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Monday 8:30am - 5pm Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm Thursday 8:30am - 5pm Friday 8:30am - 5pm

SC Department of Environmental Services

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SC Department of Environmental Services

A new era in environmental protection. SCDES is committed to preserving SC’s air, land, water and coast through Science, Service and Sustainability.

11/01/2026

Watch vs. Warning: Know the difference!
🚨 WARNING: More urgent. Severe weather is happening or imminent. Take action now.
👀 WATCH: Conditions are favorable. Severe storms are possible. Stay alert.

Think of it like tacos:
Watch = Ingredients 🌮
Warning = It’s Taco Time!

10/31/2026

South Carolina Emergency Management Division: Before your little goblins and superheroes head out to collect candy this weekend, make sure they know who to call or where to go if something unexpected happens.

Keep the scares in the haunted house, not in real life. Be prepared, not scared!

Before your little goblins and superheroes head out to collect candy this weekend, make sure they know who to call or where to go if something unexpected happens.
Keep the scares in the haunted house, not in real life. Be prepared, not scared!

10/31/2026

clothes dryers cause thousands of home fires each year. Check to make sure all vents in your home are free and clear of debris.

Snow, dirt, and lint can all be dangers. Clear dryers, furnaces, and all exhaust vents frequently.

-Don’t leave a clothes dryer running if you leave home or when you go to bed.
-Clean lint out of the vent pipe every 3 months.
-Make sure the correct electrical plug & outlet are used.

10/30/2026

Please join us in welcoming our newest SCDES team members! These new employees attended New Employee Orientation on Oct. 19, and we're excited to have them on board.

Welcome to SCDES! We're glad you're here and look forward to the work we'll accomplish together.

From left: Tonia Kirk (Finance & Operations), Rachel Poole (Bureau of Air Quality), Ewan Dixon (Bureau of Water), Alexis Leonard (Office of Communications/External Affairs), Jess Nadler (Bureau of Land and Waste Management), Ruth Germann (Bureau of Water) and Danny Swofford (Bureau of Regional and Laboratory Services).

Also joining: Max Lloyd (Bureau of Regional and Laboratory Services – Lancaster).

10/30/2026

When temperatures drop in South Carolina, staying warm is a matter of safety. Use these quick tips to protect your home and family:

🥶 Stay Indoors: Limit your exposure to the cold and avoid unnecessary travel.
🔆 Use the Sun: Open blinds and curtains during the day to let sunlight naturally warm your rooms; close them at night to trap that heat.
🧣 Conserve Warmth: Close doors and vents in unoccupied rooms to focus heat where you need it most.
👷 Safety Check: Never use grills, camp stoves, or generators inside. Keep generators at least 20 feet away from the house to avoid carbon monoxide risks.

Stay prepared: ready.gov/winter-ready

10/29/2026

SCDES staff with our Infectious Waste Program have been out in the community promoting the Get the Point Program, connecting with more than 5,000 South Carolina residents at six fall events!

The program helps residents safely dispose of household needles using rigid containers labeled with free, bright orange Get the Point stickers. Once filled and sealed, the containers can go in your regular household trash.

Our team will be at one more event this season! Stop by and see us Thursday, Oct. 30, at Saluda Shoals Park at 5 p.m. to learn more.

Want to get your free stickers? Call 1-800-285-5257 or e-mail [email protected].

Learn more: https://des.sc.gov/programs/bureau-land-waste-management/infectious-waste/home-generated-sharps

10/29/2026

Savannah River Site (SRS) officials declared a Site Area Emergency at 5:07 p.m. on 10-28-26 at the Site located near Aiken, SC.

The Savannah River Site Area Emergency was terminated at 9:45 p.m. Protective actions have been lifted, and site barricades have reopened.

A fire was reported at the Savannah River National Laboratory but has since been extinguished. Radiological surveys indicated no detectable levels of contamination.

Highway 125 remains open at this time. SRS officials are directing response efforts and have notified the appropriate state and local government agencies.

Oncoming shift workers should report to work as usual, and all other employees should report to work as scheduled on Thursday, Oct. 29.

When more specific information is available, it will be provided to you via SRS.GOV and Facebook.com/savannahriversite.

10/29/2026

Savannah River Site: Savannah River Site (SRS) officials have declared a Site Area Emergency at 5:39 p.m. on 10-28-26 at the Site located near Aiken, SC.

A fire was reported at the Savannah River National Laboratory but has since been extinguished. No contamination has been reported outside the affected facility.

As a precaution, barricades at site entrances have been closed to incoming traffic. Rail, river, and air traffic in the vicinity of SRS is also being restricted. SRS officials are directing response efforts and have notified the appropriate state and local government agencies.

Local residents should tune in to local radio and TV stations where state officials will announce any actions citizens may need to take. Residents should stay tuned to these stations for updated instructions.

In areas at SRS affected by the incident, employees who are not involved in emergency response or shutdown operations have been sheltered as a precaution.

When more specific information is available, it will be provided to you via SRS.GOV and Savannah River Site.

South Carolina Emergency Management Division

10/28/2026

Ownership comes with responsibility, but you don’t have to do it alone. The SCDES Dam Safety Program is excited to share a new, FREE resource from the Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO): The Dam Owners Academy.

This self-paced, online training is designed specifically for non-engineers to help you master the basics of:
✅ Dam Awareness & Terminology
✅ Operations & Maintenance
✅ Emergency Planning

Start your free training today and help keep our communities safe.
🔗 Register here: DamSafety.org/Dam-Owners
📍 Local SC Resources: des.sc.gov/dams

Address

2600 Bull Street
Columbia, SC
29212

Opening Hours

Monday	8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday	8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 5pm
Thursday	8:30am - 5pm
Friday	8:30am - 5pm

Website

https://des.sc.gov/

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