(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 and 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 shall, at a minimum, include the following:

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

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

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

(4) the necessary financial responsibility requirements for sites, haulers, 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 shall include a section on waste tires. The section on waste tires shall provide for public participation in its preparation and shall, as a minimum, 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 such 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 is required by the department to participate in ongoing waste tire clean-up enforcement efforts, and no later than twelve months after promulgation of regulations by the department, establish approved waste tire accumulation sites, designate waste tire processing, recycling, and 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 management plans for those counties which do not submit proposals.

(E) Counties are prohibited from imposing an additional fee on waste tires generated within the county. However, a county may impose an additional 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 fee may be charged on waste 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 tire or up to one hundred fifty dollars a ton for waste tires generated in this State for which no fee has been paid otherwise.

(F) Counties may charge a tipping fee of up to one dollar and fifty cents for each waste tire manufactured in this State or up to one hundred fifty dollars per ton for waste tires manufactured in this State for which no fee has been paid otherwise.

(G) Not later than six months after the department promulgates regulations, a person, except as provided, shall not knowingly deposit whole waste tires in a landfill as a method of ultimate disposal.

(H) Eighteen months after this chapter is effective, a person shall not:

(1) maintain a waste tire collection site unless such 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 permitted solid waste disposal facility; or

(3) knowingly dispose of or discard waste tires on the property of another in a manner not prescribed by this chapter.

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 recycling or processing facility, or a waste tire collection center seeking a permit from the department pursuant to this section. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person violating this subsection shall be subject to a fine not to exceed 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 must constitute a separate violation.

(I) It is the policy of this State to recommend that waste tires be managed at a:

(a) waste tire collection site which is an integral part of a permitted waste tire recycling or processing facility;

(b) permitted waste tire recycling or processing facility; or

(c) permitted waste tire collection center.

(J) Not later than twelve months after this chapter is effective, the department shall promulgate regulations requiring all collectors, processors, recyclers, 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 such permits or registrations. After the effective date of the regulations, a person shall not collect, haul, recycle, 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.

(K) Subsection (J) does not apply to items (1) through (5) if these designated waste tire sites are maintained so as to prevent and control mosquitoes or other public health nuisances as determined by the department:

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

(2) a 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 owned or operated by a company that manufactures tires in this State or the tire manufacturer's parent company or its subsidiaries;

(3) a 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) a permitted solid waste facility with less than two thousand five hundred waste tires temporarily stored on the business premises; or

(5) a person using waste tires for agricultural purposes.

(L) 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.

(M) The department is authorized to establish incentive programs to encourage individuals to return their used tires to waste tire recycling or processing facilities.

(N) For sales made on or after November 1, 1991, there is imposed a fee of two dollars for each new tire sold with a Department of Transportation number to the ultimate consumer, whether or not the tire is mounted by the seller. The wholesaler or retailer receiving new tires from unlicensed wholesalers is responsible for paying the fee imposed by this subsection.

The Department of Revenue shall administer, collect, and enforce the tire recycling 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 subsection must be remitted on a monthly basis. Instead 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 department shall deposit all fees collected to the credit of the State Treasurer who shall establish a separate and distinct account from the state general fund.

The State Treasurer shall distribute one and one-half dollars for each tire sold, less applicable credit, refund, and discount, 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, processing, or recycling of waste tires generated within the State.

The remaining portion of the tire recycling fee is to be credited to the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund by the State Treasurer for the Waste Tire Grant Trust Fund, established under the administration of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

The General Assembly shall review the waste tire disposal recycling fee every five years.

(O) A wholesaler or retailer required to submit a fee pursuant to subsection (N) who delivers or arranges delivery of waste tires to a permitted or approved waste tire recycling facility, or a permitted or approved waste tire processing facility which processes waste tires before recycling, may apply for a refund of one dollar for each tire delivered. If waste tires generated in this State, on which a fee has been paid, are delivered to a waste tire facility located outside this State, a wholesaler or retailer may apply for a refund of one dollar per tire delivered if the receiving facility is permitted or approved by the host state as a waste tire recycling facility or a waste tire processing facility which processes waste tires before recycling; in no case may a refund be approved for a number of tires delivered in excess of the number of new tires sold by the individual wholesaler or retailer. Verification must be provided as required by the South Carolina State Department of Revenue. All refunds made pursuant to this subsection must be charged against the appropriate county's distributions under subsection (N).

(P) The Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling of the Department of Health and Environmental Control may provide grants from the Waste Tire Trust Fund to counties which have exhausted all funds remitted to counties under Section 44-96-170(N), to regions applying on behalf of those counties and to local governments within those counties to assist in the following:

(1) constructing, operating, or contracting with waste tire processing or recycling facilities;

(2) removing or contracting for the removal of waste tires for processing or recycling;

(3) performing or contracting for the performance of research designed to facilitate waste tire recycling; or

(4) the purchase or use of recycled products or materials made from waste tires generated in this State.

(Q) Waste 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:

(1) the South Carolina Tire Dealers and Retreaders Association;

(2) the South Carolina Association of Counties;

(3) the South Carolina Association of Regional Councils;

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

(5) tire manufacturers;

(6) the general public;

(7) a public interest environmental organization;

(8) the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources;

(9) the Office of the Governor; and

(10) the South Carolina Municipal Association.

Members of the committee shall serve for terms of three years and until their successors are appointed and qualify.

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

(R) Notwithstanding subsection (N), the department may use funds from the Waste Tire Trust Fund to fund activities of the department to implement provisions of this section to promote the recycling of waste tires and to encourage higher end uses of waste tires. The use of these funds must be reviewed annually by the Waste Tire Committee and the Solid Waste Advisory Council. The Recycling Market Development Advisory Council and the Solid Waste Advisory Council also may make recommendations to the office for use of these funds.

(S) The department shall establish by regulation recordkeeping and reporting requirements for waste tire haulers and collection, processing, recycling, and disposal facilities.

(T) A county failing to comply with the requirements of this section and regulations promulgated under it is not eligible for monies from the Waste Tire Trust Fund.

HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 63, Section 1; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 1155; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 1156; 1998 Act No. 432, Section 17; 2000 Act No. 405, Section 14.