[Adopted 12-10-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-15[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance amended in its entirety Art. VI, Littering, adopted 4-25-1989 by Ord. No. 4-89 (Ch. 117, Art. VI, of the 1985 Code), as amended 10-27-2009 by Ord. No. 09-11.
This article establishes requirements for control of littering in the Village of Ridgefield Park in order to protect the environment, public health, safety, and welfare, and to prescribe penalties for failure to comply.
For the purpose of this article, the following terms, phrases, words and their derivations shall have the meanings stated herein unless their use in the text of this article clearly demonstrates a different meaning. When consistent with the context, words used in the present tense include the future, words used in the plural number include the singular number, and words used in the singular number include the plural number. The word "shall" is always mandatory and not merely directory.
LITTER
Any used or unconsumed substance or waste material which has been discarded, whether made of aluminum, glass, plastic, rubber, paper, or other natural or synthetic material, or any combination thereof, including, but not limited to, any bottle, jar or can, or any top, cap or detachable tab of any bottle, jar or can, any unlighted cigarette, cigar, match or any flaming or glowing material or any garbage, trash, refuse, debris, rubbish, grass clippings or other lawn or garden waste, newspapers, magazines, glass, metal, plastic or paper containers or other packaging or construction material, but does not include the waste of the primary processes of mining or other extraction processes, logging, sawmilling, farming or manufacturing.
LITTER RECEPTACLE
A container suitable for the depositing of litter.
PERSON
Any individual, corporation, company, partnership, firm, association, or political subdivision of this state subject to municipal jurisdiction.
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to throw, drop, discard or otherwise place any litter of any nature upon public or private property other than in a litter receptacle.
B. 
Whenever any litter is thrown or discarded or allowed to fall from a vehicle or boat in violation of this article, the operator or owner, or both, of the motor vehicle or boat shall also be deemed to have violated this article.
No person shall distribute or place or cause to be distributed or placed into or upon the lawns or grounds of any house or apartment or upon the doorstep, porch, or plaza of any house or apartment or in the doorway of any house or apartment any newspapers, papers, periodicals, books, magazines, circulars, cards, or pamphlets, provided that this section shall not apply to the distribution of any newspapers, papers, periodicals, books, magazines, circulars, cards, or pamphlets when the same are distributed by manual delivery to an occupant of any house or apartment at the order of an occupant of such house or apartment.
Litter receptacles and their servicing are required at the following public places which exist in the Village, including sidewalks used by pedestrians in active retail, commercially zoned areas, such that at a minimum there shall be no single linear 1/4 mile without a receptacle: buildings held out for use by the public, including schools, government buildings, and railroad and bus stations; parks; drive-in restaurants; all street vendor locations; self-service refreshment areas; construction sites; gasoline service station islands; shopping centers; parking lots; campgrounds and trailer parks; marinas, boat moorage and fueling stations; boat launching areas; public and private piers operated for public use; beaches and bathing areas; and at special events to which the public is invited, including sporting events, parades, carnivals, circuses and festivals. The proprietors of these places or the sponsors of these events shall be responsible for providing and servicing the receptacles such that adequate containerization is available.
In the event that the owner or possessor of private property or lands shall refuse or neglect to abate or remedy the condition which constitutes a violation of this article, the Police Department or other appropriate official of the Village may issue a summons for the violation of the article and other ordinances pertaining to Chapter 214 of the Code of the Village of Ridgefield Park. In addition, the Village may cause the condition to be abated and remedied. Upon the removal of any materials prohibited to be stored or abandoned on lands by this article by or under the direction of any appointed officer or officers of this jurisdiction, in cases where the owner or tenant shall have refused or neglected to remove the same in manner and within five days of receiving a notice of violation, such officer shall certify the cost thereof to the Village, which shall examine the certificate and, if found correct, shall cause the cost as shown thereon to be charged against said lands and will be added to and become and form part of the taxes next to be assessed and levied upon said lands. The same shall bear interest at the same rate as taxes and shall be collected and enforced by the same officers and in the same manner as taxes.