[Ord. No. 2009-18]
There is hereby established a program for separate collection of metal containers; plastic and plastic containers; paper, newsprint, magazines, cardboard; glass; grass clippings; yard and garden waste and additional materials that may be designated by Borough, County or State policies, from the residences of the Borough of Hightstown for recycling purposes. Such collections shall be made periodically in accordance with a schedule by the Borough Council promulgated as set forth in § 18-2-2.
[Ord. No. 2009-18]
The Borough Council shall establish and, through the Clerk, promulgate regulations as to the manner, days and times of collection of recyclables, and the type, handling, location and time of placement of materials for collection, in accordance with any agreement the Borough may hold with a contracted collector.
[Ord. No. 2009-18]
The recyclable items listed in § 18-2-1 shall be kept separate from and not mixed with regular garbage and refuse which is collected by the Borough. Newspapers shall be considered clean and uncontaminated if they have not been exposed to substances or conditions rendering them unusable for recycling. Persons may wrap solid waste in used newspapers and discard the same with regular solid waste even if such wrapping does not render the newspapers unusable for recycling.
[Ord. No. 2009-18]
A. 
Definitions. For the purpose of this article, the following terms, phrases, words and their derivations shall have the meanings stated herein unless their use in the text of this article clearly demonstrates a different meaning. When not inconsistent with the context, words used in the present tense include the future, words used in the plural number include the singular number, and words used in the singular number include the plural number. The words "shall" and "will" are always mandatory and not merely directory.
CONTAINERIZED
Placement in a trash can, bucket, bag or other vessel, such as to prevent the contents from spilling or blowing out into the street and coming into contact with stormwater.
PERSON
Any individual, corporation, company, partnership, firm, association, or political subdivision of this State subject to municipal jurisdiction.
STREET
Any street, avenue, boulevard, road, parkway, viaduct, drive, or other way, which is an existing State, county, or municipal roadway, and includes the land between the street lines, whether improved or unimproved, and may comprise pavement, shoulders, gutters, curbs, sidewalks, parking areas, and other areas within the street lines.
B. 
Except as provided in Subsections C and D below, the owner or occupant of any property, or any employee or contractor of such owner or occupant engaged to provide lawn care or landscaping services, shall not sweep, rake, blow or otherwise place leaves or grass clippings, unless they are containerized, in the street. If leaves or clippings that are not containerized are placed in the street, the party responsible for placement of said leaves or grass clippings must remove them from the street or said party shall be deemed in violation of this article.
C. 
During the period from September 1 through December 31 of each year, leaves shall be placed in piles along the curbline of the street in accordance with the provisions of Subsection D and in conformance with a collection schedule to be promulgated annually by the Superintendent of Public Works. The piles shall not extend more than five feet away from the curbline. The Superintendent of Public Works may require that leaves be bagged and shall provide the public with notice of such requirement.
D. 
Sweeping, raking, blowing or otherwise placing leaves that are not containerized at the curb or along the street is only allowed during the seven days prior to a scheduled and announced collection, and leaves shall not be placed closer than 10 feet from any storm drain inlet. Placement of leaves at the curb or along the street at any other time or in any other manner is a violation of this article, and the party responsible for placement of the leaves must remove them from the street or said party shall be deemed in violation of this article.
E. 
All weeds and similar growth clippings shall be placed in a container so that they may be easily emptied in the collector's vehicle. Collection of such materials will be done by appointment only.
F. 
Hedge and shrubbery clippings, tree trimmings and garden waste will be collected if tied in bundles not to exceed four feet in length and not to exceed two feet in diameter. The total volume placed at the curb for one day's pickup shall not exceed 10 bundles and must be placed so that the material will not spill out into the gutter or onto the street or sidewalks. Collection of such materials will be done by appointment only.
G. 
The Borough will remove and chip limbs and small trees which do not exceed six feet in length and five inches in diameter, when placed at curbside in an orderly manner. Chipping will be done by appointment only.
H. 
Removal from property of trees larger than five inches in diameter and stumps or limbs which are larger than five inches in diameter will be at the expense of the owner and shall not be the responsibility of the Borough.
[Ord. No. 2009-18]
A. 
During the period from April 15 through October 15 of each year, the Borough of Hightstown Public Works Department will collect grass clippings from those residents wishing to dispose of them. Such collections will be made weekly on Mondays without the need for appointments.
B. 
Grass clippings shall be kept separate from and not disposed of with regular garbage and refuse which is collected by the Borough.
C. 
Grass clippings shall be contained in special biodegradable compost bags to be sold by the Borough. No grass will be collected that is not contained in compost bags purchased from the Borough. The bags will be available at the office of the Borough Clerk and at the Public Works office during normal business hours. In addition, bags may be sold through commercial/retail outlets located in the Borough, as approved by Resolution of the Borough Council.
D. 
Bags will be sold at a price which reflects the per-bag cost of refuse, collection and disposal, which price may be revised from time to time by Resolution of the Borough Council.
[Ord. No. 2009-18]
From the time of placement at the curb by any resident of recyclable materials for collection by the Borough pursuant to the program established hereby and the rules and regulations issued hereunder, such materials shall become and be the property of the Borough, and it shall be violation of this article for any person, other than persons authorized by the Borough or the resident, to collect or pick up, or cause to be collected or picked up, such materials. Each such collection in violation hereof from one or more residences during the period shall constitute a separate and distinct offense. Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon collection of the materials by the Borough's collection contractor, all such materials shall become the property of the Borough's collection contractor.
[Ord. No. 2009-18; Ord. No. 2015-16]
The Borough of Hightstown Recycling Coordinator, Housing Official/Housing Inspector, and the Hightstown Borough Police Department are hereby authorized and directed to enforce this article. Enforcement may include random inspections of garbage set out for disposal in order to determine compliance.
[Ord. No. 2009-18]
Any person, firm or corporation who violates or neglects to comply with any provision of this article or any regulation promulgated pursuant thereto shall, upon conviction thereof, be liable to the fine as stated in Chapter 1, Article 1-5, except that the maximum fine for failure to comply with § 18-2-3 shall not exceed $500.
[Ord. No. 2009-18]
Any resident may donate or sell recyclable materials to any person, partnership or corporation, whether operating for profit or not for profit. The person, partnership or corporation may not, however, under any circumstances pick up the recyclable materials from the curbside in the Borough.