Smart Business Recycling Awards | South Carolina Department of Environmental Services

Smart Business Recycling Award Application for FY25

Each year the Smart Business Recycling Program recognizes outstanding waste reduction & recycling efforts throughout South Carolina. The state has a goal to recycle 50 percent of waste generated by 2030 - echoing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recycling goal - which can only be accomplished if businesses recycle and track their progress. Smart Business Recycling Award applicants are required to submit their recycling data for the S.C. Solid Waste Management Annual Report. Click the link above to download the application and submit it to smartbiz@des.sc.gov.

Fiscal Year 2023 Award Winner

Devro (Calhoun County)

Devro, Inc. is a global company that is one of the world's leading suppliers of collagen food casings, which are used in a variety of meat products such as sausage. Devro, Inc.'s Calhoun County location in South Carolina is SCDES's Fiscal Year 2023's Smart Business Recycling Program Award Winner due to their sustainable efforts focused on recycling, reducing wastewater, and buying and using recycled products in their manufacturing process. Through their efforts, they have saved around 30% of the costs that have resulted from waste disposal in previous years. In addition, they have a Sustainability Team at their plant that meets monthly to discuss improvements for increasing recycling and reducing their carbon footprint. Devro, Inc. extends its service to the community by providing volunteers on a quarterly basis to help with litter clean-up efforts through "Adopt-a-Highway" events.

Congratulations to the 2023 Smart Business winner! SCDES commends Devro's efforts in helping to pursue the agency’s mission of promoting and protecting the health of the public and the environment. Devro, Inc. was recognized for their commitment to sustainability at SCDES's Annual Recycling and Solid Waste Professionals Meeting in October 2024.