[1]
Cross references: Litter, § 17-1; department of public works, § 2-210 et seq.
[Gen. Ords. 1962, § 6-3(a), (b)]
As used in this chapter the following terms shall mean as indicated below:
ASHES
This term shall include broken glass, bottles and all the earthly or mineral part of combustible substances remaining after combustion.
COMBUSTIBLE MATTER, RUBBISH AND REFUSE SUBSTANCES
Waste paper, wooden boxes, tin cans, articles of clothing, rags, boots, shoes, straw, sawdust, rubber, grass clippings, garbage (if drained and securely wrapped), and floor sweepings from stores and markets.
[Gen. Ords. 1962, § 6-1]
Except as provided by the General Laws and in this chapter, the dumping and burning of garbage, trash, rubbish and other similar waste material on any premises within the City is hereby prohibited.
[Gen. Ords. 1962, § 6-2(d); Ord. No. 27122, 6-10-1991]
(a) 
Land. The owner of any parcel of land, vacant or otherwise, shall be responsible for maintaining such parcel in a clean and sanitary condition, for keeping such parcel free from garbage, rubbish or other refuse and for correcting any condition on such parcel, or its appurtenances, which affects the health, safety or well-being of the occupants of any dwelling, or of the general public.
(b) 
Dwelling units. The occupant of any dwelling unit shall be responsible for maintaining that part of the dwelling, which he occupies or controls, in a clean and sanitary condition, free from garbage, rubbish or other refuse.
(c) 
Dwellings containing fewer than three dwelling units. In a dwelling that contains fewer than three dwelling units, the occupant shall be responsible for maintaining, in a clean and sanitary condition, free from garbage, rubbish or other refuse, the stairs or stairways leading to his dwelling unit and the landing adjacent to his dwelling unit where said stairs, stairways or landing are not used by another occupant.
(d) 
Common areas in dwellings. In any dwelling, the owner shall be responsible for maintaining that part of the dwelling, which is used in common by more than one occupant and which is not occupied or controlled by one occupant exclusively, in a clean and sanitary condition, free from garbage, rubbish or other refuse.
(e) 
Passageway or right-of-way. The owner of any dwelling abutting a private passageway or right-of-way which is owned or used in common with other dwellings, or which the owner or occupants under his control have the right to use or are in fact using, shall be responsible for maintaining, in a clean and sanitary condition, free of garbage, rubbish or other refuse, that part of the passageway or right-of-way which abuts his property.
[Gen. Ords. 1962, § 6-2(d)]
It shall be unlawful for any person to haul refuse over the City streets unless such refuse is hauled in leak-proof vehicles that are tightly covered and so operated as to prevent offensive odors from escaping and refuse from being blown about, dropped or spilled.
[Gen. Ords. 1962, § 6-3(c)]
No person shall willfully or maliciously disturb containers which contain waste materials which are standing upon the sidewalk or street or tip them over, upset them or handle their contents.
[Gen. Ords. 1962, §§ 6-2(b), (d), (e); Ord. No. 27122, 6-10-1991]
(a) 
Garbage or mixed garbage and rubbish shall be stored in watertight receptacles with tight-fitting covers. The receptacles and covers shall be of metal or other durable, rodent-proof material. Rubbish shall be stored in receptacles of metal or other durable, rodent-proof material.
(b) 
Plastic bags may be used for the storage of garbage or mixed garbage and rubbish only when used as a liner in watertight receptacles as required by Section 7-6(a).
[Amended 11-13-2018 by Ord. No. 34245]
(c) 
The owner of any dwelling containing two or more dwelling units, the owner of any rooming house or lodging house, and the occupant of any dwelling unit, shall be responsible for providing a sufficient number of receptacles, on the property, to be used for the storage and containment of rubbish and garbage prior to its disposal or collection pursuant to the provisions of section 7-6(a). The receptacles shall be placed at such locations as will be convenient to the tenant, and will not result in objectionable odors entering any dwelling; provided, however, that in no case shall such receptacles be stored in the front yard area of any property or on the front porch of any dwelling.
[Amended 11-13-2018 by Ord. No. 34245]
[Ord. No. 27122, 6-10-1991l; amended 11-13-2018 by Ord. No. 34245]
Garbage, rubbish and other refuse shall be put out for collection in accordance with the provisions of Section 7-18. Garbage or mixed garbage and rubbish shall be put out for collection in watertight receptacles with tight-fitting covers. The receptacles and covers shall be of metal or other durable, rodent-proof material. Rubbish shall be put out for collection in receptacles of metal or other durable, rodent-proof material; provided, however, that plastic bags may be used as a container for items placed for collection in conjunction with the City of Waltham curbside textile recycling program. The owner of any dwelling that contains three or more dwelling units, the owner of any rooming house or lodging house, and the occupant of any other dwelling unit shall be responsible for the proper placement of garbage and rubbish at the customary point of collection, in order to effectively facilitate the collection and ultimate disposal of such garbage and rubbish by means of:
(1) 
The regular municipal collection system, in accordance with the provisions of Section 7-18; or
(2) 
Some other collection system which is approved by the Board of Health.
Provided, however, that the disposal of garbage may be accomplished, when lawful, by the use of a garbage disposal unit, placed into the kitchen sink drain, which grinds garbage finely enough to ensure its free passage, and is otherwise maintained in a sanitary manner; and provided further, that the disposal of garbage and rubbish may be permitted by any other method which does not endanger the health, safety or well-being of any person, and which receives the approval in writing of the Board of Health.
[Ord. No. 30446, 6-26-2006]
Litter receptacles, barrels, and other such containers placed on any public way, in any park, on the Common, or on any other public property by the City of Waltham or its departments shall be used only for the disposal of individual small items of litter, such as scraps of wastepaper, wrappers, and individual beverage containers. In no case shall any person place, dump, or dispose of household or commercial rubbish, garbage, or other bulk refuse in or on any such receptacles.
[Gen. Ords. 1962, §§ 6-2, 6-3; Ord. No. 27122, 6-10-1991]
(a) 
The Department of Public Works[1] shall promulgate rules and regulations governing the following:
(1) 
The proper location of containers or any items of refuse when placed for collection by the City;
(2) 
The items which the City will not collect;
(3) 
The specific days of collection for particular areas of the City.
Such rules and regulations shall be consistent with law and ordinance. The Director of Public Works shall cause to be placed on file in the office of the City Clerk a copy of all rules and regulations promulgated under this section, including any amendments thereof, within 10 days of their adoption by the Department of Public Works. The City Clerk shall provide each member of the City Council with a copy of such rules, regulations, and amendments thereto within 10 days of receipt of the same from the Director. The Director of Public Works shall cause such rules and regulations, as most recently amended, to be published in their entirety in a local newspaper of general circulation once each year, during the month of October.
[1]
Editor's Note: Now the Consolidated Public Works Department.
(b) 
The Department of Public Works may refuse to collect garbage, rubbish, or other refuse from any building or property whose owner or occupant violates any of the rules or regulations promulgated pursuant to this section.
Cross reference—Consolidated Public Works Department, § 2-210 et seq.
[Ord. No. 22551, 8-11-1969; Ord. No. 27122, 6-10-1991; Ord. No. 30449, 6-26-2006]
(a) 
Garbage, rubbish and other refuse shall be placed for collection before 7:00 a.m. on the day of collection, provided that in no case shall it be placed for collection earlier than one hour before sunset on the day prior to the day of collection.
(b) 
All barrels, containers or receptacles shall be removed from the sidewalk or other area of collection prior to 11:00 p.m. on the day of collection.
(c) 
Any owner or occupant of a building who places or causes to be placed garbage, rubbish or other refuse for collection at times other than those designated in this section or fails to remove all empty barrels, containers or receptacles from the sidewalk or other area of collection shall be held to be in violation of this section and shall be subject to fine as provided for in Section 1-13 of the General Ordinances. Each day that such violation continues shall constitute a separate offense.
(d) 
No occupant, property owner, business, or other person shall place any garbage, rubbish or other refuse on any way in front of any property except that owners and occupants of residential properties may place garbage, rubbish or other refuse for collection on that portion of the sidewalk on which said residential property has frontage, provided that said garbage, rubbish or other refuse originated from that residential property. In the case of a residential property which does not have adequate frontage, said garbage, rubbish or other refuse shall be placed at a location approved by the Director of the Consolidated Department of Public Works. In no case shall garbage, rubbish or other refuse be brought from another location or property and placed for collection in front of a property other than that from which it originated.
[Ord. No. 27275, 12-23-1991]
Persons shall pay such rates and charges for the collection of solid waste including, but not limited to, garbage, trash, refuse, rubbish, yard waste, appliances, metal goods or ashes, or any combination thereof, as are established by ordinance.