CONWAY, SC (WBTW) – Horry County is citing a change in the recycling market and it’s common items that could result in a $150 dollar fine, if not recycled properly.

Nearly five years ago, sixty pounds of contamination in a recycling load shipped overseas was acceptable, Horry County’s Solid Waste Authority’s Landfill Operator tells News13, today, you can’t have but eight.

Heavy amounts of contamination filling recycling bins across Horry County cost the county excessive amounts of time, energy and most of all, money. Now, cities are being held accountable.

In addition, the county is asking people not to bag their recycling and to place loose items in green roll-out cart or blue container.

Contaminated items like pizza boxes, food containers, cans, and bottles will result in a hefty fine if not emptied and disposed of properly. The county will be enforcing penalties not to discourage people from recycling, instead, in an effort to bring attention to the cost associated with contaminated-filled recycling bins.

Other items NOT accepted include:

  • Appliances
  • Cheese or grease-filled pizza boxes
  • Clothes
  • Water hoses
  • Christmas lights
  • Butter or yogurt plastic containers

Recycling benefits within the county and environment are being outweighed by the negative impacts of contamination, costing them thousands of dollars. Once Horry County sends recyclables overseas, Horry County’s Solid Waste Authority’s Mike Bessant, says it ends up costing the county, even more, one the contamination overflows the limit.

“All of a sudden you get pictures one day of all this contamination in it when it gets overseas and they want to ship it back to you. That’s two thousand dollars out of a load of material that will cost three thousand to send back,” Bessant said.

City spokespersons from The City of Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach tell News13 the fine will hold their residents accountable in changing their recycling habits.

“The best way to get rid of that whole thing is for the consumers to pay attention to what they are putting in their recyclables. Make sure they are clean, no food, no residue, don’t flatten your cans or plastic bottles because the machines think those are paper, transferring them as paper, and the entire system shuts down,” North Myrtle Beach spokesperson Pat Dowling said.