[Adopted 6-25-1947 by Ord. No. 154, effective 7-1-1947; amended in its entirety 5-23-2017 by Ord. No. 1916]
The Council of the Borough of Middlesex may provide for the collection, removal and disposal of ashes, garbage, rubbish and other refuse matter in such manner as it deems necessary and establish such reasonable rules and regulations in conformity with the provisions of this article as circumstances may require, and all costs in connection therewith and incidental thereto shall be paid by general taxation.
A. 
Solid waste. All nonresidential properties including those of mixed commercial and residential uses in the Borough shall assume full responsibility for adequate collection, recycling and disposal of refuse. No junk or solid waste shall be permitted to accumulate on the property.
B. 
All nonresidential properties including those of mixed commercial and residential uses shall provide the Borough with proof of collection service on an annual basis, to be received by the Borough no later than January 31 of each calendar year, or within seven days of a written request from the Borough.
A. 
For the purpose of this article, the following words and terms shall be deemed to have the meanings herein given to them:
ASHES
Burned fuel of every nature and description derived from any burning process.
BULK ITEMS
Household items consist of furniture, storm windows and screens, rolled/tied carpeting in four-foot lengths, seven-foot household doors, mattresses, box springs, cabinets and ceramic fixtures.
GARBAGE
Waste or decayed animal and/or vegetable matter that has been used as food or was intended to be used as food and the waste therefrom, and dead animal or plant life or parts of the same.
OCCUPANT
An occupant, owner, agent, tenant, lessee, caretaker or other person or corporation in charge of the dwelling or other premises affected by this article.
PERSON
Any person, partnership, corporation or association of persons.
PROOF OF COLLECTION SERVICE
A written record, log, bill, or document(s) evidencing receipt of service for collection of solid waste for the preceding month from a person lawfully engaging in private solid waste collection services with the Borough of Middlesex.
REFUSE
Garbage, ashes and rubbish as herein separately defined.
RUBBISH
All broken crockery, glassware, furniture, household receptacles and utensils, house sweepings, bottles, tin cans, lawn cuttings, hedge trimmings, garden growth, old clothing and all discarded and waste material of every nature and description not elsewhere herein defined, including paper, cardboard or containers made of either paper or cardboard; provided, however, that all paper or cardboard must be separated from other rubbish material and must be secured in packages to permit easy handling and prevent the contents of the same from being scattered.
B. 
The singular shall include the plural, and the plural, the singular; the masculine shall include the feminine or neuter; and the words "and" and "or" shall be interpreted to apply interchangeably for the greatest effectiveness of this article.
This article shall not apply to any collection of earth, stone, plaster, wood or other material from excavating or from constructing, altering or repairing any building.
[Amended 6-25-2024 by Ord. No. 2124]
The occupant of any residential building or premises covered by the terms of this article shall place, keep and make readily accessible for collection and removal of garbage, ashes and rubbish placed in plastic bags inside covered receptacles with detachable lids, such as may be specified in rules and regulations to be adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Middlesex pertaining to the subject matter of this article. No loose garbage, medical waste or debris shall be inside the approved receptacle. Acceptable receptacles are metal or plastic containers with handles and tight-fitting lids weighing less than 50 pounds when filled and not to exceed 44 gallons in size. The use of stand-alone plastic bags or cardboard boxes, paper bags, crates, drums, pails, or similar containers as receptacles is not permitted. Garbage in these containers will not be collected. Extraordinary exceptions will be approved solely at the discretion of the Superintendent of the DPW.
All residential occupants or users of buildings which are furnished garbage and refuse service by the Borough of Middlesex must remove all receptacles and uncollected items from the front areas of the property within 24 hours after the scheduled pickup.
[Amended 8-11-2020 by Ord. No. 2003; 9-8-2020 by Ord. No. 2006]
A. 
All owners of residential households are permitted one curbside bulk item collection in a calendar year at no charge. No more than five cubic yards are permitted to be placed outside for bulk pickup. All bulk items will be collected on Wednesdays by appointment only. Appointments must be scheduled at least seven days prior to that Wednesday's pickup. Items cannot be placed at the curb for pick up more than 72 hours prior to that Wednesday's requested pickup. There will be no bulk pickup November 1 through January 31.
B. 
Construction debris, wood, branches, leaves, paint, metal, computers, televisions, and stereos will not be picked up.
C. 
Household appliances, i.e., stoves, dryers, refrigerators, freezers, hot-water tanks and dishwashers, can be picked up throughout the year by appointment only. All doors must be removed from the appliance.
D. 
An additional or special pickup may be available for owner-occupied one- and two-family residential dwellings only at a fee of $150 per pickup.
E. 
Each owner-occupied one- and two-family residential dwelling will be mailed two bulk coupons annually. An additional bulk coupon can be purchased from the Finance Office for $50.
All covered refuse receptacles to be collected by the municipality must be kept or placed, before the collector calls, where they will be readily accessible to him at the curb adjoining the street, and the same shall be sufficiently protected from the weather to prevent freezing fast in place. The occupant must keep all receptacles clean and in condition for safe handling.
No person shall throw, lay, deposit or leave or cause to be thrown, laid, deposited or left in or upon any vacant lot or open space, street, avenue, alley, highway, sidewalk, parking space or lot any garbage, ashes, rubbish or substances of a like nature in any manner contrary to the provisions of this article; provided, however, that nothing herein contained shall prevent the accumulation of any compost or manure for fertilization of the soil in cases where the same shall be stored, kept or placed in conformity with local and state health regulations and so that the same will not become a nuisance to any person or persons living within the area where such compost or manure is kept or maintained; and provided, further, that all such accumulation must be kept at least 100 feet from any dwelling house or store owned by another occupant.
Any person violating any of the provisions of this article shall, upon conviction therefor, forfeit and pay a minimum fine of $500 or be imprisoned in the county jail for not exceeding 90 days, and the Magistrate of the Borough of Middlesex, before whom any such person shall be brought, may impose such punishment by fine or imprisonment in the county jail, or both, as he may see fit, not exceeding the maximum established herein.
The disposal buildings may be erected and equipped with all appliances necessary for the cremation, destruction or other disposal of garbage or refuse matter, said buildings to be erected either on lands owned by the Borough of Middlesex and suitable for the purposes aforesaid, or on lands to be acquired by the Borough of Middlesex by purchase, gift or condemnation.
The Borough of Middlesex may purchase, maintain and operate the necessary equipment for the collection and removal of garbage, ashes and other refuse matter, and to sell and otherwise dispose of all unnecessary and used equipment from time to time.
If in the opinion of the Borough Council it is more advantageous for the Borough of Middlesex to have the ashes, garbage and other refuse matter or any part thereof in the Borough of Middlesex collected, removed and disposed of by any person or persons other than employees of the Borough of Middlesex, the Council may make a contract or contracts for such work, or any portion thereof with any individual or individuals, corporation or corporations, municipality or municipalities, in accordance with specifications to be adopted for the doing of such work in a sanitary and inoffensive manner, which specifications may provide for alternative methods of doing said work and are to be filed in the office of the Clerk of the Borough of Middlesex.
Said contract or contracts shall be entered into and made only after bids therefor shall have been advertised for in a newspaper and circulated in the Borough of Middlesex at least 15 days prior thereto, and the Mayor and Council shall have the right to reject any and all bids. All bidders shall give satisfactory bonds or security for the faithful performance of the work.
The collection, removal and disposal of garbage, ashes, rubbish and refuse matter shall be supervised by the Sanitation Committee of Borough Council, which shall have power to make, amend and repeal regulations for the conduct of work.
The Mayor and Council of the Borough of Middlesex shall have power at any time hereafter to adopt by resolution, rules and regulations pertaining to the subject matter of this article and by resolution have the power at any time hereafter to revise, modify, vacate or repeal any of the provisions of the within article.