For the purpose of this chapter, the following terms, phrases, words and their derivations shall have the meanings stated herein unless their use in the text of the chapter clearly demonstrates a different meaning. When not inconsistent with the context, words used in the present tense include the future, words 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.
AUTOMATED COLLECTION
The use of a City-issued ninety-five-gallon container for automated vehicle pickup.
AUTOMATED CONTAINER
A City-issued ninety-five-gallon plastic cart specifically designed for automated collection of solid waste and having a serial number(s) assigned specific to each address receiving automated collection.
BUILDING
Any premises occupied by commercial, industrial or residential tenants or owners.
BULK ITEMS
Large items of waste material such as appliances, furniture, and electronics and any other item that will not completely fit into a container with a capacity of 32 gallons when said container is capped, covered, or contained. Bulk items shall not include animal and vegetable wastes, construction and demolition waste. The Director of Public Works shall issue and publish written guidelines for residents and the staff of the Department of Public Works detailing common multi-component articles that are considered a single bulk item for purposes of this chapter. Such guidelines may be amended from time to time as deemed necessary.
CITY
The City of Perth Amboy.
COLLECTOR
Any person privately engaged or employed by the City in the business of collecting garbage, refuse or rubbish.
CONTAINERIZED
The placement of yard waste in a trash can, bucket or bag or other vessel, such as to prevent the yard waste from spilling or blowing out into the street and coming into contact with stormwater.
DUMPSTER
Any large metal roll-off container capable of holding demolition or any type of construction waste, solid waste, garbage, rubbish, debris, refuse or any other materials.
GARBAGE
Putrescible animal and vegetable wastes from the handling, preparation, cooking and consumption of food.
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
Those materials requiring special handling techniques due to the potential dangers caused by their inherent toxicity, breakage, consumption and/or illegal use, for example, paints, chemicals, hydrocarbons and/or their derivatives, refuse pharmaceuticals and discarded syringes, cathode ray tubes, fluorescent bulbs, etc.
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, can or top, cap or detachable tab of any bottle, jar or can, any unlighted cigarette, cigar, match of 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.
RECEPTACLE (PLASTIC)
A plastic container with handles, having a tightly fitting cover, which shall not exceed a capacity of 32 gallons.
RECEPTACLE (PLASTIC BAG)
A flexible plastic sack of a minimum of three mils thickness and so constructed as to be capable of being tied or fastened at the top so as to prevent spillage and/or leakage of its contents.
RECYCLABLES
Those materials required to be recycled under Chapter 351.
REFUSE
All putrescible and nonputrescible solid wastes (except body wastes), including cans, glasses, bottles, crockery, household sweepings and other items of a similar nature, usually of a noncombustible nature.
RUBBISH
Nonputrescible solid wastes, including paper, cardboard, straw, boxes, crates, garden and lawn clippings, wood and materials of a similar nature, usually of a combustible nature.
STREET SIDE CITY LITTER CONTAINERS
City provided or authorized containers placed near streets and sidewalks in commercial, tourist and school areas intended for the disposal of individual litter.
YARD WASTE
Leaves and grass clippings.
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any individual, property owner, business entity or its agent to dump, throw, drop, discard or otherwise place or allow to accumulate any litter, garbage, bulk items, rubbish or hazardous materials of any nature upon public or private property other than as may be specifically permitted in the provisions of this ordinance.
B. 
Whenever any item listed in section 243-2A of this chapter 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.
C. 
It shall be unlawful to discard, place or otherwise dispose of residential, household, commercial or industrial garbage, refuse, rubbish, yard waste or bulk items in or on street-side City litter containers.
D. 
Any individual, property owner, business entity or its agent caught in the act of violating the provisions of Section 243-2 A, B or C of this chapter shall be issued a summons and directed by the issuing City agent to remove and properly dispose of the unlawfully discarded items and clean the affected area. If a violator can be otherwise identified, a summons shall be issued to the individual(s) or entity. The Police Department, Department of Code Enforcement and Department of Public Works are hereby authorized to seek from the Perth Amboy Municipal Court a search warrant to inspect the content of illegally dumped opaque bags to ascertain identity information.
E. 
Except in the event of illegally dumped hazardous materials, the Chief of Police or his designee, the Director of the Department of Code Enforcement or his designee and Director of the Department of Public Works or his designee are hereby authorized to have the Department of Public Works remove the illegally dumped materials and to clean the area. The Department of Public Works shall determine and keep a certified record of all expenses incurred, so that they can be assessed against the violator.
[Amended 8-12-2019 by Ord. No. 1915-2019; 4-22-2020 by Ord. No. 1943-2020; 6-11-2025 by Ord. No. 2241-2025]
All garbage, refuse and rubbish included for collection by the City or private collector shall be deposited in a plastic bag a minimum of three mils thickness within a thirty-two-gallon container or ninety-five-gallon container for automated collection and placed along the curb for collection not sooner than one hour before sunset of the day prior to the scheduled collection in residential areas and not sooner than 5:30 p.m. of the day prior to the scheduled collection in commercial areas and shall be removed from public view by 8:00 p.m. of the day of collection. Containers or receptacles shall have tight-fitting covers as to prevent spilling or leaking of their contents. No residential user shall leave for collection by the City more than three thirty-two-gallon containers or receptacles per dwelling unit, other than containers for recyclable items. The weight of each container or receptacle shall not exceed 50 pounds, except when using automated container.
A. 
Placement of recyclable items. All recyclable items shall be kept separate from and not mixed with the regular garbage, refuse, and rubbish. Recyclable items must be separated and placed for collection in accordance with Chapter 351.
B. 
Placement of bulk items for collection. All residents requesting collection of bulk items must adhere to the policy of the Public Works Department. Residents must schedule an appointment with the Public Works Department for collection of bulk items prior to placing bulk items on the curb for collection. Residents, whether it is a single-family, a two-family, or multifamily dwelling, are limited to two bulk item collections per address, including lot and block number, per calendar year. Disposal of refrigerators and freezers must comply with federal regulations regarding chlorofluorocarbon removal. All doors shall be removed from appliances scheduled for bulk collection.
(1) 
Appointment for collection. All City residents requesting bulk item collection from their premises must schedule an appointment through the Public Works Department. Appointments can be made in person at the Public Works office or online via the City's website. Upon the filing of a written request on the appropriate form and payment of the appropriate fee, the resident shall place the items at curbside, preferably before 7:00 a.m. the day of pickup but, no earlier than one hour before sunset of the day prior to the scheduled collection date.
(2) 
Fees. The fee for a scheduled bulk item collection shall be $30 (non-refundable). In-person fees must be paid by check or money order only, made payable to the City of Perth Amboy. Online payment may be made using a credit or debit card. Residents may use the drop-off center during scheduled hours free of charge.
C. 
Effective March 11, 2013, all solid waste authorized for automated collection shall only be placed in the City-issued ninety-five-gallon green cart. Excluded types of waste include, bulky waste, hazardous waste, mandatory recyclable items and leaves. Materials shall be drained and free of all liquids.
All solid waste authorized to receive automated collection shall be placed in the City-issued ninety-five-gallon green cart and placed at the edge of the roadway adjacent to the curbline with the front facing the street. The cart shall be placed free from obstruction of any type as to interfere with the operation of the system as designed or obstruct the lifting and dumping of the container by the truck operator.
There shall be a fee of $60 charged for the rental of one additional City-issued ninety-five-gallon cart. The cart shall at all times remain the property of the City and shall stay with the property in the event the owner/lessee of that property moves and/or sells their home.
In any building occupied by more than one tenant, the owner thereof shall provide receptacles for each tenant and shall be responsible to see that proper receptacles are used, placed on the curb and removed as so required and that all provisions of this chapter are conformed to.
No person shall privately collect or transport any garbage, refuse or rubbish within the City except in compactor-type collection units. All vehicles used shall at all times be subject to inspection and approval by the City's Health Officer or his designee and shall be kept and maintained in a clean and sanitary condition and in good working order.
All garbage, refuse or rubbish collected and transported within the City which shall spill or fall while being carried or conveyed to a truck or other collection vehicle or container shall be immediately removed and broom-cleaned so as to leave the premises or street in a clean condition. Containers or receptacles shall have tight-fitting covers as to prevent spilling or leaking of their contents.
No person other than the owner or authorized collector of the City shall interfere with or disturb any garbage, refuse or rubbish after it has been placed in a receptacle or properly tied together and placed on the curb for collection.
All owners of vacant lots shall keep the premises free from garbage, refuse, rubbish and litter. The fencing material surrounding vacant lots shall be kept in good repair and free from missing parts, rot and rust.
Hazardous materials, as defined by this chapter, shall not be collected by the City. All hazardous materials shall be taken to locations set up by Middlesex County known as Hazardous Waste Days.
The Director of the Department of Public Works shall have the power to establish proper rules and regulations covering the collection of garbage, refuse and rubbish, not inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter, and to fix the time for such collections and to change the time of such collections whenever, in his judgment, such change shall be necessary or advisable.
No person will be permitted to 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 must keep the sidewalk in front of his or her premises free of litter. All litter sweeping must be collected and properly containerized for disposal. If a person has scheduled an appointment with the Department of Public Works for the pickup of bulky items then, and in that case alone, these items may be placed in the curb in front of the premises, in a manner not to block or impede traffic, in order to facilitate the collection of same.
No person shall dispose of or deposit garbage, refuse, rubbish or any other materials in a metal container or metal receptacle designed for the purpose of retaining garbage. Only plastic receptacles shall be used for these purposes within the City of Perth Amboy. This provision shall not apply to metal containers classified as dumpsters pursuant to Article II, Dumpsters.
A. 
The owner or tenant of lands within the corporate limits of the City shall be required to remove or cause to be removed from such lands any cut grass, brush, leaves, weeds, dead and dying trees, stumps, roots, obnoxious growth, filth, garbage, trash and debris within 10 days after receipt of written notice or summons.
B. 
The owner or occupant of any property, or any employee, contractor or agent of such owner or occupant engaged to provide lawn care or landscaping services, shall not sweep, rake, blow or otherwise place yard waste, unless the yard waste is containerized, in the street. If yard waste that is not containerized is placed in the street, the party responsible for placement of yard waste must remove the yard waste from the street or said party shall be deemed in violation of this article.
C. 
Sweeping, raking, blowing or other accumulation of yard waste shall be containerized at the curb or along the street, and shall not be placed closer than 10 feet from any storm drain inlet. Placement of such yard waste at the curb or along the street at any other time or in any other manner is a violation of this article. If such placement of yard waste occurs, the party responsible for placement of the yard waste must remove the yard waste from the street or said party shall be deemed in violation of this article.
Notice or summons to the owner or tenant to cause the removal of substances referred to in the preceding regulation shall be given by the appropriate enforcing entity and may be served upon any such owner or tenant either personally or by certified mail, and, if by the latter method, the ten-day period within which such removal shall be accomplished shall be deemed to have commenced to run from the date of the return receipt of such certified mail obtained by the postal authority for the delivery of such certified notice or summons. Every such notice or summons, shall, in addition to requiring the removal aforesaid, warn the owner or tenant of the lands to which such notice refers that failure to accomplish such removal within the time stated therein will result in removal under the direction by the Department that wrote such notice or summons by the Department of Public Works, and the cost of such removal shall be charged to the owner or tenant of such lands and shall be payable to the City within 30 days after the date of submission of the charges. If such charges are not paid within the thirty-day period, the Department of Public Works shall notify the Law Director to place a lien upon the lands.
Whenever the owner or tenant of such lands within the City receiving the notice or summons provided for by the preceding regulation to remove from such lands any of the substances hereinbefore mentioned shall fail and neglect, within the time prescribed in the notice, to effect removal of such substances, such removal shall be directed by the enforcing entity and implemented by the Department of Public Works. An accurate record of the costs to the City of such removal shall be determined by the Department of Public Works, who shall certify the costs thereof to the governing body, which shall examine the certificate against the lands. The amount so charged shall forthwith become a lien upon such lands and shall be added to and become and form part of the taxes next to be assessed and levied upon such lands, the same to bear interest at the same rate as taxes and to be collected and enforced by the same officer and in the same manner as taxes.