[Amended 3-6-1989 by Ord. No. 89-08; 10-2-1989 by Ord. No. 89-68; 8-31-1992 by Ord. No. 92-34]
A.
The City of Schenectady finds that a significant amount
of recyclable material that could be removed from the solid waste
stream is needlessly landfilled each year. The source separation of
this solid waste so that recyclable material is recovered for reuse
will:
(1)
Reduce the consumption of and demand for scarce landfill
capacity.
(2)
Ensure a comprehensive mandatory City-wide program
of source separation.
(3)
Aid in the conservation of vital materials, resources
and energy.
(4)
Protect the environment and the health and safety
of the citizens living and working in the City.
B.
The enactment by the New York State Legislature of
the Solid Waste Management Act of 1988[1] created the need for the City to demonstrate its long-term
commitment to effective solid waste management and required the City
to enact appropriate legislation to require the source separation
and segregation of recyclables or reusable materials from solid waste
by September 1, 1992. The City declares that the measures taken by
the City be environmentally sound and yet achieve economically desirable
waste reduction through waste recycling and reuse to not only meet,
but substantially surpass, the goals established by the state. The
state has established a goal of 25% waste reduction by September 1,
1992, and 50% waste reduction by 1997. The City finds that voluntary
recycling programs that were not mandatory in other communities have
not achieved the goals that have been set for them.
[1]
Editor's Note: See L. 1988, c. 70.
C.
This chapter will accomplish a requirement for comprehensive
source separation. The solid waste categories will be consolidated
with similar materials to allow economic access to secondary markets.
This chapter will put all persons in the City into a class who source-separate
their solid waste.
D.
Accordingly, the City finds that, to achieve these
goals, it would be appropriate to:
(2)
Create a program that provides for everyone in the
City to recycle;
(3)
Establish a mandatory City-wide comprehensive source
separation program so that each category of separated solid waste
can be individually addressed for recycling;
(4)
Set forth a methodology for efficiently separating
and collecting reusable and recyclable materials from the City's solid
waste stream;
(5)
Encourage and support the use of solid resources and
skills of local community organizations and members in addressing
and aiding a recyclable program;
(6)
Institute penalties for noncompliance with this chapter.
A.
The "City of Schenectady Mandatory Recycling Law"
shall be cited as this chapter.
B.
General purpose. The general purposes of this chapter
are as follows:
(1)
To provide for the efficient, economic and environmentally
safe management of all solid waste and especially recyclable wastes
in the City of Schenectady.
C.
Specific purpose. The specific purposes of this chapter
are the following:
(1)
To provide for the separation of solid waste categories
which include recyclables and nonrecyclables.
(2)
To avoid the high cost of disposal of unseparated
solid waste.
(3)
To enhance the reuse and recyclability of solid waste
and to limit the landfilling of solid waste.
(4)
To minimize to the greatest extent possible the burning
and the landfilling of recyclable solid waste.
(5)
To provide education to all generators of solid waste
in the City on how to reduce solid waste generation, and how to properly
prepare materials for source separation.
(7)
To provide for the enactment of regulations pertaining
to waste collection and recycling practices as they apply to residential,
commercial not-for-profit and institutional properties.
