By Delayna Earley
The Island News
The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services will host a community meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, at Coosa Elementary School, to update residents on its ongoing investigation into persistent landfill odors reported in parts of Lady’s Island.
According to SCDES, the meeting will provide an overview of the agency’s odor investigation and response efforts in the Telfair, Royal Pines and surrounding neighborhoods, followed by time for questions from community members. Staff from Coastal Waste & Recycling, LLC, which operates the nearby landfill, has been invited and is planning to attend to respond directly to resident concerns.
Why the meeting is being held
The meeting follows months of odor complaints from residents who say strong, unpleasant smells — often described as sulfur-like or sewage-related — have affected daily life, sometimes entering homes and waking people during early morning hours. Residents have reported the odors across multiple neighborhoods, prompting repeated complaints to state regulators.
In response, SCDES opened an investigation to determine the source, frequency and potential causes of the odors and to evaluate whether landfill operations are contributing to off-site impacts.
What the investigation has included
SCDES has said its response has involved a combination of site inspections, odor assessments and air monitoring in areas closest to the landfill. The agency has required the landfill operator to submit formal odor assessment and odor abatement plans, outlining steps being taken to reduce off-site odors.
The agency has also deployed monitoring equipment in nearby neighborhoods to track odor-related gases and identify trends tied to weather conditions or landfill activity. SCDES has previously noted that environmental factors — including heavy rain events — can contribute to odor migration if landfill cover or slopes are compromised.
What residents can expect next
SCDES officials say the Jan. 26 meeting is intended to share current findings, explain next steps in the investigation, and hear directly from affected residents. The agency has emphasized that community feedback remains a key part of its response as monitoring and enforcement efforts continue.
The meeting is open to the public.
Delayna Earley, who joined The Island News in 2022, formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.
