CHAPTER 1060
Garbage and Rubbish Collection and Disposal
EDITOR’S NOTE: Ordinance 627, passed July 15, 1987, adopted the Delaware County Solid Waste Management Plan, dated July, 1985, as the official ten-year plan (and beyond) for solid waste management in compliance with the Pennsylvania Solid Waste Management Act of 1968.
Resolution 90-185, passed December 19, 1990, ratified the Delaware County Municipal Solid Waste Management Plan Revision as the officially adopted Plan for the Township, pursuant to the Pennsylvania Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act of 1988.
1060.01 Definitions.CROSS REFERENCES:
Accumulation, collection and disposal of garbage and rubbish - see 1st Class §1502-XXVII
Disturbance of trash by animals see GEN. OFF. 610.08
Highway and Sanitation Department see ADM. Ch. 242
Scavengers - see B. R. & T. Ch. 864
Garbage and rubbish disposal in food service establishments - see H. & S.1825.10(g)
Garbage and rubbish nuisances - see H. & S. 1860.04, 1860.05
Littering - see H. & S. 1860. 06
As used in this chapter, except in those instances where the context clearly indicates otherwise:
(a) “Garbage” means the animal and vegetable waste resulting from the handling, preparation, cooking and consumption of foods. It does not include more than a minimum amount of free liquids. It does not include food processing waste from canneries, packing plants or similar industries or large quantities of
(b) “Ashes” means the residue from the burning of wood, coal, coke and other combustible materials for the purposes of heating and cooking. It does not include the cinders produced in steam generating plants.
(c) “Rubbish” means all waste materials not included in “garbage” and “ashes,” except building rubbish from building construction or reconstruction, Street refuse, industrial refuse, dead animals, abandoned machinery or vehicles or parts thereof or such other waste materials as are not commonly produced in homes, stores and institutions, for which exceptions there shall be no collection by the Township.
(d) “Refuse” means garbage, ashes and rubbish as herein defined. (Ord. 336. Passed 12-18-68.)
(e) “Single-family dwelling” means any household or family dwelling when said dwelling does not exceed two living units in number. “Single-family dwelling” does not include garden apartments, condominiums, townhouses, buildings or groups or buildings having common ownership containing or comprising multiple-family dwelling units of more than two units in number. (Ord. 652. Passed 6-21-89.)
1060.02 SINGLE-FAMILY DWELLINGS; COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISES.
(a) All ashes, rubbish and garbage accumulated in any single-family dwelling in the Township shall be collected, conveyed and disposed of by the Township, and the cost of such service shall be paid for as provided in the schedule of fees set forth in Section 1060.05 by the person owning the building from where the ashes, rubbish and garbage cane.
(b) No person shall collect and dispose of any refuse within the Township except as provided in this chapter.
(c) Because of the great amount of refuse being accumulated by shopping centers, supermarkets, manufacturing plants, stores and restaurants, the collection of which would unduly burden the facilities of the Township, all shopping centers, supermarkets, manufacturing plants, stores and restaurants shall dispose of their own refuse, in watertight vehicles provided with tight covers, and so operated as to prevent offensive odors escaping therefrom and refuse being blown, dropped or spilled.
(d) No person owning or operating a shopping center, supermarket, store or restaurant, or the agent or employee of such person, shall dispose of any such refuse within the Township.
(Ord.336. Passed 12-18-88; Res. 309-A. Passed 12-3-70.)
1060.03 PRECOLLECTION PRACTICES.
(a) Garbage shall be wrapped in paper and placed in the same container with the trash. Unwrapped garbage shall not be collected. Wrapping facilitates the handling of the garbage and assures a more complete combustion at the incinerator plant. All refuse shall be placed in a closed container or securely packaged. Loose trash and overfilled open containers shall not be collected and the owner shall be subject to a fine for littering.
1998 Replacement
(b) Refuse shall be collected by the Township from private residences only. Business establishments and other nonresidential occupants shall provide for their own refuse collection.
(c) Refuse shall be placed along the edge of a paved street.
(d) No container shall weigh over forty (40) pounds gross weight. Containers in excess of this weight limitation or larger than forty (40) gallons shall not be collected. All refuse shall be securely packaged to prevent littering. Closed metal or plastic containers are recommended (no cardboard containers). Paper bags are permitted for recycling of newspaper only, (no glass, metal, wood, sharp objects or perishables in plastic bags allowed). The Public Works Department Road Forman has the right to refuse the collection of containers or items he feels would be detrimental or harmful to the Public Works Department employees..
(e) Nails and other sharp objects in boards shall be removed or safely covered.
(f) No item over four feet in length shall be collected.
(g) Subject to the provisions of Section 1060.04 (b)(2), no earth, washer, dryer, refrigerator, stave, sofa, bed, metal pipe over four feet In length or other large item of household furniture shall be collected.
(h) No person shall place any refuse in any street, highway, alley or other public place, or upon any private property, whether owned by such person or not, within the Township, unless such refuse is placed in receptacles as above described, for collection, or under an express approval ranted by the Board of Township Commissioners. No person shall throw or deposit any refuse in any stream or body of water.
(i) Any unauthorized accumulation of refuse on any premises is hereby deemed to be a nuisance and is prohibited. Failure to remove any existing accumulation of refuse within thirty days alter the effective date of this chapter (Ordinance 336, passed December 18, 1968) shall be deemed a violation of the provisions hereof.
(j) No person, other than the occupants of the premises upon which the refuse receptacles are stored, or the collector, shall remove the covers or any of the contents of refuse receptacles.
(k) Refuse receptacles shall be placed for collection at ground level on the property, within the right of way of a street, highway or alley, but not on the paved cartway, and accessible to, and not more than ten feet from, the side of the highway, street or alley from which collection Is made, provided that receptacles may be placed for collection at other than ground level, and at a distance of more than ten feet, when approved by the Road Master. (Ord. 336. Passed 12-18-68.)
(l) No trash, rubbish or garbage to be collected by the Township under this chapter shall be put out at the curb for collection more than twenty-four hours prior to scheduled collection and pick-up of said trash, rubbish or garbage. (Ord. 652. Passed 6-21-89.)
(a) Frequency of Collection. Refuse shall be collected at least once a week. Shopping centers, supermarkets, manufacturing plants, stores and restaurants which are required to dispose of their refuse shall dispose of the same at least once a week, and where necessary to protect the public health and safety, the Board of Health of the Township may require that more frequent collections be made.
(b) Limitation on Quantity.
(1) It is the intention of this chapter that a reasonable accumulation of refuse for each family for the collection period shall be collected for the standard charge. The Township may refuse to collect unreasonable accumulations of refuse, or, at its discretion, may make an additional charge for such additional amounts.
(2) Large trash items shall be collected not less frequently than six times per year. Large trash items, within the meaning of this section, shall consist of all household items such as furniture, rugs, radios, television sets, toys and items too large for regular trash pick-up. Large trash items shall not include washers, dryers, refrigerators or stoves, otherwise known as “white metal appliances.” Any play-round equipment, such as swings, seesaws, etc., shall be completely dismantled before it is placed for collection to be removed from the premises. The collection of large trash items, or big trash pick-up, shall be accomplished during the first full week of the month, unless the Monday beginning the first full week of the month falls on a holiday, in which event the big trash pick-ups shall be accomplished during the second week of the month.
(3) It is the intention of this chapter that shopping centers, supermarkets, manufacturing plants, stores and restaurants shall privately contract for collection and have their accumulation of refuse collected at reasonable times so that there shall not be an undue or unreasonable amount accumulated prior to collection.
(4) “White metal appliances,” as defined in paragraph (b)(2) hereof. shall be picked up at the curb once a month on a call-in basis only. Fees for the pick-up of white metal appliances shall be paid in advance. The service of white metal appliance pick-up shall be limited to residents of the Township.
(c) Special Refuse Problems.
(1) Contagious disease refuse. The removal of wearing apparel, bedding or other refuse from homes or other places where highly infectious or contagious diseases have prevailed, shall be performed under the supervision and direction of the Board of Health. Such refuse shall not be placed in containers for regular collection.
(2) Inflammable or explosive refuse. Highly inflammable or explosive material shall not be placed in containers for regular collection but shall be disposed of as directed by the Board of Health, at the expense of the owner or possessor thereof.
(Ord. 336. Passed 12-18-68; Ord. 412-A. Passed 6-16-76; Res. 88-133. Passed 12-21-88.)