South Carolina Department of Commerce

Sophie Leone • April 23, 2024

South Carolina Department of Commerce

The South Carolina Department of Commerce (S.C. Commerce) is a state cabinet agency dedicated to ensuring South Carolina’s sustainable advantage and to increasing choices for all South Carolinians by creating economic opportunities. To achieve these goals, S.C. Commerce:


  • Recruits companies across a wide spectrum of industries — advanced energy, aerospace, automotive, headquarters, life sciences, manufacturing and others — to the state.
  • Supports South Carolina’s existing industry through supply chain solutions, emergency management resources, recycling market connections and much more.
  • Supports South Carolina’s business ecosystem to facilitate the creation of new businesses and technology within the state.
  • Provides incentives to qualifying companies and communities to promote economic development across the entire state.


South Carolina’s economic success is built on the state’s infrastructure, innovative capabilities, educated workforce and dedication to its environment, which is home to some of the most diverse ecosystems in the United States. There are over 300 recycling businesses currently in South Carolina, and the industry is experiencing a period of immense growth. From 2019 to 2023, companies in the state’s recycling industry announced capital investments totaling $6.6 billion, representing over 5,000 new jobs. More updates on South Carolina’s recycling industry can be found in the South Carolina Department of Commerce 2023 Annual Report.


S.C. Commerce works to ensure the health of the state’s environment through expansive recycling efforts. To encourage companies to prioritize sustainable operations, the state offers Green Initiative Credits. These credits are used to reward qualified recycling facilities, incentivize the installation of solar energy systems and more. Another sustainability initiative, the Recycling Markets Directory, allows manufacturers in South Carolina to find recycling within their area and keep valuable materials in motion.


NERC is pleased to welcome the South Carolina Department of Commerce to its team of Supporting Advisory Members. We look forward to working with S.C. Commerce and providing the necessary tools and support to help grow their ever-expanding recycling market.


For more information about the South Carolina Department of Commerce click here

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NERC states preference for mechanical recycling

By Waste Today Magazine • June 9, 2025
The Brattleboro, Vermont-based Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) has adopted a policy position on chemical recycling that was developed by a subcommittee of its Chemical Recycling Committee. NERC, whose members are drawn from 11 northeastern states, says the purpose of the policy statement is to articulate guiding principles for environmentally responsible chemical recycling of plastics, which it notes also is referred to as molecular or advanced recycling. NERC's Chemical Recycling Committee was established to better understand these processes and their environmental impacts to make informed policy decisions. In line with its mission of moving toward a more circular and sustainable economy, NERC says mechanical recycling currently is the preferred method of plastic waste processing, as it creates fewer environmental impacts than other currently available chemical recycling processes. View the full article here.

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By Waste Advantage Magazine • June 2, 2025
The Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) published its Chemical Recycling Policy Position on May 30, 2025. The purpose of the policy statement is to articulate guiding principles for environmentally responsible chemical recycling of plastics. NERC supports the conservation of natural resources, waste minimization, and recognizes the role of recycling in reaching these goals. Plastic is a prevalent material for packaging and other products due to its material properties. Producing virgin plastic from fossil fuels is an extractive process with negative environmental and social impacts. Therefore, NERC supports reduction, reuse, and recycling processes that displace virgin production in plastics where environmentally preferable. You can view the policy statement here: https://www.nerc.org/chemical-recycling . View the full article here.

Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) Publishes Chemical Recycling Policy Position

By Megan Fontes • May 29, 2025
The Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) published its Chemical Recycling Policy Position on May 30, 2025. The purpose of the policy statement is to articulate guiding principles for environmentally responsible chemical recycling of plastics. NERC supports the conservation of natural resources, waste minimization, and recognizes the role of recycling in reaching these goals. Plastic is a prevalent material for packaging and other products due to its material properties. Producing virgin plastic from fossil fuels is an extractive process with negative environmental and social impacts. Therefore, NERC supports reduction, reuse, and recycling processes that displace virgin production in plastics where environmentally preferable. You can view the policy statement here: https://www.nerc.org/chemical-recycling . The Policy Position was developed by the Subcommittee of the NERC Chemical Recycling Committee. Participants on the Subcommittee included Committee Chair Tom Metzner, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CTDEEP); Claudine Ellyin, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP); John Fay, Northeast Waste Management Officials' Association (NEWMOA); Anthony Fontana, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), Retired ; Michael Fowler, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP); Timothy Kerr, Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), Left MDE ; Shannon McDonald, Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE); Chaz Miller, Ex-Officio, NERC Board; Elizabeth Moore, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CTDEEP); Marc Moran, Pennsylvania Department Of Environmental Protection; Michael Nork, New Hampshire Department Of Environmental Services; Megan Schulz-Fontes, Northeast Recycling Council (NERC); and Richard Watson, Delaware Solid Waste Authority (DSWA). NERC created the Chemical Recycling Committee in 2022 with the goal of sharing information on new technologies called “chemical recycling.” The Committee shares information on the efficacy, cost, and impacts of these new technologies. Our Policy is the result of those efforts. The Committee is open to NERC state members and several advisory member organizations whose participation has been approved by the state members serving on the committee. NERC has published several other policy positions including the Post-Consumer Recycled Content Policy (2019) and Product Stewardship and Producer Responsibility Policy (2018), which can be found among others on NERC’s website: https://www.nerc.org/policy-positions-and-statements . For more information, contact Megan Schulz-Fontes, Executive Director, at megan@nerc.org .
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