[1]
Editor's Note: See also the Board of Health regulations in Ch. 300, Art. XI, Refuse and Recycling Collection.
Unless specifically indicated in these rules and regulations, the meaning of terms used in this article shall be as follows:
APPROVED BARREL
A watertight receptacle made of plastic, metal, or fiberglass, having handles and a capacity of not less than 10 gallons nor more than 30 gallons. The weight of the receptacle and its contents shall not exceed 40 pounds.
APPROVED GREEN BAG
A Town-approved green plastic weatherproof sack with the Town Seal printed on it and that is sold at local stores. The total weight of a bag and its contents shall not exceed 40 pounds.
BULKY WASTE
Large furniture such as mattresses and box springs, overstuffed chairs, studio couches, sofas, rugs, dressers, etc.
CATHODE RAY TUBES (CRTs)
Any processed glass tube used to provide the visual display in televisions, computer monitors and certain scientific instruments such as oscilloscopes.
CFC APPLIANCES
All appliances containing chloroflurocarbons; i.e., refrigerators, dehumidifiers, freezers, and air conditioners.
CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION DEBRIS (C&D)
Wood, asphalt shingles, insulation (except asbestos), windows and doors, and other miscellaneous building materials. Demolition waste shall not include machinery and parts or any toxic or hazardous waste.
CURBSIDE COLLECTION CONTRACTOR
The company that has been contracted to pick up curbside waste for the Town of South Hadley.
CURBSIDE RECYCLABLES
Recyclable paper and recyclable containers that are allowed to be placed curbside for pickup in the Town of South Hadley.
CURBSIDE RUBBISH
Rubbish that is allowed to be placed curbside for pickup in the Town of South Hadley.
CURBSIDE WASTE
All wastes that are allowed to be placed curbside in the Town of South Hadley. Curbside waste includes curbside rubbish, curbside recyclables, and curbside yard waste.
CURBSIDE YARD WASTE
Yard waste that is allowed to be placed curbside for pickup in the Town of South Hadley. The Town sponsors four curbside yard waste collections each year (two in the Spring and two in the Fall).
HAZARDOUS WASTE (HHW)
Waste, in any amount, which is defined, characterized or designated as hazardous by the United States Environmental Protection Agency or Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection or pursuant to federal or state law, or waste, in any amount, which is regulated under federal or state law.
HOUSEHOLD REFUSE
All solid waste materials not included in the definitions of bulky waste, construction debris, hazardous waste, residential garbage, recyclable materials, white goods, and yard waste.
RECYCLABLE CONTAINERS
Containers that are accepted at the Springfield Materials Recycling Facility. These items include glass bottles and jars, clear and colored; rigid plastic containers marked on the bottom with one of the following symbols: PETE, HDPE (#1 to #7); aluminum deposit and no-deposit cans, pie plates, and aluminum trays; and steel ("tin") food cans.
RECYCLABLE PAPER
Paper products that are accepted by the Springfield Materials Recycling Facility. These paper products include newspapers, magazines, catalogs, junk mail, phone books, and paperboard.
RECYCLING BINS
Receptacles designed for the purpose of curbside collection of recyclable materials. The receptacle shall be one made of fiberglass, plastic, or metal.
RECYCLING CENTER
The Town-operated recycling facility, including the Town-operated compost area, located at 10 Industrial Drive, South Hadley, Massachusetts.
RESIDENTIAL GARBAGE
Vegetable matter and recyclable wastes from residential kitchens.
WASTE BAN
The prohibition of the disposal of specified wastes in Massachusetts landfills by the Department of Environmental Protection in accordance with 310 CMR 19.017.
WHITE GOODS
An appliance employing electricity, oil, natural gas, or liquefied petroleum to preserve or cook food, to wash or dry clothing, cooking or kitchen utensils or related items or to cool or heat air or water. These include dishwashers, clothes washers, clothes dryers, gas or electric ovens and ranges and hot water heaters.
YARD WASTE
All tree trimmings (less than 1/2 inch in diameter), grass cuttings, weeds, leaves, wood chips and shavings, and other wastes associated with residential yard maintenance that are compostable.
A. 
Trash fees. Each year, the Selectboard shall set the trash fees to be charged to each property owner that utilizes the Town's curbside collection program.
B. 
The Town of South Hadley trash billing system has the following three components:
(1) 
Bag fee. Residents utilizing the Town's waste disposal services must buy and use approved green bags that are sold at local stores.
(2) 
Flat dwelling fee. Residents utilizing the Town's waste disposal services must pay a flat annual charge that is based on the number of dwellings within the building (i.e., a three-family house has three dwellings) per Town Assessor records.
(3) 
Recycling center permit fee. Residents who wish to use the recycling center (including the compost area) must pay the flat dwelling fee and purchase an annual permit to do so. The purchase of this permit is optional (i.e., a resident may utilize the Town's curbside collection service by paying for the approved green bags and the flat dwelling fee).
C. 
Flat dwelling fee.
(1) 
Bills for flat dwelling fees are sent to residents by a schedule approved by the Selectboard. Payments are made to the Town Treasurer/Collector office at Town Hall.
(2) 
Requests for abatements of the flat dwelling fee must be submitted to the DPW within 30 days of billing (please see § 315-5.3, Trash fee abatements).
D. 
Recycling center permit fee.
(1) 
Recycling center permits are issued at the DPW. Residents may obtain the permits in person or by mail. (The application is included with the trash bill and is also available at the solid waste page on the Town's website.) Residents must provide a copy of their vehicle registration and payment of the recycling center permit fee to obtain a sticker, which must be placed on the resident's vehicle.
(2) 
Families that have multiple vehicles may purchase an additional sticker for a nominal processing fee.
(3) 
If a resident wishes to use a borrowed or rented vehicle to deliver waste to the recycling center, the resident may obtain a one-day pass from the DPW as long as the resident has a valid permit sticker.
(4) 
Commercial landscapers are not allowed to use the Town's recycling center (including compost area).
A. 
Any requests for trash fee abatement must be in writing on the form provided on the back of the bill and submitted to the Department of Public Works Business Office, 10 Industrial Drive, South Hadley, MA 01075, within 30 days of the date of the billing.
B. 
Abatements will be granted for the following reasons:
(1) 
Private service. Documentation must be submitted, either a copy of the contract with the disposal company providing the dumpster or copies of cancelled checks for payment of the dumpster fees. Residents taking trash to work must provide a letter from the employer stating that the employee is allowed to use the dumpster at work and a copy of an invoice from the trash hauler providing the service to the employer. Abatements will not be approved for residents taking trash to another residence in South Hadley, a residence in another community that provides municipally sponsored trash service, or to the South Hadley recycling center.
(2) 
Inaccurate number of dwellings. The number of dwellings is based on the most current information provided by the Town Assessor's office. If the information is in dispute, the Building Inspector shall inspect the property and determine the correct number of dwellings.
(3) 
Unoccupied dwellings.
(a) 
The total flat fee charged for each property is computed by multiplying the number of dwellings in the building (i.e., a three-family building has three dwellings) by the flat fee. Abatements will only be granted for vacant dwellings (houses or apartments) under the following conditions:
[1] 
The property owner completes and signs an affidavit that states the vacant dwelling will not be occupied, the electric meter shall be disconnected, and the water shut off and sealed by the Water Department for the entire fiscal billing year (July to June).
[2] 
The Town receives confirmation from the South Hadley Electric Light Department that the electricity has been shut off to the vacant dwelling.
[3] 
The Town receives confirmation from the Water Department that the water has been shut off to the vacant dwelling.
(b) 
If the dwelling is occupied or the water and/or electricity is turned back on during the fiscal year described in the affidavit, the property owner may be subject to a fine of up to $300.
C. 
An appeal of the denial of an abatement request may be directed to the Town Administrator.
A. 
Curbside waste must be curbside by 7:00 a.m. and shall not be placed in any way to interfere with an abutter's access to his or her property. Curbside waste must be placed at the curb or at a point in the treebelt that is no further than five feet from the back of the curb. In areas where there are no curbs, curbside waste must be placed at a point in the treebelt that is no further than five feet from the edge of the roadway.
B. 
Curbside waste shall be placed out for collection on the day of the scheduled pickup. Empty containers shall be removed within one day after pickup.
C. 
The curbside collection contractor will only be called back to a residence if the contractor missed the stop. The contractor will not be called back if a customer does not have its curbside waste out by 7:00 a.m.
D. 
Approved barrels shall be galvanized iron or other nonrusting metal, plastic, or fiberglass, having handles and a capacity of not less than 10 gallons nor more than 30 gallons per receptacle, with a maximum 40 pounds with contents. Any receptacle that does not conform to these specifications or that may have ragged or sharp edges, or any other defect tending to hamper or injure the persons collecting, will not be collected.
E. 
Curbside rubbish and curbside recyclables are picked up once every two weeks (26 times per year). When New Year's Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day fall on a weekday, collection days will be scheduled one day later, beginning with the holiday and ending at the end of that week (i.e., since Thanksgiving is always on a Thursday, the collection schedule for that week does not change for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Thursday's collection is done on Friday and Friday's collection is on Saturday.). There are no collections on Sundays.
F. 
All curbside rubbish shall be placed in approved green bags that are securely tied. Curbside rubbish shall be placed at the curb so that it does not get blown away by wind or scattered by animals. The curbside collection contractor is not responsible for cleaning up scattered waste.
G. 
Garbage or household food wastes must be mixed in with the household refuse. Garbage and food waste will be drained and wrapped tightly in newspaper or bagged (plastic bag or other) and placed in the rubbish.
H. 
Any human or animal wastes included in the curbside rubbish shall be double-bagged and securely tied.
I. 
Ash may be included with the curbside rubbish, but it must be at least two weeks old and put in a tied plastic bag.
A. 
No person shall include any of the following wastes with his/her curbside waste:
(1) 
Waste oil.
(2) 
Propane tanks.
(3) 
Nonalkaline batteries.
(4) 
Tires.
(5) 
White goods.
(6) 
Bulky wastes.
(7) 
Cathode ray tubes.
(8) 
Computers/Televisions.
(9) 
Construction and demolition debris.
(10) 
Metal. (Recyclable metal containers should be included in curbside recyclables.)
(11) 
Sharps.
(12) 
Paint. (Dried latex paint may be included in curbside rubbish.)
(13) 
Gasoline.
(14) 
Pesticides.
(15) 
Solvents.
(16) 
Hazardous waste.
(17) 
Products that contain mercury.
B. 
Disposal options. Items (1) through (10) above may be brought to the Town's recycling center when it is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays (8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.). Please see § 315-5.8 for information pertaining to the disposal of sharps and § 315-5.9 for information about the disposal of Items (12) through (17). Fees may apply.
C. 
Yard waste. Yard waste shall only be allowed to be included with curbside waste on four separate collections: twice in the Spring (typically May) and twice in the Fall (typically November). When yard waste is collected by the curbside collection contractor, the collections occur on the same day of the week as the scheduled curbside waste collection. Yard waste must be put in paper leaf bags, approved barrels, or tied in bundles no larger than four feet long. Yard waste will not be collected if it is in plastic bags. Town residents may also drop off their yard waste at the recycling center on Wednesdays and Saturdays (8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.) and at other posted drop-off hours.
A. 
Curbside recyclables must be separated into recyclable paper and recyclable containers. Curbside recyclables must be placed at least two feet away from curbside rubbish.
B. 
Curbside recyclables shall be rinsed clean and clear of any food.
C. 
Curbside recyclables, except cardboard, shall be placed in recycling bins, a clearly marked receptacle of similar size, or an approved barrel. Cardboard may be placed curbside in bundles that are no longer than three feet in any dimension. Curbside recyclables shall be placed so that they do not get blown away by wind or scattered by animals. The curbside collection contractor shall not be responsible for cleaning up scattered waste.
D. 
Curbside recycling not placed in recycling bins must be clearly marked with Town-provided stickers. Green stickers shall be placed on receptacles or approved barrels containing recyclable paper. Orange stickers shall be placed on receptacles or approved barrels containing recyclable containers. Stickers may be obtained at the DPW. Brown paper bags may be used for recyclable paper.
E. 
Plastic bags shall not be included with curbside recyclables.
A. 
The recycling center is open to all South Hadley residents on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
B. 
Curbside recyclables shall be rinsed clean and clear of any food.
C. 
All vehicles entering the recycling center must display a valid recycling center sticker.
D. 
A list of items that are accepted at the recycling center and the corresponding fees, if applicable, are shown in Appendix H.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Appendix H is on file in the Town offices. Information is also available on the Town website: www.southhadley.org.
E. 
All payments at the recycling center must be made by check.
Sharps (medical needles) may not be placed with curbside waste. South Hadley has a medical sharps program. Special red sharps containers are available at the DPW for residents to collect medical sharps such as used needles, lancets, etc. Filled containers may be returned to the DPW and exchanged for empty containers.
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 300, Board of Health, Art. VII, Medical Sharps.
Household hazardous waste (HHW) collections are typically held twice each year at the DPW. Typically, a HHW collection occurs on a Saturday in the Spring and a Saturday in the Fall. Preregistration is required and begins one month before the collection date (538-5033).
A. 
Residents may put their Christmas trees at the curbside during the month of January and the DPW will collect them. Residents may also bring their Christmas trees to the recycling center when it is open.
B. 
All Christmas trees and wreaths must be stripped of all decorations and wire and not placed in bags.
A. 
No person shall dispose of any litter at any Town-owned property except in containers placed for such purposes.
B. 
No person shall deposit household trash, hazardous waste, wastes included in the current waste ban regulations, or any other inappropriate wastes along any road or other Town-owned property.