[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Camden
as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 2-28-1985 by Ord. No. MC-2109 (Ch. 266 of the 1987
Code)]
A. As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
BULK ITEMS
Any large, heavy and/or bulky household appliances, furniture
and furnishings which cannot easily and safely be placed in the common
collection vehicle known as a "load packer" or "dumpster." This includes
items of ferrous and nonferrous aluminum.
CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS
Any scrap lumber, metal, earth, sand, bricks, stone, plaster,
roofing and siding material and any other debris of a similar nature
which accumulates and is incidental to the construction or major renovation
of buildings, public works or other projects. Light debris from minor
repairs and renovations shall not be construed as "construction debris."
LARGE METAL ITEMS
Includes, but is not limited to, refrigerators, stoves, hot-water
heaters, washers, dryers, bicycles and tire rims.
[Added 6-25-1987 by Ord. No. 2309]
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,
newspaper, magazines, glass, metal, plastic or paper containers or
other packaging or construction material but does not include the
waste of the primary process of mining or other extraction processes,
logging, sawmilling or farming.
[Added 6-23-1988 by Ord. No. MC-2390]
LITTER RECEPTACLE
A container suitable for the depositing of litter.
[Added 6-23-1988 by Ord. No. MC-2390]
PERSONS
One or more individuals, male or female, partnership or partnerships,
corporation or corporations.
RESIDENTIAL
Implies a family dwelling of four or fewer units.
SOLID WASTE
(1)
Includes combustible debris, that is, paper, cardboard, rags,
mattresses, discarded wearing apparel, furniture, carpets, rubber,
grass cuttings, plant trimmings and leaves. It also includes ashes
or the residue from the burning of coal or other fuel as well as accumulations
of dirt and such other noncombustible materials. It shall also include
bottles, broken glass, crockery, tin cans and discarded tires and
rims.
(2)
Includes the useless, unwanted or discarded material with insufficient
liquid content to be free-flowing and shall mean and include rubbish,
garbage, kitchen waste, food waste, vegetable matter, condemned foods,
animal or vegetable matter, offal, decaying and decomposing matter,
leaves, ashes, tin cans, bottles, rags, glass, grass, yard cuttings,
branches, wastepaper and waste products, household items, refuse and
other customary household waste and discarded waste material which
shall be collected and disposed of from residential dwelling units.
SURGICAL TISSUE REMAINS
Includes, but is not limited to, by-products of medical clinics
and by-products of oral surgery.
TOXIC WASTE
(1)
CHEMICAL WASTEA material normally generated by or used in chemical, petrochemical, plastic, pharmaceutical, biochemical or microbiological manufacturing processes or petroleum refining processes, which has been selected for waste disposal and which is known to hydrolize, ionize or decompose, which is soluble, burns or oxidizes, which may react with any of the waste materials which are introduced into the landfill or which is buoyant on water or which has a viscosity less than that of water or which produces a foul odor. Chemical waste may be either hazardous or nonhazardous.
(2)
HAZARDOUS WASTEAny waste or any combination of wastes which poses a present or potential threat to human health, living organisms or the environment. "Hazardous waste" shall include, but not be limited to, waste material that is toxic, corrosive, irritating, sensitizing, radioactive, biologically infectious, explosive or flammable.
TRADE WASTE
Includes all solid waste material resulting from a multifamily
dwelling (in excess of four units, a commercial, industrial or other
nonresidential establishment, trailer courts, apartment developments
or waste from construction, demolition or home improvements.
USED NEWSPAPER
Includes paper of the type commonly referred to as "newsprint"
and distributed at stated intervals, usually daily or weekly, having
printed thereon news and opinions and containing advertisements and
other matters of public interest.
WASTE
Includes, but is not limited to, solid waste, construction
debris, trade waste, bulk items and surgical tissue remains.
[Added 11-14-1985 by Ord. No. MC-2175]
WASTEPAPER PRODUCTS
Includes newspapers, corrugated cardboard, magazines, bags,
computer printout, computer tabular cards, white ledger and colored
ledger.
[Added 6-25-1987 by Ord. No. 2309]
B. "He" shall mean singular and plural, male, female or neuter gender.
A. It shall be the responsibility and obligation of the City and/or
its contractor to remove, on a regular, scheduled basis, such solid
waste as may normally be generated by a household between times of
collection.
B. It shall not be the responsibility or obligation of the City and/or
its contractor to remove, without prior agreement, any and all refuse
which may be placed for collection at any time and in any place. When
a household elects to clean out accumulated refuse from cellars, backyards,
alleys, attics and spare rooms, it shall be the obligation of the
household to place such material in such quantity and in such a manner
as not to create a public nuisance and safety hazard or to arrange
for private collection.
C. It shall be unlawful for any person to throw, drop, discard or otherwise
place litter of any nature upon any public or private property, other
than a litter receptacle.
[Added 6-23-1988 by Ord. No. MC-2390]
A. Any person desiring his solid waste to be removed by the City of
Camden or its duly authorized contractor shall provide suitable receptacles
and shall place therein all solid waste which shall normally accumulate
in, on or about his said property.
B. Receptacles in which solid waste shall be placed shall be leakproof
and waterproof, with a lid to properly fit said container, in the
case of metal or moulded rubber containers, so as to prevent the contents
from being distributed over any street, byway or public place. Baskets,
boxes or other receptacles with openings on the top or bottom shall
not be used.
C. Receptacles herein required, together with their contents, shall
be of such weights and designs as to be conveniently handled by one
man, and no receptacle and contents shall weigh more than 50 pounds,
except where conditions permit. Where it is in the interest of better
and more efficient collection, wheeled containers of heavy metal or
plastic not to exceed 1 1/2 cubic yards capacity, equipped with
hinged lids and approved in design by the City or its contractor may
be substituted for the previously designated fifty-pound containers.
Such containers, where permitted, must be furnished and maintained
in a tight and operable condition by the apartment owner or others
and shall be provided in sufficient number to contain all the refuse
generated between collections without spillage or overflow.
D. Litter receptacles and their servicing are required at the following
public places which exist in the municipality: sidewalks used by pedestrians
in active retail commercially zoned areas, 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 sponsors of these events shall
be responsible for providing for and servicing the receptacles such
that adequate containerization is available. In active retail commercially
zoned areas, there shall be no single linear quarter mile without
a receptacle.
[Added 6-23-1988 by Ord. No. MC-2390]
It shall be the responsibility of the owner to provide or utilize
a suitable all-weather, hard pad or base upon which to locate the
container so that it can be readily and freely wheeled to the point
of contact with the loader without hand lifting.
Containers shall be maintained by owners in an ice- and snow-free
condition.
Front-loading containers shall be placed so as to be readily
available for collection without moving.
A. All containers shall be placed as agreed between the City or its
contractor and the owner.
B. The City will not enter private property to perform the task of solid
waste removal.
C. It is the owner's responsibility to properly locate the solid waste
to be removed.
D. Any such person shall place such receptacle(s), with its (their)
contents, bundles or bulk items, upon the sidewalk, adjacent to the
curb, in front of or along the side of his respective property or
in the alley where alley collections are currently being made, on
the days and times when the collection of such solid waste or bulk
items shall be made.
E. No such receptacles, bundles or bulk items shall be placed on the
sidewalk or alley for collection prior to 10:00 p.m. local time on
the day before such materials are to be collected in his particular
district.
F. No such receptacles, bundles or bulk items shall be placed in front
of any street, alley, lane, road, highway or public place, nor in
front of, nor along the side of nor behind the property occupied by
another without consent of such other occupant.
[Amended 6-25-1987 by Ord. No. MC-2309]
Wastepaper products shall be bundled separately and secured
in bundles not to exceed 40 pounds and shall not be contained in plastic
bags.
[Added 6-25-1987 by Ord. No. MC-2309]
Glass bottles and glass jars shall have the caps removed, and
bottles and jars shall be rinsed and then placed into plastic or metal
containers along with all of the metal caps and aluminum cans and/or
tin cans. All of these materials may be placed in the same container.
The containers shall not exceed 12 gallons' capacity.
[Amended 11-14-1985 by Ord. No. MC-2175]
It shall not be the responsibility of the City or its contractor
to furnish collection vehicles or personnel to remove and dispose
of construction debris, trade waste or surgical tissue remains. It
shall be the responsibility of the construction contractor, property
owner or his agent to have the construction debris, trade waste and/or
surgical tissue remains removed and disposed of at his expense.
[Amended 11-14-1985 by Ord. No. MC-2175]
It shall be unlawful for any person to place or cause to be placed upon any vacant lot, street, alley, driveway or public place, any ashes, surgical remains, solid waste, construction debris, trade waste or bulk items or to disturb such material when properly placed, except in compliance with the provisions of §§
711-2 through
711-11.
[Added 6-25-1987 by Ord. No. MC-2309]
The designated day for recyclable materials for each section
of the City will be other than the day designated for normal trash
refuse. The designated days for each collection shall be established
by the Director of Public Works.
[Added 6-25-1987 by Ord. No. MC-2309]
Metal items, such as old refrigerators, stoves, hot-water heaters,
washers, dryers, bicycles, tire rims (without tires) and any accumulation
of ferrous or nonferrous metals, shall be collected by members of
the Department of Public Works; however, the occupant must call the
Public Works Service Center to make the arrangements for a special
pickup.
All solid waste to be collected, removed and disposed of shall
be placed at the curb (except alley collection) or within five feet
of improved roadway at one collection point. In the case of corner
lots, solid waste shall be placed at the improved roadway most accessible
to the collection vehicle. This shall include all streets, accepted
or otherwise, and shall include those streets that are temporarily
closed for construction. In the latter case, special collection points
shall be designated by the City of Camden if the condition of the
street would prevent access thereto by the collector's trucks.
The contractor shall provide alley collection in those areas
within the City of Camden where alley collection services are currently
being provided. The contractor is advised that said alleys are narrow
and of limited access. Small collection vehicles may be required to
provide the alley collection services. It is estimated there are approximately
175 alleys throughout the City of Camden that require alley collection
services.
[Amended 12-12-1991 by Ord. No. MC-2720; 12-10-2019 by Ord. No. MC-5232]
No collection vehicle or employee of the City or its contractor
shall be required to enter any private property, including apartment
or condominium complexes, in order to collect any bundle, bulk item
or the contents of any receptacle or dumpster, nor shall any vehicle
of the City or its contractor enter into or under any building in
order to collect such materials.
A. Residents who require the removal of any appliance, hot-water heater
or furnishing that requires a special collection vehicle shall notify
the contractor, who shall make provisions for the removal of the same
within five working days at no additional cost to the residents or
the City of Camden. The contractor shall be responsible to keep an
ongoing schedule calendar of appointments of all bulk pickups. The
residents will be assured that, on the day that has been scheduled
by the contractor, he or his agent will pick up the bulk items as
scheduled.
B. It shall be the responsibility of the City or its contractor to remove
up to three bulk items at a time on the latter or second collection
day of the week. Such items shall be reduced in size, where feasible,
by partial or total disassembly or breakage. Refrigerators and other
items which constitute a safety hazard to children or others by reason
of sharp edges, self-locking doors, escaping gas or collapse shall
be dismantled to the extent that they shall be rendered harmless.
The placement of more than three such bulk items at a time on the
proper collection day or the placement of any bulk items on any day
other than the proper day shall be a violation of this chapter and
shall be subject to fines as noted below.
[Added 11-14-1985 by Ord. No. MC-2175]
The City of Camden has instituted a metal recycling program.
Any person wishing to discard recyclable items shall call the City
Department of Public Works within 10 working days before the disposal
of the item. The Department of Public Works shall then establish a
specific date for the collection of the item.
The City of Camden may elect to provide the residents of the
City with a cleanup campaign under the auspices of the Department
of Public Works.
The City of Camden shall maintain a transfer site at the Federal
Street location, which will be maintained and operated at Department
of Environmental Protection levels.
[Amended 6-25-1987 by Ord. No. MC-2309]
The citizens of this City are mandated to comply with the curbside
recycling program. This program mandates the source separation and
recycling of all wastepaper products, glass bottles, glass jars, aluminum
cans, tin cans and large metal items.
[Amended 4-9-1987 by Ord. No. MC-2289; 1-24-2002 by Ord. No.
MC-3720]
Any contractor handling solid waste disposal in the City of
Camden must obtain a license from the City for a fee of $159 per year.
[Added 5-10-2022 by Ord. No. MC-5379]
A. This section incorporates the amendments made by P.L. 2021, c. 363,
approved on January 10, 2022, to P.L. 1989, c. 118, an Act concerning the unauthorized transportation and
disposal of solid waste and whose provisions are incorporated herein.
B. No person shall, regardless of intent, engage, or be permitted to
engage, in the disposal of solid waste in excess of 0.148 cubic yards
of solids or 30 United States gallons of liquids, whether for profit
or otherwise, except at a solid waste facility or an out-of-state
disposal site which has authorization from the appropriate state regulatory
agency having jurisdiction over solid waste management to accept solid
waste for disposal, or any other place in this state which has authorization
from the Department of Environmental Protection to accept solid waste
for disposal, as the case may be.
C. No person shall, regardless of intent, transport, or cause or permit
to be transported, any solid waste in excess of 0.148 cubic yards
of solids or 30 United States gallons of liquids, whether for profit
or otherwise, except to a solid waste facility or an out-of-state
disposal site which has authorization from the appropriate state regulatory
agency having jurisdiction over solid waste management to accept solid
waste for disposal, or to any other place in this state which has
authorization from the Department of Environmental Protection to accept
solid waste for disposal, as the case may be.
D. The provisions of Subsections
B and
C of this section shall be enforced by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the City of Camden local Board of Health or Camden County Health Department, as the case may be.
E. Any person who violates the provisions of Subsection
B or
C of this section commits a disorderly persons offense.
F. Any person convicted of a violation of the provisions of Subsection
B or
C of this section is subject to a fine of not less than $5,000 for a first offense, not more than $10,000 for a second offense and not more than $20,000 for a third and every subsequent offense. Each day during which the violation continues constitutes an additional, separate and distinct offense.
G. If a person is convicted of a violation of Subsection
B or
C of this section, the court shall, in addition to the penalties provided under Subsection
F of this section, require the person to perform community service for a term of not more than 180 days.
H. All conveyances used or intended for use in the unlawful transportation or disposal of solid waste in violation of the provisions of Subsection
B or
C of this section are subject to forfeiture to the state pursuant to the provisions of P.L. 1981, c. 387 (N.J.S.A. 13:1K-1 et seq.).
I. The provisions of P.L. 1981, c. 387 (N.J.S.A. 13:1K-1 et seq.) or any other law to the contrary notwithstanding, whenever a conveyance is forfeited to the state pursuant to Subsection
H of this section, the proceeds from the disposal and sale of such conveyance shall be remitted to the Chief Financial Officer of the City of Camden wherein the violation occurred, to be used by the City of Camden to help finance enforcement activities undertaken pursuant to Section 13 of P.L. 1970, c. 40 (N.J.S.A. 48:13A-12), Section 2 of P.L. 1989, c. 118 (N.J.S.A. 13:1E-9.3) or Subsections
A and
B of this section.
J. A person convicted of a violation of the provisions of Subsection
B of this section shall be liable to the owner of the real property on which the unlawful disposal occurred in the amount of three times the damages caused directly or indirectly by the unlawful disposal, together with three times the costs associated with the cleanup of the real property upon which the violation occurred, including, but not limited to, all attorneys' fees and costs which the property owner may reasonably expend in a civil suit brought in a court of competent jurisdiction to collect the sums imposed by this subsection. In any such suit, a final judgment of conviction shall be admissible as conclusive proof that the person violated the provisions of Subsection
B of this section. If the City of Camden performs a cleanup of a real property or incurs any attorneys' fees or costs, including, but not limited to, costs associated with contracts necessary to conduct a cleanup as a result of an unlawful disposal the person convicted shall also be liable to the City of Camden in the amount of the attorneys' fees and costs.
[Amended 11-14-1985 by Ord. No. MC-2175]
A. No person shall improperly dispose of toxic waste.
B. Generators and haulers of toxic materials must follow state standards
concerning disposal.
C. Toxic waste will not be picked up by the City or any contractor thereof.
[Amended 11-14-1985 by Ord. No. MC-2175]
A. No person shall improperly dispose of surgical tissue remains.
B. State disposal standards must be followed.
C. The City and its contractors are not responsible for the collection
of surgical tissue remains.
[Amended 11-14-1985 by Ord. No. MC-2175]
No person shall dispose of any bulky waste metal items except
as provided in this chapter.
A. No scavenger or other person shall break into, untie or otherwise
unbundle any container, bundle or package of paper, solid waste or
bulk item that has been placed on the sidewalk for collection.
B. No person, other than the employees of the City or its duly authorized
contractor, shall disturb, remove, untie, unbundle or otherwise scatter
any ashes, solid waste or bulk items where such material has been
placed in the open or on any street, sidewalk or alley for collection
or removal.
[Added 6-25-1998 by Ord. No. MC-3396]
A. Recyclable materials placed at curbside for collection or in any
recycling receptacle placed by the City are the property of the City
of Camden or its authorized collection agent. It is a violation of
this chapter for any person unauthorized by the City to collect or
pick up or cause to be collected or picked up any such recyclable
materials or receptacles.
B. Nothing in this section is intended to prevent any lawful occupier
of lands and the structures located thereon from donating or selling
recyclable material generated by that person or that person's immediate
family or business' activities on that land or in those structures.
C. No person shall transport recyclable material on the public streets
and sidewalks in any means of conveyance other than a lawfully registered
motor vehicle.
No person shall cause or permit any cart, wagon, auto, truck
or any other vehicle to be heaped up with manure, sand, earth, ashes,
solid waste or any other material so that the contents, or any part
thereof, may be scattered on any street, highway, public lane or alley
or any other public place in the City of Camden.
[Amended 6-23-1988 by Ord. No. MC-2390]
A. No person shall throw, place or deposit any paper, circulars, ashes,
solid waste or bulk items or wastes of any kind upon any street, alley,
lane, road or highway nor in any inlet or catch basin in any such
street or highway or any other public place in the City of Camden.
B. No person shall place or deposit ashes, solid waste or bulk items
or other waste material upon any City properties.
C. No person shall discard or dump along any street or road, on or off
any right-of-way, any household or commercial solid waste, rubbish,
refuse, junk, vehicle or vehicle parts, rubber tires, appliances,
furniture or private property, except by written consent of the owner
of said property, in any place not specifically designated for the
purpose of solid waste storage or disposal.
D. No residential property owner shall store or permit storage of any
bulky household waste, including household appliances, furniture and
mattresses, in areas zoned residential, except in a fully enclosed
structure or during days designated for the collection of bulky items.
E. No residential property owner shall store or permit the storage of
tires in areas zoned residential, except in a fully enclosed structure
or on days designated for the collection of tires.
F. No residential property owner shall park or permit the parking of
any vehicle on his or her residential lawn.
G. No person shall keep or permit the keeping on streets, vacant lots
and residential lawns, except in a fully enclosed structure, any motor
vehicle, trailer or semitrailer which is missing tires, wheels, engine
or any essential parts; which displays extensive body damage or deterioration;
which does not display a current, valid state license; or which is
wrecked, disassembled or partially disassembled.
H. No vehicle shall be driven, moved, stopped or parked on any highway
unless such a vehicle is constructed or loaded to prevent any of its
load from dropping, sifting, leaking or otherwise escaping therefrom.
Any person operating a vehicle from which any glass or objects have
fallen or escaped, which could cause an obstruction, damage a vehicle
or otherwise endanger travelers or public property, shall immediately
cause the public property to be cleaned of all glass or objects and
shall pay the costs therefor.
I. No owner, agent or contractor in charge of a construction or demolition
site shall permit the accumulation of litter before, during or after
completion of any construction or demolition project. It shall be
the duty of the owner, agent or contractor in charge of a construction
site to furnish containers adequate to accommodate flyable or nonflyable
debris or trash at areas convenient to construction areas and to maintain
and empty the receptacles in such a manner and with such a frequency
as to prevent spillage of refuse.
J. No residential or commercial property owner shall permit open or
overflowing waste disposal bins on his or her property.
K. It shall be the duty of the owner, lessee, tenant, occupant or person
in charge of any structure to keep and cause to be kept the sidewalk
and curb abutting the building or structure free from obstruction
or nuisances of every kind and to keep sidewalks, areaways, backyards,
courts and alleys free from litter and other offensive material. No
person shall sweep into or deposit in any gutter, street, catch basin
or other public place any accumulation of litter from any public or
private sidewalk or driveway. Every person who owns or occupies property
shall keep the sidewalk in front of his or her premises free of litter.
All sweepings shall be collected and properly containerized for disposal.
No person shall remove or gather solid waste or bulk items from
the streets, highways or alleys or from any lot, yard, house or other
building in the City of Camden, except the duly authorized person
with whom the City of Camden shall contract for the collection, removal
or gathering of solid waste from the streets, highways or alleys or
from any lot, yard, house or other building in the City of Camden.
[Amended 4-9-1987 by Ord. No. MC-2289; 6-23-1988 by Ord. No.
MC-2390; 5-23-2002 by Ord. No. MC-3752; 10-12-2006 by Ord. No.
MC-4234]
A. Unless otherwise provided in the chapter, penalties against persons violating the provisions of this chapter shall be imposed in accordance with the provisions of §
1-15.
[Amended 8-22-1991 by Ord. No. MC-2683]
This chapter and the penalties provided for herein shall apply
to all forms of waste disposal in the City of Camden, except to the
extent that the enforcement of this chapter and the penalties provided
herein are preempted by federal or state law.