipt by the department.

Section 44-95-400. Information requirements by the department; disclosure of information obtained by the department.

(A) To assist in carrying out its responsibilities under this article, the department may require the:

(1) establishment and maintenance of records;

(2) making of reports;

(3) taking of samples and the performing of tests or analyses;

(4) installation, calibration, use, and maintenance of monitoring equipment; or

(5) providing of such other information as may be reasonably necessary to achieve the purposes of this article.

(B) Information obtained by the department pursuant to this article must be available to the public unless the department determines such information to be proprietary. The department may make the determination where the person submitting the information demonstrates to the satisfaction of the department that the information, or parts of it, if made public, would divulge methods, production rates, processes, or other confidential information entitled to protection.

Section 44-95-410. Inspections; samples.

(A) For the purpose of enforcing this article or any regulations promulgated pursuant to this article, an authorized representative or employee of the department, upon presentation of appropriate credentials, at a reasonable time may:

(1) enter any facility where solid wastes are managed;

(2) inspect and copy any records, reports, information, or test results necessary to carry out the department's responsibilities under this article;

(3) inspect and obtain samples of any solid wastes from the owner, operator, or agent in charge of the facility, including samples from vehicles in which solid wastes are being transported, as well as samples of containers or labels. The department shall provide a sample of equal volume or weight to the owner, operator, or agent in charge upon request. The department also shall provide such person with a copy of the results of any analyses of such samples.

Section 44-95-420. Modification or revocation of orders to prevent violations of this article.

The department may issue, modify, or revoke an order to prevent a violation of this article.

Section 44-95-430. Hearings.

The department may hold public hearings and compel the attendance of witnesses; conduct studies, investigations, and research with respect to the operation and maintenance of a solid waste management facility and issue, deny, revoke, suspend, or modify permits under conditions as it may prescribe for the operation of solid waste management facilities. However, no permit may be revoked without first providing the permit holder with the opportunity for a hearing.

Section 44-95-440. Unlawful acts.

It is unlawful for a person to:

(1) manage solid wastes in this State without reporting the activity to the department as required by regulation;

(2) manage solid wastes in this State without complying with the standards and procedures set forth in such regulations;

(3) fail to comply with this article and regulations promulgated pursuant to it, fail to comply with a permit issued under this article, or fail to comply with an order issued by the board, commissioner, or department.

Section 44-95-450. Violations; penalties.

(A) Whenever the department finds that a person is in violation of a permit, regulation, standard, or requirement under this article, the department may:

(1) issue an order requiring the person to comply with the permit, regulation, standard, or requirement;

(2) bring civil action for injunctive relief in the appropriate court;

(3) request that the Attorney General bring civil or criminal enforcement action under this section;

(4) impose reasonable civil penalties established by regulation, not to exceed ten thousand dollars for each day of violation, for violations of the provisions of this article, including an order, permit, regulation, or standard.

After exhaustion of administrative remedies, a person against whom a civil penalty is invoked by the department may appeal the decision of the department or board to the Court of Common Pleas.

(B) A person who wilfully violates any provision of this article, or a regulation promulgated pursuant to it, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than ten thousand dollars for each day of violation or imprisoned not more than one year, or both. If the conviction is for a second or subsequent offense, the person must be fined not more than twenty-five thousand dollars for each day of violation or imprisoned not more than two years, or both. The provisions of this subsection do not apply to officials and employees of a local government owning or operating, or both, a municipal solid waste management facility or to officials and employees of a region, comprised of local governments, owning or operating, or both, a regional municipal solid waste management facility.

(C) Each day of noncompliance with an order issued pursuant to this section or noncompliance with a permit, regulation, standard, or requirement established under this article constitutes a separate offense.

Section 44-95-460. Training of operators of solid waste management facilities.

(A) The department shall establish qualifications for and encourage the development of certification programs for operators of landfills, coordinators of local recycling programs, and operators of other solid waste management facilities.

(B) The department shall work with accredited community colleges, vocational technical centers, state universities, and private institutions in developing educational materials, courses of study, and other information to be made available for persons seeking to be certified as operators of solid waste management facilities.

(C) Two years after this article is effective, no person may perform the duties of an operator of a solid waste management facility unless he has completed an operator certification course approved by the department. An owner of a solid waste management facility may not employ a person to perform the duties of an operator unless the person has completed an approved solid waste management facility operator certification course.

(D) The department shall adopt regulations to carry out the provisions of this section. The department may establish by rule classifications for operators to cover the need for differing levels of certification required to operate various types of solid waste management facilities due to different operating requirements at the facilities.

(E) For purposes of this section, `operator' means a person, including the owner, who is engaged principally in, or is in charge of, the actual operation, supervision, and maintenance of a solid waste management facility and includes the person in charge of a shift or period during any part of the day.

Section 44-95-470. Facility issues negotiation process.

(A) Upon the submission of a permit application to the department for a municipal solid waste disposal facility, the permit applicant, within fifteen days of the date of submission of the application, shall publicize the submission by public notice and in writing as follows:

(1) If the application is for a facility serving no more than one county, the public notice must be published in a newspaper of general circulation serving the host county, and each local government in the county must be notified further in writing of the permit application.

(2) If the application is for a facility serving more than one county, the public notice must be published in a newspaper of general circulation serving each affected county, and each local government within the counties must be notified further in writing of the permit application; and

(3) The public notice must be displayed prominently in the courthouse of each notified county.

(B) The department shall review the application and supporting data, make a determination as to the suitability or unsuitability of the proposed site for the intended purpose, and notify the applicant and the host local government, if different from the applicant, in writing of its determination.

(C) Upon receipt from the department of notice that the proposed site is suitable for the intended purpose, the applicant, within fifteen days of receipt of the notification, shall publicize the fact by public notice as outlined in items (1), (2), and (3) of subsection (A). Further, within forty-five days of receipt of the notification from the department, the host local government for the proposed site, as outlined in items (1), (2), and (3) of subsection (A), shall advertise and hold a public meeting to inform affected residents and landowners in the area of the proposed site and of the opportunity to engage in a facility issues negotiation process.

(D) Following notification of the applicant of the proposed site's suitability, the department shall continue to review the applicant's permit application, but the department may not take action with respect to permit issuance or denial until the local notification and negotiation processes described in this section have been exhausted.

(E) The department must not be a party to the negotiation process described in this section, nor may technical environmental issues which are required by law and by regulation to be addressed in the permitting process be considered negotiable items by parties to the negotiation process.

(F) Within thirty days following a public meeting held in accordance with subsection (C), a facility issues negotiation process must be initiated by the host local government upon receipt of a written petition by at least twenty-five affected persons, at least twenty of whom must be registered voters of or landowners in the host jurisdiction. Multiple petitions may be consolidated into a single negotiating process. For the purposes of this subsection, the term `affected person' means a registered voter of the host local government or of a county contiguous to the host local government or a landowner within the jurisdiction of the host local government.

(G) Within fifteen days following receipt of the written petition, the host local government shall validate the petition to ensure that the petitioners meet the requirements of this section.

(H) Within fifteen days following the validation of the written petition to negotiate, the host local government shall:

(1) notify the petitioners by publication as provided in items (1), (2), and (3) of subsection (A);

(2) notify the permit applicant, if different from the host local government, and the department that the negotiation process is being initiated;

(3) set a date for a meeting with the citizens facility issues committee, the host local government, and the permit applicant not later than thirty days following validation of the written petition to negotiate.

(I) The petitioning persons shall select up to ten members, at least eight of whom must be registered voters or landowners in the host local government, to serve on a citizens facility issues committee to represent the petitioning persons in the negotiation process. The membership of the citizens facility issues committee must be chosen within fifteen days following the validation of the written petition pursuant to this section.

(J) The negotiation process must be overseen by a facilitator named by the host local government, after consultation with the citizens facility issues committee, from a list provided by the department. The function of the facilitator is to assist the petitioners, the host local government, and the permit applicant, if different from the host local government, through the negotiation process. The cost, if any, of the facilitator must be borne by the permit applicant.

(K) Beginning with the date of the first negotiation meeting called in accordance with subsection (H), there must be no fewer than three negotiation meetings within forty-five days unless waived by consent of the parties. The negotiation meetings must be presided over by the facilitator named in subsection (J) and must be for the purpose of assisting the petitioners, the host local government, and the permit applicant, if different from the host local government, to engage in nonbinding negotiation.

(L) Minutes of each meeting and a record of the negotiation process must be kept by the host local government.

(M) All issues except those which apply to environmental permit conditions are negotiable. Environmental permit conditions are not negotiable. Issues which may be negotiated include, but are not limited to:

(1) operational issues, such as hours of operation;

(2) recycling efforts that may be implemented;

(3) protection of property values;

(4) traffic routing and road maintenance; and

(5) establishment of local advisory committees.

(N) At the end of the forty-five day period following the first negotiation meeting, the facilitator shall publish a notice of the results, if any, of the negotiation process in the same manner as provided in items (1), (2), and (3) of subsection (A) and shall include the date, time, and place of a public meeting to be held within ten days after publication at which the input of persons not represented by the citizens facility issues committee may be received.

(O) The negotiated concessions reached by the negotiating parties must be reduced to writing and executed by the chairman of the citizens facility issues committee and the chief elected official of the host local government and must be adopted by resolution of the host local government.

(P) If the negotiating parties fail to reach consensus on an issue, the permit applicant may proceed to seek a permit from the department. The facilitator shall notify the department in writing that the negotiating parties have failed to reach consensus.

(Q) If the negotiating parties reach consensus on negotiated issues, the permit applicant may proceed to seek a permit from the department. The facilitator shall notify the department in writing that the negotiating parties have reached consensus.

(R) Negotiated concessions must not be construed as environmental permit conditions.

(S) Upon receipt of a written notification from the facilitator that the parties to negotiation have reached consensus or have failed to reach consensus on negotiated issues, and upon written notification from the permit applicant that he wishes to pursue permitting of the solid waste disposal facility for which an application has been filed, the department shall proceed to process the permit."

SECTION 4. Chapter 7, Title 12 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 12-7-1255. Recycling equipment tax credit.

(A) A taxpayer who places in service or modifies qualifying recycling equipment for recycling post-consumer solid waste materials or recovered materials is entitled to a credit against the income taxes imposed by this chapter in an amount equal to fifty percent of the installed cost of the qualifying recycling equipment. The amount of credit claimed in a taxable year shall not exceed fifty percent of the tax liability which would be due otherwise or one hundred thousand dollars, whichever is less.

(B) Not later than one year after this section is effective, the South Carolina Tax Commission, with technical assistance from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, shall promulgate regulations implementing this section, which must include criteria for determining the recycling equipment which qualifies for the recycling equipment tax credit. The commission also shall establish a precertification procedure so that equipment is certified as qualifying recycling equipment before a taxpayer places equipment in service or modifies equipment.

(C) If, during any taxable year, any equipment taken into account in determining the credit in subsection (A) ceases to be qualifying recycling equipment, then the tax under this chapter for that taxable year must be increased by the amount of the credit originally claimed with respect to the property, multiplied by the recaptured percentage. For the purposes of this subsection the recapture percentage which is applicable when property ceases to qualify as recycling equipment must be determined in accordance with the following:

(1) one full year after being placed in service: one hundred percent;

(2) one full year after the close of the period described in item (1): eighty percent;

(3) one full year after the close of the period described in item (2): sixty percent;

(4) one full year after the close of the period described in item (3): forty percent;

(5) one full year after the close of the period described in item (4): twenty percent;

(6) one full year after the close of the period described in item (5): zero percent.

The amount of the increase in the tax must be reduced by the amount of unused credits which may be carried forward or carried back to the taxable year in which the property ceases to be qualifying recycling equipment. The unused credits must be determined under subsection (D).

(D) If the sum of credit carryforwards and carrybacks to the taxable year plus the amount of the current year credit for the taxable year exceeds the amount of the limitation imposed by subsection (A) for that taxable year, referred to as the `unused credit year', the excess is a credit carryback to each of the three taxable years preceding the unused credit year and a credit carryforward to each of the fifteen taxable years following the unused credit year. The limitation imposed by subsection (A) must be determined each taxable year by considering credits in the following order:

(1) credit carryforwards;

(2) current year credits;

(3) credit carrybacks.

The credit carrybacks must not be made to a taxable year which ends before the effective date of this section.

(E) The credit must be claimed on the taxpayer's income tax return for the taxable year in which the qualifying recycling equipment is placed in service, in a manner to be described by the Tax Commission.

(F) The tax credit provided in subsection (A) must be reduced or eliminated by the amount of any funds from the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund or Grant Program used to purchase or lease qualifying recycling equipment."

SECTION 5. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 12-7-2417. Solid Waste Management Trust Fund.

(A) Each taxpayer required to file a state income tax return who desires to contribute to the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund as created by Section 44-95-120 may designate the contribution on the appropriate state income tax form. The contribution may not increase or decrease the income tax liability of any taxpayer and may be made by reducing the income tax refunds of the taxpayer by the amount designated or by accepting additional payment from the taxpayer by the amounts designated, whichever is appropriate.

(B) All South Carolina income tax return forms must contain a designation for a contribution to the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund.

Contributions of other amounts may be made directly to the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund.

The instructions accompanying income tax forms must contain a description of the purposes for which the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund was established and the use of monies from the income tax contribution.

(C) Taxpayers who are entitled to refunds shall have the refunds reduced by the amount designated by the taxpayer. The commission shall determine annually the total amount so designated, plus the amount received in excess payments so designated and shall report the total amount to the State Treasurer. The commission shall transfer the total amount to the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund at the earliest possible time.

(D) The incremental cost of administration of this contribution must be paid by the Trust Fund from amounts received pursuant to this section."

SECTION 6. Section 16-11-700 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 530 of 1988, is further amended to read:

"Section 16-11-700. (A) No person shall may dump, throw, drop, deposit, discard, or otherwise dispose of litter or other solid waste upon any public or private property or waters in the State or upon private property in this State or in the waters of this state whether from a vehicle or otherwise, including, but not limited to, any a public highway, public park, beach, campground, forest land, recreational area, trailer park, highway, road, street, or alley except:

(1) when such the property is designated by the State for the disposal of litter and other solid waste and such the person is authorized to use such the property for such that purpose;

(2) into a litter receptacle in such a manner that the litter will be is prevented from being carried away or deposited by the elements upon any a part of such the private or public property or waters.

(B) Responsibility for the removal of litter from property or receptacles shall be is upon the owner of the property or upon the owner of the property where the receptacle is located.

(C)(1) Any A person violating the provisions of this section in an amount less than fifteen pounds in weight or twenty-seven cubic feet in volume is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than one hundred dollars nor more than two hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days for each offense. In addition to any a fine and for each offense under the provisions of this item, the court must also shall impose a minimum of five hours of litter-gathering labor or other such form of public service as the court may order because of physical or other incapacities, and which is under the supervision of the court.

(2) The fine for a deposit of a collection of litter or garbage in an area or facility not intended for public deposit of litter or garbage is two hundred dollars. The provisions of this item apply to a deposit of litter or garbage, as defined in Section 44-67-30(4), in an area or facility not intended for public deposit of litter or garbage, but this does not prohibit a private property owner from depositing litter or garbage as a property enhancement if the depositing does not violate applicable local or state health and safety regulations. In addition to any a fine and for each offense under the provisions of this item the court must also shall impose a minimum of five hours of litter-gathering labor or other such form of public service as the court may order because of physical or other incapacities, and which is under the supervision of the court.

(3) No part of any fine imposed pursuant to items (1) or (2) of this subsection may be suspended.

(4) (3) The court, in lieu of payment of the monetary fine imposed for a violation of this section, may direct the substitution of additional litter-gathering labor or other such form of public service as the court it may order because of physical or other incapacities, under the supervision of the court, not to exceed one hour for each five dollars of fine imposed.

(5)(4) For a second and subsequent conviction convictions under the provisions of items (1) or (2) of this subsection, a minimum of twenty hours of community service must be imposed in addition to any a fine.

(6) (5) In addition to any other punishment authorized by this section, in the discretion of any the court in which conviction is obtained, the person may be directed by the judge to pick up and remove from any a public place or any private property, with prior permission of the legal owner upon which it is established by competent evidence that the person has deposited litter, all litter deposited on the place or property by anyone before the date of execution of sentence.

(7) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, magistrates and municipal courts have jurisdiction to try violation of this section.

(D) In addition to the fines provided for in subsection (C) of this section, a fee of twenty-five dollars is assessed to all persons convicted or pleading guilty or nolo contendere for violating the provisions of this section. This fee goes to the county general fund and must be used to defray the cost of supervising those persons who have been ordered to do public service pursuant to the provisions of this section.

(D) A person who violates the provisions of this section in an amount exceeding fifteen pounds in weight or twenty-seven cubic feet in volume, but not exceeding five hundred pounds or one hundred cubic feet, and not for commercial purposes, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than two hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than ninety days. In addition, the court shall require the violator to pick up litter or perform other community service commensurate with the offense committed.

(E)(1) A person who violates the provisions of this section in an amount exceeding five hundred pounds in weight or one hundred cubic feet in volume is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than five hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars, or imprisoned not more than one year, or both. In addition, the court may order the violator to:

(a) remove, or render harmless the litter that he dumped in violation of this subsection;

(b) repair or restore property damaged by, or pay damages for damage arising out of, his dumping litter in violation of this subsection; or

(c) perform community public service relating to the removal of litter dumped in violation of this subsection or relating to the restoration of an area polluted by litter dumped in violation of this subsection.

(2) A court may enjoin a violation of this subsection.

(3) A motor vehicle, vessel, aircraft, container, crane, winch, or machine involved in the disposal of more than five hundred pounds in weight or more than one hundred cubic feet in volume of litter in violation of this subsection is declared contraband and is subject to seizure and summary forfeiture to the State.

(4) If a person sustains damages arising out of a violation of this subsection that is punishable as a felony, a court, in a civil action for the damages, shall order the person to pay the injured party threefold the actual damages or two hundred dollars, whichever amount is greater. In addition, the court shall order the person to pay the injured party's court costs and attorney's fees.

(5) No part of a fine imposed pursuant to this section may be suspended.

(6) In addition to the fines provided for in subsections (C), (D), and (E), a fee of twenty-five dollars is assessed to all persons convicted or pleading guilty or nolo contendere for violating the provisions of this section. This fee goes to the county general fund and must be used to defray the cost of supervising those persons who have been ordered to do public service pursuant to the provisions of this section."

SECTION 7. All rules, regulations, standards, orders or other actions of the department in effect on the date of enactment of this act, not inconsistent with this act, remain in effect unless specifically changed or voided by the Board of Health and Environmental Control or changed by statute.

SECTION 8. This act must not be construed to limit local governments or regions from availing themselves of any methods of financing provided by law including, but not limited to, the provisions of Chapters 16 and 21 of Title 6 to meet the present and future solid waste disposal needs of the people of this State.

SECTION 9. The General Assembly finds that the combustion of refuse by solid waste management facilities to supplement the electricity supply is an effective energy conservation effort and is an environmentally preferred alternative to conventional solid waste disposal. Therefore, the South Carolina Public Service Commission is directed to review alternatives which will encourage the development of solid waste management facilities that use solid waste as a primary source of fuel for the production of electricity. The Public Service Commission must review alternatives in addition to those existing under Section 210 of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978. Within twelve months after the effective date of this act, the Public Service Commission shall report the alternatives explored and the advantages and disadvantages of each alternative and recommend a program for implementation in South Carolina. The report must be made to the Governor, General Assembly, and Joint Legislative Committee on Energy. Agencies of the State of South Carolina are directed to assist and work with the Public Service Commission in the commission's review of alternatives which would be, in whole or in part, within the jurisdiction, management, control, supervision, or administration of the agency.

SECTION 10. Analysis lines following each code section in this bill are for informational purposes only and are not part of the code itself.

SECTION 11. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor, except that Section 12-7-1255 of the 1976 Code, as added by this act, is effective for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 1991, but any credit attributable to a taxable year beginning in 1991 must be claimed on the return due for the taxable year beginning in 1992.