Taking out the trash: Staying home means more waste for Myrtle Beach area during COVID-19
With more people at home during the coronavirus pandemic, comes more trash in residential areas across Horry County.
The City of Myrtle Beach and Horry County Solid Waste Authority have both seen an increase in trash collection over the last month, according to the latest statistics. Most of the increase is a direct cause of nonessential businesses, municipal buildings and restaurants being temporarily closed to the public, and people spending more time at home.
There has been an 8.4 percent increase in household garbage, bulk waste, scrap metal and recyclables in March compared to March 2019 at the county’s 24 recycling centers, said Danny Knight, Horry County Solid Waste Authority executive director.
The increase began in mid-March, he said, and has caused the number of “pulls” at recycling centers to increase by nearly 4.5 percent compared to this time last year.
“This corresponds with the timeline of the closure of schools and businesses due to COVID-19, resulting in more residents staying home and generating more waste/recyclables,” Knight said in an email to The Sun News.
Myrtle Beach has seen an increase in garbage, recyclables, and the highest increase in yard waste from February to March, compared to that time last year.
“People have time on their hands and they are stuck at the house, so they have put their extra energy on their yards,” said Ed Marr, the city’s solid waster superintendent.
Here’s a look at waste data by the ton from the City of Myrtle Beach’s Public Works Department:
| Type of waste | February-March 2019 | February-March 2020 | Change |
| Refuse or garbage | 2,734.82 | 2,807.25 | 2 percent increase |
| Recyclables | 270.76 | 289.63 | 6 percent increase |
| Bulk waste | 353.76 | 317.64 | 11 percent decrease |
| Yard waste | 549.24 | 675.76 | 23 percent increase |
The only decrease the city has seen is in bulk waste, which Marr said is attributed to the success of the new solid waste code enforcement program, as well as city businesses being temporarily shutdown.
Myrtle Beach has not brought in any extra manpower to assist with the increase, Marr said. The garbage and recycling increase is due to regular growth within the city, he said. The department gained more staffing last year to help with this type of growth.
Earlier this month, Horry County Assistant Administrator Barry Spivey said there was a 13 percent increase in trash collection last month due in part to people using their time at home to do spring cleaning.
“Families at home needed something to do so they decided to clean out the garage, attic, shed and yard,” Spivey said at the Horry County budget retreat.
The amount of debris collected in March of 2020 due to coronavirus cleaning was more than in November following Hurricane Matthew in 2016.
Horry County did not foresee this spike in solid waste demand and will have to cover the costs. Unlike trash collection after a hurricane, the federal government will not reimburse the county for expenses related to a rush of spring cleaning.
Trash has significantly decreased at Horry County municipal buildings, with many being closed to the public around the Horry County area to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Knight said there has been a 19 percent decrease in the amount of municipal garbage.
