RECYCLING ORDINANCE – TOWN OF BOLTON, CONNECTICUT
Adopted: July 15, 1991
Published: July 24, 1991 (Journal Inquirer)
Effective Date: August 8, 1991
Corrected: June 17, 1993
The purpose of this ordinance is to preserve public health, safety and welfare.
This ordinance is authorized by Connecticut General Statutes which requires each municipal authority shall make provisions for the safe and sanitary disposal of all solid wastes generated within its boundaries.
The intent of this ordinance is to reduce the volume of solid waste generated by the community through recycling and achieve compliance with these regulations by generators and haulers of waste.
Section 2. DEFINITIONS
“Bulky Waste” incorporates the definition as used in the regulations of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, as may be amended from time to time. Currently the Town of Bolton has two types of “bulky waste”.
(a) Acceptable Bulky Waste shall include large and or heavy waste items such as empty refrigerates with doors off, washing machines, stoves, household furniture, etc. and other similar material that cannot readily be taken apart. It also includes dried out latex paint cans.
(b) Non-Acceptable Bulky Waste shall include motor vehicles or parts thereof weighing 100 pounds or more, by-product wastes such as rubber, leather and plastics, farm or other large machinery or parts thereof weighing 100 pounds or more; materials and wastes resulting from the repair or construction of buildings or structures (such as earth, stones, concrete, plaster, mortar and roofing materials), tree stumps over 6” in diameter or longer than three (3) fee (land clearing bulky waste). Non-acceptable bulky waste will also include any item of waste exceeding thirty (30) inches in any one of its dimensions or exceeding one hundred (100) pounds in weight or being in whole in part a solid mass, the solid mass portion of which has dimensions such that a sphere with a diameter of eight (8) inches could be contained within such solid mass portion.
“Cardboard”. Corrugated boxes and similar corrugated and craft papers materials which have a minimum of contamination by food and other material.
“Clean wood”. Used pallet, cable spools and other manufactured products of unpainted or unfinished woods. This category also includes tree limbs and trunks exceeding four inches (4”) in diameter, excluding stumps.
“Dry Cell Battery” means a device containing no liquid agents and used for generating electric current through a chemical reaction, including but not limited to, nickel-cadmium batteries, carbon batteries and alkaline batteries.
“Class container” means any unbroken glass bottle or jar of any size or shape used to package food or beverage products suitable for human or animal consumption.
“Hazardous Waste” means solid and liquid wastes in the following classifications:
(1) explosive
(2) pathogenic or pathological wastes
(3) radioactive wastes
(4) cleaning fluids, acids, poisons, caustic substances, paint, anti-freeze, pesticides, herbicides or other chemical wastes which either create an immediate safety hazard to person disposing of the waste or which by virtue of their chemical and/or the method of disposal present a threat to the quality of ground or surface waters
(5) hospital operating room wastes
“Land Clearing Bulky Waste” means any tree stumps, tree trunks, or tree tops.
“Leaves” means the foliage of deciduous trees.
“Metal Container” means any aluminum, bi-metal, steel, tin-plated steel, or other metallic can, plate or tray of any size of shape used to package food or beverage products suitable for human or animal consumption. Clean aluminum foil is also included in this category.
“Newspaper” means any used or discarded newsprint which has a minimum of contamination by food and other material. The only gloss printed paper stock in this category is the color-print insert commonly found in Sunday editions.
“Office paper” means any used or discarded high grade white paper, computer print-out, manila cardstock, photo-copying paper which is suitable for recycling and has a minimum of contamination. It also includes lightly colored paper such as the pink and yellow grades. For the purpose of this ordinance, office paper generated by households will be included with “newspaper” (i.e. residential households may dispose of their office paper as they would newspaper).
“Plastic bottles” means any plastic soda, water, milk bottle or plastic jug, which may have PET or HDPE-1 stamped on the bottom.
“Recyclables” means any items commonly regarded as wastes, which are designated by this regulation or by the Board of Selectmen to be pre-sorted for separate handling and delivered to the scrap materials market.
“Residential Recycling” shall include residences up to three families.
“Scrap metal” means used or discarded items which consist predominantly of ferrous metals, aluminum, brass, copper, lead, chromium, tin, nickel or alloys thereof, including, but not limited to white goods.
“Scrap tires” means discarded rubber or synthetic rubber tires uses by or manufactured for vehicles including, but not limited to, automobiles, trucks, buses and trailers.
“Special wastes” means non-hazardous commercial and industrial wastes which, by virtue of their properties and/or volume require special handling.
“Storage battery” means batteries used in motor vehicles, boats, airplanes, recreational vehicles, tractors, and like applications, or other lead acid batteries.
“Waste oil” means crankcase oil that has been utilized in internal combustion engines.
“Yard Waste” means the brush and boughs (limbs) of deciduous trees, foliage, cones and arillate fruit of coniferous (evergreen) trees and shrubs, lawn and hedge clippings and cuttings.
Section 3. RECYCLABLE MATERIALS
A. The list of materials regarded as recyclables is as follows:
Glass containers
Metal containers
Newspapers
Cardboard
Waste oil
Storage batteries
Scrap metal
Scrap tires
Leaves
Office paper
Plastic bottles (HDPE 1 and PET)
Wrapping paper
Magazines
B. The Board of Selectmen will revise the list as opportunities to recycle become available.
Section 4. RESIDENTIAL RECYCLING
A. When there exists, for a give household, the opportunity to recycle, then mixed glass and metal containers, newspapers, plastic bottles, wrapping paper, magazines, office paper and cardboard shall be pre-sorted for separate collection. Glass and metal containers and plastic bottles shall be rinsed with corks and neck rings removed.
Wrapping paper shall be separated and string-tied in bundles or placed in brown paper grocery bags, not weighing more than thirty-five (35) pounds. Magazines shall be separated and string tied in bundles or placed in brown paper grocery bags not weighing more than thirty-five (35) pounds. Newspapers shall be string tied in bundles or placed in brown paper grocery bags not weighing more than thirty-five (35) pounds.
Cardboard shall be collapsed (flattened) and tied in bundles not weighing more than thirty-five (35) pounds. Office paper shall be separated and string tied in bundles or place din brown paper grocery bags no weighing more than thirty-five (35) pounds.
B. The town will facilitate this opportunity to recycle by providing, at no cost, one recyclable materials container for use by each household. The container will remain the property of the Town. If the resident moves, the container shall remain at the address for use by the incoming occupant. Replacement cost will be the responsibility of the owner of the residence. The container must be kept clean and in such a place as not to constitute a nuisance or otherwise be objectionable. No recyclable shall be placed in plastic bags.
Should a resident have so much recyclable material that a second container is required, they may purchase one from the Selectmen’s Office or may obtain Town of Bolton recycling decals, free of charge, for use on their own container.
C. Recyclables shall be placed at the street curb or curb line for collection the morning of the regular collection day as set forth under a schedule determined by the Board of Selectmen.
D. The Town will coordinate, with contracted waste and materials haulers, waste management districts within town, and with materials processors and markets, the transportation and final disposition of recyclables.
Section 5. APARTMENTS/CONDOMINIUMS RECYCLING
Apartments of more than four units and condominiums shall have an area immediately adjacent to their dumpster designated for recyclables. All costs of recycling activities are to be borne by the apartment owner or the condominium association.
Section 6. COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL RECYCLING
A. Commercial and industrial premises serviced by private garbage collectors or haulers shall have an area immediately adjacent to their dumpster designed for recyclables. Such commercial premises shall be responsible for the proper disposal of their recyclables collected.
B. The Town will coordinate, with private businesses and contracted waste and materials haulers, any recycling outlet for specific special wastes at intervals to be determined by the Board of Selectmen.
Section 7. WASTE OIL
Waste crankcase oil will be placed in secured, closed plastic bottles or jugs no larger than one (1) gallon capacity and shall be placed by the resident at the street curb or curb line for collection the morning of their regular recycling collection day. There is a maximum of five such containers allowed per household per collection day.
Section 8. LEAVES AND YARD WASTE
The Town is currently constructing a collection center adjacent to the Town garage where the Town will accept leaves. A roll-off container will be provided for residents to drop off yard waste consisting of grass clippings or leaves (not brush, branches, tree clippings or other yard waste as defined in Section 2) in special paper bags specified by the Board of Selectmen. The Town reserves the right to sell these bags to its residents to help defray the cost of leaf recycling. No other bag or container will be permitted for use in leaf recycling.
Section 9. SCRAP METAL
A. The Town is currently constructing a collection center adjacent to the Town garage where the Town will accept scrap metal. A roll-off container will be provided for residents to drop off scrap metal.
B. The Town will collect scrap metal twice yearly under its “bulky waste” pick-up program. Residents will place their scrap metal at the street curb or curb line for collection on the Monday of the week designated as “Bulk Waste Week” as determined by the Selectmen.
C. From time to time, and based upon contractual arrangements, the Board of Selectmen may designate certain days as “Scrap Metal Days” and the Town’s recycling contractor will pick up white goods and scrap metal at curbside on that day. The resident would have to call the Town Hall prior to collection day with the type of item to be picked up and the street address.
Section 10. SCRAP TIRES
The Town is currently constructing a collection center adjacent to the Town garage where the Town will accept scrap tires. A container or area will be provided for residents to drop off their scrap tires. The Selectmen reserve the right to charge a fee per tire to help defray its disposal cost.
Section 11. STORAGE BATTERIES
A. Storage batteries shall be placed by the resident at the street curb or curb line for collection the morning of their regular recycling collection. There is a maximum of two such batteries allowed per household per collection day.
B. Private businesses, including garages and dealerships, will make separate provisions for proper disposition of discarded storage batteries.
Section 12. BULKY WASTE
A. Non-acceptable Bulky Waste. No person shall deposit non-acceptable bulky waste at the Town’s collection center, or at any other place within the Town, but shall arrange at his own expense, for the transfer of said bulky waste to a private landfill or other facility.
B. Acceptable Bulky Waste. Residents shall place their acceptable bulky waste at curbside for collection only during those times designated as “Bulk Waste Weeks” by the Board of Selectmen. Residents shall place all their bulky waste at curbside on the Monday of such week. The Board of Selectmen shall annually designate which week(s) are “Bulk Waste Weeks”.
Section 13. HAZARDOUS WASTE
It shall be unlawful for any person or corporation to dispose of hazardous waste in the Town, except in accordance with specific regulations which will provide a day scheduled as “Hazardous Waste Day”.
Section 14. NUISANCE
No person, corporation or other entity having custody or control of residential, industrial, or business premises from which garbage, rubbish or other refuse, including recyclables, is collected by the Town shall permit or cause any such garbage, rubbish or other refuse, including recyclables, within his control to become a hazard to public travel, health, safety or to become a nuisance of any sort.
Section 15. PROHIBITION OF UNAUTHORIZED COLLECTION OF RECYCLABLES
No person(s) engaged in the business of separation, recovery, collection, removal, storage, or disposition of materials and wastes within the Town, except as specifically authorized by the Town, shall pick up pre-sorted recyclable materials. This restriction shall also apply to any citizen, resident, taxpayers or person who might engage in such a practice for personal gain.
Section 16. FEES FOR SPECIALTY DESIGNATED MATERIALS
A fee, not to exceed twenty-five ($25.00) dollars, for acceptance of specially designated materials at the collection center will be established by Board of Selectmen in consultation with the Public Works Foreman.
Section 17. ENFORCEMENT
A. Any person found to be in violation of this ordinance shall be fined not more than fifty ($50.00) dollars for each offense.
B. The Town or its agents reserves the right to refuse to collect garage, rubbish or other refuse where the spirit or letter of this ordinance is ignored.
C. The Board of Selectmen shall have full discretional authority in deciding all disputed questions arising under the provisions of this ordinance.
Section 18. DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN
The Board of Selectmen reserve the right under this ordinance to enact from time to time such changes in these regulations as it shall deem in the public interest and based upon changing contractual conditions regarding the separation, recovery, collection, removal, storage and disposition of garbage, rubbish, recyclables and other waste. Such changes would become immediately effective upon passage.
Section 19. EFFECTIVE DATE
Notice of the passage of this ordinance shall be published in a daily newspaper having circulation in the Town of Bolton. This ordinance shall become effective on the fifteenth day after publication of the notice of passage.
All ordinances, resolutions, or regulations inconsistent with the provisions of this ordinance are hereby replaced by the extent of such inconsistency.
This ordinance and the various parts, sentences, sections, and clauses hereof, are hereby declared to be severable. If any part, sentence, section or clause is adjudged invalid, it is hereby provided that the remainder of this ordinance shall be affected thereby.