As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the respective meanings ascribed to them in this section:
Brush.
Cuttings or trimmings from trees, shrubs, or lawns and similar materials.
Bulky waste.
Nonhazardous, nonfreon containing items too large to fit in a residential customer’s garbage container. Bulky waste does not include tires. Collection and acceptance of these items will be determined case by case.
Cart.
A receptacle/container, equipped with wheels and a bar, with a capacity of approximately sixty-four (64) or ninety-six (96) gallons, designed to be mechanically dumped into collection equipment via a fully automated truck arm or semi-automated truck tipper.
City.
The City of Brenham, Texas and the city’s officers, elected officials, employees, agents, volunteers, and representatives.
City council.
The governing body of the city.
City facility.
A city-owned or operated facility.
Collect or collection.
The act of removing solid waste, recyclables, or yard waste for transport to a disposal or recycling facility.
Commercial refuse.
All refuse, garbage, solid waste, and other waste generated by, at, or within a commercial unit, but not including construction debris.
Commercial unit.
All premises, locations or entities, public or private requiring refuse, garbage and/or solid waste collection within the corporate limits of the city that are not classified as a residential unit or city facility.
Construction debris.
Waste building materials resulting from construction, remodeling, repair, or demolition operations, typically collected in roll-off bins without lids or accepted at a permitted disposal or permitted processing facility.
Container.
A weatherproof container easily identifiable and designated for solid waste or recycling collection.
Contaminated materials.
Recyclable materials and/or yard waste mixed with solid waste or altered in a way that results in materials being unrecyclable or noncompostable.
Curbside.
The location within three (3) feet of the curb of the street abutting customer’s property that provides primary access to the service unit unless such placement interferes with or endangers movement of vehicles or pedestrians in the public right-of-way.
Customer(s).
An occupant of a residential unit or commercial unit that has a city utility account that is billed for solid waste and/or recyclable materials service on a monthly basis.
Dead animal (small).
An animal or part of an animal equal to or greater than ten (10) pounds in weight, but less than one hundred fifty pounds (150) pounds in weight, that has expired from any cause except those slaughtered or killed for human use.
Dead animal (large).
An animal or part of an animal equal to or greater than one hundred fifty (150) pounds in weight, that has expired from any cause except those slaughtered or killed for human use.
Disposal.
The discharge, deposit, injection, dumping, spilling, leaking, or placing of any solid waste or hazardous waste (whether containerized or noncontainerized) into or on any land or water so that such solid waste or hazardous waste or any constituent thereof may enter the environment or be emitted into the air or discharged into any waters, including groundwater, as defined in 30 Texas Administrative Code sec. 330.3(44).
Disposal site or facility.
All contiguous land, structures, other appurtenances, and improvements on the land that is licensed and permitted, as required by all governmental bodies having jurisdiction, for disposing of solid waste. A disposal site may be publicly or privately owned and may consist of several disposal operational units.
Dumpster.
A watertight receptacle, with a capacity of approximately two (2) cubic yards up to approximately eight (8) cubic yards, equipped with a tight-fitting lid and designed to be mechanically dumped into a loader-packer type truck.
Excluded waste.
Hazardous waste, special waste, and construction debris.
Facility.
All contiguous lands and structures, other appurtenances, and improvements on the land used for the storage, processing or disposal of solid waste or recyclable materials.
Garbage.
Solid waste consisting of nonhazardous refuse, dead animals (small), putrescible animal and vegetable waste materials resulting from the handling, preparation, cooking, and consumption of food, including waste materials from markets, storage facilities, handling, and sale of produce and other food products, as defined in 30 Texas Administrative Code sec. 330.3(56).
Generator.
Any person or entity that produces solid waste.
Hazardous waste.
Any solid waste identified or listed as a hazardous waste by the administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency under the federal Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, 42 United States Code, sec. 6901 et seq., as amended and defined in 30 Texas Administrative Code sec. 330.3(62).
Heavy trash.
Refuse that is of such size and weight that it cannot be placed in a sixty-four (64) or ninety-six (96) gallon container. Heavy trash shall include tree limbs less than four (4) feet in length and loose lumber less than five (5) feet in length.
Landfill.
A permitted municipal solid waste landfill.
Municipal solid waste (MSW).
Solid waste resulting from or incidental to municipal, community, commercial, institutional, and recreational activities, including garbage, rubbish, ashes, street cleanings, dead animals, abandoned automobiles, and all other solid waste other than industrial solid waste, as defined in 30 Texas Administrative Code sec. 330.3(88).
Noncompacted waste.
Solid waste not easily containerized in a cart such as, but not limited to, appliances, furniture, etc.
Recyclables or recyclable materials.
Materials, recovered from the solid waste stream for the purpose of reuse or reclamation, a substantial portion of which are consistently used in the manufacture of products that may otherwise be produced using raw or virgin materials. Recyclable materials are not solid waste unless they are abandoned or disposed of as garbage rather than reprocessed into another product.
Recycling service.
The collection of recyclables for transport to a recycling facility for the purpose of reuse or reclamation.
Refuse or rubbish.
Nonputrescible solid waste (excluding ashes), consisting of both combustible and noncombustible waste materials, combustible rubbish, including paper, rags, cardboard, cartons, wood, excelsior, furniture, rubber, plastics, yard trimmings, leaves, and similar materials; noncombustible rubbish, including glass, crockery, tin cans, aluminum cans, metal furniture and like materials which will not burn at ordinary incinerator temperatures (1600° F to 1800° F), as defined in 30 Texas Administrative Code sec. 330.3(130).
Resident.
A person who resides in a residential unit.
Residential unit(s).
An improved property which is used, or capable of being used, for a dwelling, including, but not limited to a single-family dwelling, duplex, four-plex, townhouse, apartment, condominium unit and similar dwellings. A residential unit shall be deemed occupied when either water or electric services are being supplied thereto.
Residential service.
Solid Waste Services, Yard Waste Services, and Recycling Services for Residential Units.
Residue.
The material regularly associated with and attached to recyclable materials as a part of the original packaging or usage of that material that is not recyclable.
Roll-off.
An open top receptacle, having a minimum capacity of approximately ten (10) cubic yards up to approximately forty (40) cubic yards, intended to be loaded onto a motor vehicle.
Roll-off compactor.
An enclosed, watertight roll-off with a compactor.
Roll-off service.
The temporary placement of a roll-off or roll-off compactor for use other than regularly scheduled sanitation service, or collection/servicing of the same.
Solid waste.
Shall be defined in accordance with 30 Texas Administrative Code sec. 330.3(145), as garbage, rubbish, refuse, sludge from a wastewater treatment plant, water supply treatment plant, or air pollution control facility, and other discarded material, including solid, liquid, semi-solid, or contained gaseous material resulting from industrial, municipal, commercial, mining, and agricultural operations and from community and institutional activities. The term does not include:
(1) 
Solid or dissolved materials in domestic sewage, or solid or dissolved material in irrigation return flows, or industrial discharges subject to regulation by permit issued under Texas Water Code, Chapter 26;
(2) 
Soil, dirt, rock, sand, and other natural or man-made inert solid materials used to fill land if the object of the fill is to make the land suitable for the construction of surface improvements; or
(3) 
Waste materials that result from activities associated with the exploration, development, or production of oil or gas or geothermal resources and other substance or material regulated by the Railroad Commission of Texas under Natural Resources Code, sec. 91.101, unless the waste, substance, or material results from activities associated with gasoline plants, natural gas liquids processing plants, pressure maintenance plants, or re-pressurizing plants and is hazardous waste as defined by the administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency under the federal Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended (42 United States Code, sec. 6901 et seq.).
Solid waste services.
The collection of solid waste and disposal of solid waste at a disposal site.
Special waste.
Shall be defined in accordance with 30 Texas Administrative Code sec. 330.3(148), as any solid waste or combination of solid wastes that because of its quantity, concentration, physical or chemical characteristics, or biological properties requires special handling and disposal to protect the human health or environment. If improperly handled, transported, stored, processed, or disposed of or otherwise managed, it may pose a present or potential danger to the human health or the environment. Special wastes are:
(1) 
Hazardous waste from conditionally exempt small-quantity generators that may be exempt from full controls under Chapter 335, Subchapter N of Title 30 TAC (relating to household materials which could be classified as hazardous wastes);
(2) 
Class 1 industrial nonhazardous waste;
(3) 
Untreated medical waste;
(4) 
Municipal wastewater treatment plant sludges, other types of domestic sewage treatment plant sludges, and water-supply treatment plant sludges;
(5) 
Septic tank pumpings;
(6) 
Grease and grit trap wastes;
(7) 
Wastes from commercial or industrial wastewater treatment plants; air pollution control facilities; and tanks, drums, or containers used for shipping or storing any material that has been listed as a hazardous constituent in 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 261, Appendix VII but has not been listed as a commercial chemical product in 40 CFR sec. 261.33(e) or (f);
(8) 
Slaughterhouse wastes;
(9) 
Dead animals (large);
(10) 
Drugs, contaminated foods, or contaminated beverages, other than those contained in normal household waste;
(11) 
Pesticide (insecticide, herbicide, fungicide, or rodenticide);
(12) 
Discarded materials containing asbestos;
(13) 
Incinerator ash;
(14) 
Soil contaminated by petroleum products, crude oils, or chemicals in concentration of greater than one thousand five hundred (1,500) milligrams per kilogram total petroleum hydrocarbons; or contaminated by constituents of concern that exceed the concentrations listed in Table 1 of sec. 335.521(a)(1) of Title 30 TAC (relating to Appendices);
(15) 
Used oil;
(16) 
Waste from oil, gas, and geothermal activities subject to regulation by the Railroad Commission of Texas when those wastes are to be processed, treated, or disposed of at a solid waste management facility authorized under this chapter;
(17) 
Waste generated outside the boundaries of Texas that contains;
a. 
Any industrial waste;
b. 
Any waste associated with oil, gas, and geothermal exploration production, or development activities; or
c. 
Any item listed as a special waste in this paragraph;
(18) 
Lead acid storage batteries; and,
(19) 
Used oil filters from international combustible engines.
TAC.
The Texas Administrative Code now and as amended.
Unit.
Residential and commercial units that qualify for services.
Yard waste.
Shall be defined in accordance with 30 Texas Administrative Code sec. 330.3 (181) as leaves, grass clippings, yard and garden debris, and brush, including clean woody vegetative material not greater than six (6) inches in diameter, that results from landscaping maintenance and land-clearing operations. This term does not include stumps, roots, or shrubs with intact root balls, as defined in 30 Texas Administrative Code sec. 330.3 (181). Brush, tree limbs and similar materials must be securely tied together forming an easily handled package not exceeding four (4) feet in length or fifty (50) pounds in weight; tree limbs shall not exceed three (3) inches in diameter.
Yard waste services.
The collection of yard waste and disposal of yard waste at a disposal site.
(Ordinance O-20-009, sec. 2, adopted 5/7/20)
The city retains the exclusive right to provide solid waste services, disposal and recycling services for commercial and residential customers within the city limits. The city may provide such services directly or by granting a franchise to one (1) or more independent contractors. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to provide solid waste services or recycling services without a franchise from the city.
(Ordinance O-20-009, sec. 2, adopted 5/7/20)
Solid waste and recycling containers are assigned and issued to the physical address of the customer. Containers shall not be removed, transferred, or replaced by the customer. This prohibition does not apply to city employees or an independent contractor with a franchise from the city.
(Ordinance O-20-009, sec. 2, adopted 5/7/20)
It shall be unlawful for any person or business to place anything in a container, scavenge through or remove anything from a container, or relocate a container, or interfere with the servicing of a container that belongs to another customer or business.
It shall be unlawful to set fire to or burn any material in a container or paint or mark upon a container. Damage to a container caused by a customer’s abuse, misuse, or neglect may result in additional charges equal to the cost of a new container. Sanitation service may also be discontinued until such fees for a replacement are paid in full. It is the customer’s responsibility to file police reports for damaged, stolen or vandalized containers.
(Ordinance O-20-009, sec. 2, adopted 5/7/20)
It shall be unlawful to park, place, allow, permit, or cause to be parked or placed any motor vehicle, trailer, boat, or similar obstruction within three (3) feet of a container, or in a way that obstructs the servicing of a container. If an obstruction prevents the servicing of a container, the city is authorized to remove the obstruction. Any and all costs associated with the removal of the obstruction shall be the responsibility of the customer.
(Ordinance O-20-009, sec. 2, adopted 5/7/20)
It shall be unlawful for any person to transport by vehicle or trailer any refuse, garbage, rubbish or junk within the city unless such refuse, garbage, rubbish or junk is covered in a manner sufficient to prevent any such from blowing out of or falling from said vehicle or trailer onto any public street or right-of-way.
(Ordinance O-20-009, sec. 2, adopted 5/7/20)
It shall hereafter be unlawful for any person to burn any trash, waste, or rubbish within the corporate limits of the city. The fire marshal may adopt and promulgate rules necessary for the administration of this section consistent with the fire marshal’s duties under chapter 8 of this Code of Ordinances regarding the safety and welfare of the public.
(Ordinance O-20-009, sec. 2, adopted 5/7/20)
The charges for residential and commercial solid waste services, recycling services, and yard waste services from customers shall be established by the city council.
(Ordinance O-20-009, sec. 2, adopted 5/7/20)
Any customer who fails or refuses to pay the monthly charges established by the city council when due shall no longer receive solid waste services, recycling services, or yard waste services until all related charges are paid in full.
(Ordinance O-20-009, sec. 2, adopted 5/7/20)
Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day are designated as holidays. No solid waste services or recycling services shall be provided on these designated holidays. If a regularly scheduled pickup day falls on a holiday, collection shall take place within twenty-four (24) hours of the scheduled collection day unless a longer delay is approved by the city manager.
(Ordinance O-20-009, sec. 2, adopted 5/7/20)
The city council may authorize special programs to assist eligible customers with the collection of solid waste and recyclable materials. Programs may include, but are not limited to, assistance moving containers to and from the curb, recycling opt-out programs, and reduced-size containers.
A customer’s participation in any special program offered by the city shall be approved by the city manager or his designee. The customer will be responsible for any fees associated with a special program, change or reduction in service.
(Ordinance O-20-009, sec. 2, adopted 5/7/20)
It shall be unlawful for any person, by his own action or that of his agent, employee or any person under his control, to cause any garbage, trash, refuse or other waste matter to be dumped, deposited or otherwise discharged or disposed of on any street, lot, park, public place or other area whether publicly or privately owned, except an area legally established as a dumping area. Waste matter includes, but is not limited to, tires, household furnishings, mattresses, appliances, household hazardous waste, vehicle parts, construction debris, solid waste, special waste, or brush.
(Ordinance O-20-009, sec. 2, adopted 5/7/20)
When deemed necessary, in the best interests of the general public, the city may direct a special clean-up of unprepared waste, unbundled brush and limbs, and/or bulky waste in circumstances which constitute a health and sanitation or public safety concern. Rates for such special clean-up shall be set by city council.
(Ordinance O-20-009, sec. 2, adopted 5/7/20)
Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction of any such violation such person shall be punished by a fine of not less than one dollar ($1.00) and not more than two thousand dollars ($2,000.00). Each and every day, or portion thereof, during which any violation of any of the provisions of this chapter is committed, continued or permitted, shall be deemed a separate offense.
(Ordinance O-20-009, sec. 2, adopted 5/7/20)