Village of Great Neck, NY Article II Garbage, Rubbish and Refuse

[Adopted as Ch. 108 of the 1976 Code]

§ 477-7 Applicability.

The provisions of this article shall apply to any owner, lessee or occupant of any premises within the Village.

§ 477-8 Supervision of collection.

The collection and disposal of refuse shall be under the supervision of the Department of Sanitation, in accordance with such regulations as may be, from time to time, adopted by the Board of Trustees.

§ 477-9 Definitions.

As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

ASHES

The residue from fires used for cooking and for heating buildings.

GARBAGE

Wastes from the preparation, cooking and consumption of foods; market refuse; waste from the handling, storage and sale of produce; papers, excluding newspapers; cartons; wooden boxes and barrels; empty glass bottles; small tin cans, rags and miscellaneous combustible household trash.

NEWSPAPERS

Papers that are printed and sold or distributed at stated intervals, usually daily or weekly, and that contain news, opinions, advertisements and other matters of public interest, but excluding all magazines or other periodicals, as well as all other paper products of every nature.

RUBBISH

Tree branches, leaves, grass and hedge clippings and similar garden refuse; wood; furniture; bedding; metals; crockery; small stones; dirt and other mineral refuse.

§ 477-10 Separation.

Garbage, ashes and rubbish shall each be placed and maintained in separate receptacles or as hereinafter provided.

§ 477-11 Preparation.

A. All kitchen food refuse shall be drained of surplus liquid, shall be securely wrapped in paper and shall be deposited promptly in approved garbage containers.

B. Newspapers shall be separately bundled and securely tied with rope or cord in bundles not exceeding 25 pounds in weight.

C. Ashes, free from hot cinders or smouldering embers, shall be placed in approved ash containers. Ashes must be kept dry.

D. Tree trimmings and hedge cuttings shall be securely tied in bundles not heavier than 75 pounds.

E. Leaves, grass clippings, similar garden refuse, dirt and small stones shall be placed in approved rubbish containers. No objects of any kind having a length of more than four feet or bulk greater than two by two by two feet shall be permitted.

§ 477-12 Standards for containers.

A. Garbage containers shall be of metal or rigid plastic, watertight, with tight-fitting covers, equipped with bails or handles for easy handling.

[Amended 9-7-1976 by L.L. No. 10-1976]

B. Ash containers shall be of metal or rigid plastic of sturdy construction, with adequate handles for handling and to prevent spillage.

[Amended 9-7-1976 by L.L. No. 10-1976]

C. Rubbish containers shall be of a type suitable for the material therein deposited. Such containers shall preferably be of wood, metal or rigid plastic, but baskets, burlap or cloth bags and substantial cartons may be used for light rubbish such as shall be reduced in volume as much as possible and securely tied to permit safe and speedy handling.

[Amended 9-7-1976 by L.L. No. 10-1976]

D. The combined weight of any container and its contents shall not exceed 100 pounds.

E. Containers shall be maintained clean and in good condition. Any container that does not conform to the provisions of this article or that may have ragged or sharp edges or any other defect liable to hamper or injure the person collecting the contents thereof must be promptly replaced by a proper receptacle upon receipt of notice to that effect from the Department of Sanitation; and if not so replaced within 10 days after the receipt of such notice, such nonconforming or defective container may be collected and disposed of as waste.

F. An adequate number of containers shall be provided for each of the several classes of refuse, as herein defined, to properly store such refuse until the regularly scheduled collection time.

§ 477-13 Placement of containers.

A. Containers with garbage and ashes shall be kept in a place most accessible for the purpose of collection in the rear of the house or building, and shall not be kept or placed upon the public street, sidewalk area or other public place or upon the front yard of the premises.

[Amended 2-4-2003 by L.L. No. 2-2003]

B. Containers with rubbish shall be placed at the driveway side of the building so as to be visible from the public street and shall not be placed upon the public street, sidewalk area or other public places. After collection, empty rubbish containers shall be promptly removed from the collection point.

[Amended 2-4-2003 by L.L. No. 2-2003]

C. Newspapers shall be placed within three feet of the curb, on the sidewalk side thereof, not more than 12 hours prior to the day designated for their collection by the Board of Trustees.

§ 477-14 Time of collection.

[Amended 10-23-2008 by L.L. No. 7-2008]

A. No refuse, as herein defined, shall be collected between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.

B. Collection of the several classes of such refuse shall be made with such frequency and on such days and at such more restricted hours as may be established from time to time by resolution of the Board of Trustees.

§ 477-15 Prohibited materials.

A. The Department of Sanitation will under no conditions collect any of the following described materials and the transportation and disposal of all such prohibited materials shall be the responsibility of the owner, lessee or occupant of the premises, subject to such regulations as may be from time to time promulgated by the Board of Trustees:

(1) Solid or liquid waste resulting from industrial processes and manufacturing operations, such as food-processing wastes, boiler house cinders, lumber scraps and shavings, metal scraps and shavings, waste oil and grease, etc.

(2) Wearing apparel, bedding or other refuse from home or other place where highly infectious or contagious diseases have prevailed.

(3) Offal, meats, fruits, vegetable and food products that are unsalable or which have been condemned by health authorities.

(4) Dead animals.

(5) Abandoned automobiles.

(6) Swill, slops or garbage containing free liquids.

(7) Building rubbish or waste material from the construction, remodeling and repair operations on houses, commercial buildings and other structures, including among other rejected matter, excavated earth, stones, bricks, plaster, wallpaper, lumber, shingles, concrete and waste parts from plumbing, heating and electrical work and roofing.

(8) Rubbish from other contract operations on the premises.

B. The Department of Sanitation will not accept for collection any refuse which is not prepared, stored or placed for collection in accordance with the provisions of this article, including but not limited to material not properly segregated; material in unsafe, inadequate or overloaded containers; material not placed at the designated collection point: leaves and grass not in containers, etc.

C. Under no conditions shall there be placed in any material intended for collection any gasoline, benzene, kerosine, turpentine, paint or similar explosive or highly volatile liquids, nor any cartridges, shells, ammunition, gunpowder or explosives of any kind.

D. Under no condition shall there be placed in any garbage or rubbish container any broken glass, metal with jagged or sharp edges or other material liable to injure the collector, unless properly packaged.

§ 477-16 Restricted materials.

A. The Department of Sanitation will collect normal amounts of all classes of refuse from the premises; but where abnormal amounts are placed for collection, the Department reserves the right to refuse the material, to defer the collection, to collect the material in part or to make a special collection thereof at charges herein provided, as may be desirable in the public interest.

B. The amount of rubbish placed for collection on any one established collection day shall be restricted to a total of 200 pounds of material consisting of bundles weighing not more than 50 pounds each.

C. Rubbish in excess of the quantities or weight limit, or trees, tree branches, logs, etc., not reduced to size and bundles, as provided in this article, will be taken and collected by special collection at charges as herein provided.

D. Other materials not specifically provided for herein may, on application to the Board of Trustees of the Village, be accepted, in their discretion, for special collection at charges herein provided.

E. Dead animals will only be collected by special collection at charges herein provided.

F. Other materials not specifically provided for herein may, on application to the Department of Sanitation, be accepted, in their discretion, for special collection at charges herein provided.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: Former § 108-11, Charges for special collection, as amended, which previously followed this section, was repealed 6-27-1995 by L.L. No. 4-1995.

§ 477-17 Nonliability of Village.

A. All refuse collected by the Village shall be the property of the Village. Neither the Village, nor its agents or employees shall be responsible for the collection or disposal of material not intended for collection but placed in error with the garbage, ashes or rubbish.

B. The Village will not be responsible for failure to render collection services to premises where conditions prevent safe, easy and ready access.