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As Charleston County continues to strive to recycle 40% of household waste, the department responsible for collecting recycling has announced it is now taking all plastic containers in addition to now taking cardboard.

Read more stories on this subject in our recycling topic page.Yep, that's right, 1s, 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s, 6s, and 7s are now welcome in your curbside blue bin and at area convenience centers.

Here's all the details from an e-mailed release: 

Charleston County’s Environmental Management Department announces an expansion of the recycling program to accept all containers with the plastic designation #1-7, beginning immediately.

That means all plastics, except plastic wrap, plastic bags (called plastic film within the recycling industry) and Styrofoam, will be collected and marketed. Previously, only #1 and 2 plastic bottles were collected, sorted and packaged at the Charleston County Recycling Center. With the expansion, all hard and soft plastic containers with any number inside the recycling logo will be accepted. 

Charleston County Council member Colleen Condon first made the announcement during this week’s episode of “Issues and Answers” on Comcast C2. Condon, chair of the County’s Recycling Committee, also announced a one-time $25 solid waste fee credit to all Charleston County residents that was approved by Charleston County Council during the passage of the Fiscal Year 2011 budget (July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2011).

How to recycle plastics in Charleston County:

• Residents with curbside service can now place all plastic containers in their co-mingled bin (non-sorted bin of glass, aluminum, steel, tin, aerosol cans and all plastics container) at the curb alongside their separate bin or bags of paper, paperboard and cardboard recyclables.
• Residents who use any of Charleston County’s drop site containers should add all newly accepted plastics in the co-mingled side of the drop site.
• Curbside recycling in Charleston County is collected bi-weekly in urban areas starting at 7 a.m.
• Residents in the rural parts of the County can utilize drop sites and Convenience Centers for recyclingservices. Drop site locations are open 24 hours, seven days a week and are not staffed. Convenience Centers are staffed by Environmental Management Department employees.

Residents can call (843) 720-7111 or visit recycle.charlestoncounty.org to find out their recycling collection day, the nearest drop site location, and Convenience Center addresses and hours of operation.