[Adopted 8-15-2005 by Ord. No. 187]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
BACKYARD COMPOSTING
The gathering of on-site yard waste for composting in the rear yard of the property with the completed composted yard waste being utilized as a compost or mulch on-site.
BRUSH
Includes bushes, shrubs, thickets, tree trimmings, hedge trimmings, and small trees.
COMPOSTING FACILITY
A facility that is used to compost leaf waste, grass clippings, garden residue, tree trimmings, chipped shrubbery and other vegetative material. The facility shall be either public or privately owned and be permitted by DEP.
CLEARING AND GRUBBING WASTE
Trees, shrubs, and other native vegetation which are cleared from land during or prior to the process of construction. The term does not include demolition waste and dirt-laden roots.
DEMOLITION AND CONSTRUCTION WASTE
Lumber, roofing material, sheathing, plaster, conduit, pipes, wire, insulation, and other materials that result from a construction, demolition, or remodeling at the project site.
PERSON
Any individual, partnership, corporation, association, institution, cooperative enterprise, municipal authority, federal government or agency, state institution or agency, or any other legal entity whatsoever which is recognized by law as the subject of specific rights and duties.
RECYCLABLE ITEMS
Includes glass bottles; bimetal, aluminum, and steel cans; plastic containers, numbers 1 and 2; newspaper; cardboard.
YARD WASTE
Leaves, grass clippings, garden residue, trees, tree trimmings, clipped shrubbery, and other vegetative materials.
It shall be unlawful for any person to burn any brush, demolition and construction waste, recyclable items, and yard waste in Washington Township except as provided in § 288-25.
A. 
A fire set to prevent or abate a fire hazard, when approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and set by or under the supervision of a public officer.
B. 
Any fire set for the purpose of instructing personnel in fire fighting, when approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
C. 
A fire set for the prevention and control of disease, pests, rats, snakes, bees, etc.
D. 
A fire set for agricultural management purposes on the premises of the agricultural operation.
E. 
A fire set for the purpose of burning, clearing and grubbing waste for construction.
F. 
A fire set solely for recreational or ceremonial purposes.
G. 
A fire set solely for cooking food.
H. 
A fire set for conservation practices and protection, which includes storm damage cleanup and stream cleaning.
(1) 
Fires set for this purpose shall be located 100 feet or more from any buildings or structures. Materials to be burned shall originate from the same property, except stream cleanup materials which may have floated to the site.
I. 
A fire set to keep persons warm at a building construction site, public gathering or other outdoor function shall be containerized and only wood may be burned.
Any person who violates any provision of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $1,000 and costs of prosecution, or, in default of payment of such fines and costs, to undergo imprisonment of not less than 10 days nor more than 30 days. Provided: each violation of any provision of this article and each day the same is continued shall be deemed a separate offense. For purpose of this section, the doing of any act or thing prohibited by any provision of this article, or the failure to do any act or thing as to which any provision of this article creates an affirmative duty, shall constitute a violation of this article, punishable as herein stated.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. III).
The various headings used throughout this article are intended only as an aid in its organization, in order to facilitate ease of reading, and are not to be considered a substantive part of this article. In this article, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular shall include the plural; the plural shall include the singular; and the masculine shall include the feminine and neuter.