HOME > ORDINANCES & ARCHIVES

Recycling

---

23-6.1 Purpose.
The purposes of this section are to protect the health, safety and general well-being of the residents of the City and provide a solid waste disposal option that does not require the incineration or burial of valuable raw materials. By establishing a mandatory recycling program affecting all residents of the City of Saco, the City will save money currently being spent on the disposal of solid waste, generate revenues from the sale of recyclable materials, and will reduce the impact on the environment from the generation, processing, manufacturing and sale and distribution of good made from virgin materials. (ord. 9/17/90 & 9-920)

23-6.2 Definitions. As used in this section:

Recycling Container shall mean a container distributed by the City of Saco to Saco residents for the purpose of facilitating the collection of recyclable materials at the curb.

Recyclable Materials shall mean those items designated by the City Administrator, or his designee, as suitable for inclusion in the City's recycling program.

Residential Uses for the purpose of providing solid waste collection, shall mean and include single, duplex and multi-family dwellings (up to and including six (6) units) on public ways.

Recycling Vehicle shall mean a vehicle utilized by the City of Saco or its designated agent to collect recyclable materials at the curb from all residential uses on a City maintained public way. (Ord. 9/17/90 & 9-921)

23-6.3 Application.
This Section shall apply to all uses, both residential and nonresidential, within the City. All recyclable materials shall henceforth be separated from the daily waste stream and, for residential uses, placed at the curb in accordance with the provisions of this section. Nonresidential uses shall also separate recyclables from the waste stream, and deliver those items either to the City's recycling center, or have them collected as recyclables, not as acceptable waste to be sent to the City's Contracted Disposal Facility. The City may provide curbside collection of recyclables for all residential uses located on a public road. Nonresidential buildings, i.e. businesses, offices, retail, hotels, apartments, mobile home parks, motels, and bed and breakfast establishments shall not receive curbside collection services from the City. Buildings that contain both business and residential uses shall be classified by the majority use within the building, based on square footage. (Ord. 9/17/90 & 9-922)

23-6.4 Property Rights.
Any and all recyclable materials placed at the curb become the sole property of the City or its designated agent. No one may salvage, remove or carry off any such material without prior approval of the City Council. (Ord. 9/17/90 & 9/923)

23-6.5 Operations.
The City may provide weekly curbside collection of recyclable materials to all residential uses within the City. Collection of recyclables shall be on the same day as the regular garbage collection.

Recyclable materials shall be placed at the curb separate from the regular garbage and rubbish. All items shall be prepared as directed by the City Administrator, or his/her designee. Items not prepared as directed by the City Administrator will be left at the curb.

Recyclable materials shall be placed in separate containers for each category of material, eg., plastics, clear glass, brown glass, green glass, tin cans and newspapers shall all be in separate containers, or as directed by the City Administrator. Containers may be provided by the City to every household to facilitate the separation and collection process. Any containers distributed by the City remain the property of the City. (Ord. 9/17/90 & 9-924)

23-6.6 Enforcement.
For the purposes of this section, the placement of recyclable materials in with regular garbage for collection and transport to the City's Contracted Disposal Facility shall constitute a violation. Violators of this section shall first be given written notice of noncompliance. Subsequent violations shall result in noncollection of garbage placed at the curbside, along with written notice. On the third event of written notice, a civil violation shall have been committed for which a forfeiture of not less than fifty ($50.00) dollars shall be adjudged. Any violation is deemed to be a nuisance and the City Council may bring an action for equitable relief.

For the purposes of this section, the collection and transport of recyclable materials to a facility that does not provide for the separation and reclamation of recyclable materials shall also constitute a violation. Each violation shall constitute a civil violation for which a forfeiture of not less than one hundred ($100.00) dollars shall be adjudged. Any violation is deemed to be a nuisance and the City Council may bring an action for equitable relief. Such violation shall also be considered a violation of subsection 23.2-9.

Violations of any other provisions of this section shall constitute a civil violation for which a forfeiture of not less than fifty ($50.00) dollars shall be adjudged. Any violation is deemed to be a nuisance and City Council may bring an action for equitable relief. (Ord. 9/17/90 & 9-925; Ord. 5/20/92)

23-6.7 Contracted Services.
The City, at its discretion, may enter into contracts for the collection of recyclable materials or other solid wastes, with residential uses that do not meet the strict definition of residential uses in this section. Such additional residential uses would include, but not be limited to, condominium associates. Each contract shall be negotiated individually. (Ord. 9/17/90 & 9-926)