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City of Saco, ME
York County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
GARBAGE
Includes all decayed or spoiled food and refuse resulting from the preparation of food.
OVERFLOW
Garbage set out for collection that exceeds the amount contained in the City-provided collection container; applies only to those household wastes considered acceptable in the curbside collection program.
[Added 10-7-2002]
RESIDENTIAL USES
For the purpose of providing solid waste collection, includes single-family, duplex and multifamily dwellings (up to and including six units) on public ways. Residential uses may include home occupations as defined in the Zoning Ordinance, but not other mixed commercial and residential uses.
[Amended 3-04-2002]
RUBBISH
Waste material not containing putrid matter or organic waste. "Rubbish" does not include stumps, recyclable material or other wastes designated as unacceptable herein.
[Amended 10-20-1997; 10-7-2002]
A. 
All garbage and rubbish containers required by this article shall be designated, provided and owned by the City of Saco; all residences receiving municipal solid waste services are required to use only the City-provided containers for weekly refuse collection. These containers hold a capacity of up to 65 gallons and shall not be filled to a gross weight of more than 150 pounds each. Each residential unit will be allowed one City-designated container per pickup. Decisions to permit a second container will be made on a case-by-case basis for exceptionally large households, and in those cases, only after a solid waste inspection by a Saco Public Works staff member to determine that the need remains when maximum recycling is being done.
B. 
All nonresidential or commercial users shall provide adequate garbage containers for the weekly rubbish generated by the business conducted on the premise. At a minimum, the owner shall provide a secured container or containers with closable covers to minimize the stacking and spreading of the garbage generated by the subject business.
[Amended 10-7-2002]
A. 
It shall be the responsibility of the City to provide and make available suitable and sufficient containers as described by § 181-2 to receive the accumulation of weekly household waste. Each container shall be placed as instructed by the City or its designated garbage collector along the street, sidewalk or roadside for automated collection. City-designated garbage containers may be set out for collection the evening or day before, and should be removed from the street or roadside after collection.
B. 
Should a City-owned container be damaged or lost by a household, the City will make another such container available for replacement at a fee. Under special circumstances to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, rental or seasonal buildings will be allowed to rent additional containers from the City for a fee to be determined by the City Council.
C. 
Residents who have “overflow waste,” defined as garbage set out for collection that exceeds the amount contained in the City-provided collection container, may take it to the City’s Recycling Center for disposal. Residents may pick up a disposal permit at Public Works. With proof of residency, a household may dispose of up to three cubic yards of waste acceptable at the Transfer Station per year at no cost; waste in excess of three cubic yards can be disposed of at the Transfer Station at a rate to be established by the City Council.
[Amended 10-20-2008]
A. 
Each household or business is responsible for preventing accumulation of rubbish. All residential rubbish must be set out in a City-designated container for garbage collection. Each household or commercial unit must contain its waste in receptacles as described in § 181-2. Pursuant to § 181-3, each container shall be placed as instructed by the garbage collector along the street, sidewalk or roadside for automated collection. City-designated garbage containers may be set out for collection no earlier than 2:00 p.m. on the day before the day of collection. All receptacles must be removed from the sidewalk or edge of the roadway shoulder by noon on the day after collection. No person shall cause or permit any accumulation of rubbish which, in the opinion of the Health Officer or Health Inspector, is unsanitary or hazardous to the health of the public or, in the judgment of the Fire Chief of the Fire Department, constitutes a fire hazard. The Code Enforcement Officer is hereby authorized to waive this requirement when it is found that special or unusual circumstances do not permit the container to be removed at the prescribed time.
[Amended 10-7-2002; 3-19-2012]
B. 
Dumping prohibited. No person shall throw or place any refuse, paper, trash, glass, nails, wire, bottles, cans, building materials, yard waste, including grass trimmings, leaves, brush, branches, concrete, earthen fill, garbage containers, litter or other debris in any ditch, stream, river or retention basin that regularly or periodically carries surface water runoff. Any person who deposits any of the above shall remove it or cause it to be removed immediately. The Code Enforcement Officer, the Public Works Director or any one else designated by either shall be responsible for the enforcement of this provision.
[Added 11-5-2001]
[Amended 10-7-2002]
The City may provide one scheduled waste pickup and one recyclable pickup per week per route for all residential uses, except during cleanup weeks, by the order of the City Council and Director of Public Works. The City will provide special collection to allow overflow, defined as excess waste that does not fit into the City-designated container, around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. During the week immediately following the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, garbage collection will include in addition to the regularly collected sixty-four-gallon container, up to two bags of overflow per household unit.
No person, firm or corporation owning, operating or being in charge of any public warehouse, market, store, fruit stand, restaurant, kitchen, dining room or other place where putrescible waste matter or other rubbish accumulates shall permit the deposit or accumulation of such waste matter or other rubbish in or upon the building or premises controlled by him or it.
[Amended 11-7-2005]
The City, at its discretion, may enter into contracts for the collection of recyclable materials or other solid wastes with residential uses that do not meet the strict definition of residential uses in this article, and with nonresidential uses. Each contract shall be negotiated individually.
The occupants of every residential building shall place containers for the removal of the contents by the persons authorized to collect the same, and no person other than the occupant, the owner of the premises or an authorized collector shall remove, take or otherwise disturb this refuse or any portion thereof so placed for removal. Containers placed in the public way on the regularly scheduled collection day shall be considered as being intended for collection, and as such shall be collected by no one other than authorized persons. Containers, if containing putrescible matter, shall be covered to prevent the ingress of flies, rats or other animals.
No person shall willfully remove, destroy, mutilate or utilize for another purpose other than the holding of rubbish, garbage, recyclables or other waste matter containers which have been provided in accordance with this article.
No City equipment shall leave public-used and City-maintained roads, streets, lanes, highways, etc., to go on private property to pick up waste or rubbish, unless otherwise provided for herein.
Any owner, agent or occupant of land upon whose premises any unlawful accumulation of offal, refuse, waste or rubbish may be found shall, within 24 hours after receiving written notification from the Chief of Police or Health Officer, cause the same to be removed and the nuisance abated in a manner satisfactory to the Health Officer and the Chief of Police.
Every vehicle which shall be used for the conveyance of ashes, cinders, sawdust, loose paper, cartons, boxes, cases, slabs, sticking wood, rubbish, gravel, dirt or any other substance or material or any other articles which may fall therefrom shall be entirely enclosed or have tarpaulins or covers securely attached to the sides and ends of the vehicle and of sufficient size and form as shall entirely cover the contents of such vehicle and prevent such contents from being blown or falling therefrom, irrespective of whether such vehicle is licensed for the conveyance of such contents or not.
[Amended 11-5-2001]
Any person or persons violating any of the provisions of this article shall be subject to a penalty of not less than $100 nor more than $2,500 for each offense.