COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Richland County Public Works Department is asking for $500,000 in the county's budget to move the Lower Richland Drop-off center in Eastover to county owned land near the intersection of Air Base Road and Lower Richland Boulevard.
"This puts a larger drop off center closer to the community where there's more population and planned growth in the community," said Richland County Public Works Director Michael Maloney.
If approved, the new location would sit on five acres of land, a big jump from the current centers one acre of land. Maloney said the smaller space often leads to a back up of cars along Garners Ferry Road. It also limits the amount of items the center can handle.
"It's just a little over one acre of space there and so we have a limited capability of taking bulk items," said Maloney.
Maloney said this leads to his team finding items such as mattresses, refrigerators and electronics along roads across the county.
"They're seeing a lot of mattresses and other items that are being discarded and in various locations in the county," said Maloney. "By bringing out a drop center that can take all that closer to where people live. I think that's our goal in reducing dumping and roadside litter."
More space would also allow the county to properly separate and recycle tiems like mattresses, tires, and electronic waste, Maloney said. Maloney said the new location would have two staff members working at all times, though hours of operation are not known yet.
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If the money is approved by council, Maloney expects the new location to open sometime in 2023.
Lower Richland Resident Christel Santos said she's concerned about illegal dumping and littering in her community.
”I pick up garbage, almost every day, every morning I pick up a garbage can full of garbage," said Santos.
Santos, who comes to the drop off center several times a month, said having a location closer to Columbia would make her life easier.
“I mean it's convenient as far as coming in and going out, but it is far from Columbia," said Santos.
The distance from the Lower Richland site to the proposed site is about 5 miles, or 10 minutes away.
County Council will take a final vote on the budget Early June.