Chapter 3.20
GARBAGE1
Sections:
3.20.010 Purpose and sanitary department established.
3.20.030 Sanitary department – Created – Purpose – Authority and duties.
3.20.040 Superintendent of sanitary department – Duties.
3.20.060 Cans for disposal of garbage.
3.20.070 Garbage must be drained free of water and wrapped before deposited in container.
3.20.080 Person in control of premises to cause city to remove garbage.
3.20.100 Noncombustible refuse – Permit for hauling.
3.20.110 Disposition of dead animals.
3.20.130 Removal by sanitary department – How often.
3.20.140 Hauling swill from food places – Permit may be granted.
3.20.150 Rates – Residential and commercial.
3.20.180 Rates – Removal of dead animals.
3.20.280 Violations – Penalties.
3.20.300 Superintendent of sanitary department.
3.20.010 Purpose and sanitary department established.
The maintenance of health and sanitation requires that it is the intention of this chapter to make the collection, removal and disposal of garbage, refuse and dead animals within the city universal and compulsory; and there is established a sanitary department for the collection, removal and disposal of garbage and refuse in the city. (Ord. 450 § 1, 1958).
3.20.020 Definitions.
“Drop boxes” means garbage containers over eight yards in size.
The term “garbage and refuse,” as used in this chapter, shall be taken to mean all waste and discarded materials, including rubbish and debris, waste, discarded food, animal and vegetable matter, wastepaper, cans, glass, ashes, offal and boxes. “Waste” shall not include materials subject to manufacture into byproducts.
“Overweight garbage containers” means containers that hold more than 150 pounds per cubic yard of waste.
The term “person” shall mean every natural person, firm, copartnership, association, or corporation.
The term “premises” shall be taken to mean any dwelling, flats, apartments, roominghouses, hotels, clubs, restaurants, boarding houses, eating places, shops and places of business, or any other building or structure.
The term “swill,” as used in this chapter, shall be taken to mean and include every refuse accumulation of animal, fruit or vegetable matter, liquid or otherwise, that attends the preparation, use, cooking, dealing in or storing of meat, fish, fowl, fruit and vegetables, except coffee grounds.
The words herein used in the present tense shall include the future tense, and in the singular shall include the plural and in the plural shall include the singular, and in the masculine shall include the feminine gender. (Ord. 981 §§ 1, 2, 1999; Ord. 450 § 2, 1958).
3.20.030 Sanitary department – Created – Purpose – Authority and duties.
A. There is created a city sanitary department of the city of Ritzville to acquire, establish and operate a system for the collection, removal, and disposal of garbage and refuse within the city of Ritzville, with authority to acquire property within or without the city of Ritzville and to operate beyond the corporate limits of the city of Ritzville.
B. The city sanitary department shall collect and dispose of all garbage, refuse and dead animals as provided in this chapter. (Ord. 450 § 3, 1958).
3.20.040 Superintendent of sanitary department – Duties.
The superintendent of the city sanitary department shall be the administrative head of the city sanitary department and shall have charge of the disposal and the collection of garbage and refuse. (Ord. 450 § 4, 1958).
3.20.060 Cans for disposal of garbage.
The city may prescribe from time to time the types of containers that shall be used for the collection of garbage. (Ord. 1092 §§ 68, 69, 2005; Ord. 738 § 3, 1984; Ord. 450 § 6, 1958).
3.20.070 Garbage must be drained free of water and wrapped before deposited in container.
All garbage, before deposit in the container as herein provided, shall be drained free of water and wrapped in paper or other material in such a manner as to prevent, as nearly as possible, moisture from such garbage coming in contact with the sides or bottom of the metal container. (Ord. 450 § 7, 1958).
3.20.080 Person in control of premises to cause city to remove garbage.
It shall be the duty of every person in possession, charge or control of any premises, including all businesses, to cause such garbage and refuse to be removed and disposed of by the city sanitary department of the city of Ritzville. (Ord. 768 § 2, 1986; Ord. 450 § 8, 1958).
3.20.090 Sanitary department has exclusive right to collect garbage – Collection by others prohibited – Exception for removal of contents of septic tank.
The city sanitary department of the city of Ritzville, by and through its duly authorized agents and employees, shall have the exclusive right from and after May 15, 1958, to gather and collect garbage and refuse within the city of Ritzville, and it shall be unlawful for any person to collect or gather garbage or refuse, except the contents of any septic tanks within the city of Ritzville, or to deposit or dump the same or cause the same to be dumped or deposited upon any lot of land or in any water or waterways within the corporate limits of the city of Ritzville, except as herein provided. (Ord. 450 § 9, 1958).
3.20.100 Noncombustible refuse – Permit for hauling.
Upon application the superintendent of the city sanitary department of the city of Ritzville may, in his discretion, grant a temporary permit to a person for the hauling to the city dump of ashes, tin cans and other noncombustible refuse from the premises of the permit holder when such hauling is to be done by the permit holder; provided the same is to be dumped within the limits on the city’s dumping ground as posted by the city sanitary department. (Ord. 450 § 10, 1958).
3.20.110 Disposition of dead animals.
It shall be the duty of every person in possession, charge or control of any dead animals or upon whose premises the same may be located to forthwith cause the same to be removed and disposed of by the city sanitary department, the same to be removed and disposed of by burial, incineration, or other proper method within 24 hours after death. If the carcass is buried, it shall be so placed that every part thereof shall be covered by at least two feet of earth and at a location not less than 100 feet from any well and in a place not subject to overflow by surface water. In all cases of death from communicable disease the carcass, if disposed of by burial, shall first be enveloped in unslaked lime or an approved equal product. (Ord. 450 § 11, 1958).
3.20.120 Burning garbage or refuse prohibited – Exceptions – Nonconforming deposition of garbage or refuse prohibited.
It is unlawful for any person to burn any garbage or refuse or deposit any garbage or refuse upon any street, alley or private property in the city of Ritzville, or to burn the same, or to collect, remove or dispose of it, save as provided in this section. The following exceptions shall be allowed:
A. The city of Ritzville shall be allowed to burn roadways and lots within the city of Ritzville at such times as designated and approved by the fire chief.
B. The residents of the city of Ritzville shall be allowed to burn brush, grass, weeds, cuttings from trees, lawns or gardens, and vacant lots at such periods and during such daily hours as designated by the mayor of the city of Ritzville. The burning of refuse which would emit noxious odors shall not be allowed.
C. Outdoor fireplaces and barbecues shall be permitted as long as they are not used for the burning of garbage or refuse, unless they also meet the minimum specifications of a furnace or incinerator as set forth in this chapter. (Ord. 1092 § 70, 2005; Ord. 728 § 2, 1984; Ord. 692 § 1, 1982; Ord. 493, 1963; Ord. 450 § 12, 1958).
3.20.130 Removal by sanitary department – How often.
A. The sanitary department shall collect, remove and dispose of all garbage and refuse in the residential district of the city at least once a week, the number of cans to be used by the various residences to be determined by the sanitary department, and from hotels, restaurants, boardinghouses, eating places, apartment houses, schools, hospitals and in the business district of the city of Ritzville as designated from time to time by the sanitary department. This service is to be given at least six days per week.
B. Residential districts include all portions thereof not otherwise designated.
C. In the alternative to subsections (A) and (B) of this section, the city of Ritzville may contract for the collection, removal and disposal of all garbage and refuse within the city of Ritzville at such times and frequencies as may be agreed to from time to time by written contract. (Ord. 1092 § 71, 2005; Ord. 450 § 13, 1958).
3.20.140 Hauling swill from food places – Permit may be granted.
The sanitary department may in its discretion issue a permit or permits for the hauling of swill from public restaurants and/or eating places, food processing plants or warehouses on such terms and under such conditions as may be determined by the sanitary department. (Ord. 450 § 14, 1958).
3.20.150 Rates – Residential and commercial.
The rates for garbage collection shall be established by the city council from time to time as they may adopt by ordinance or resolution. (Ord. 1092 § 72, 2005).
3.20.180 Rates – Removal of dead animals.
The city of Ritzville shall no longer remove or dispose of dead animals and it is unlawful for any resident of the city of Ritzville to place any animal carcass or parts of animal carcasses in garbage cans or on the premises for removal by the city of Ritzville. (Ord. 768 § 4, 1986; Ord. 450 § 15(d), 1958).
3.20.265 City authority.
The city shall have the authority, by resolution, and after council consideration duly made and passed, to set forth and promulgate rules and regulations, duties and responsibilities and such other matters as may be necessary as determined by the city council for the proper execution of the ordinances codified in this chapter. (Ord. 738 § 11, 1984).
3.20.270 Severability.
If any section, provision, or part thereof of this chapter is adjudged to be invalid or unconstitutional, such adjudication shall not affect the validity of this chapter as a whole or any section, provision or part thereof, not adjudged invalid or unconstitutional. (Ord. 450 § 21, 1958).
3.20.280 Violations – Penalties.
Any person who violates or fails to comply with any of the provisions of this chapter, or who counsels, aids, or abets any such violation or failure to comply shall be punishable in accordance with RCC 1.02.010, General penalty. (Ord. 1092 § 83, 2005; Ord. 450 § 22, 1958).
3.20.300 Superintendent of sanitary department.
The mayor of the city of Ritzville, with the approval of the city council, is hereby empowered and authorized to hire a suitable and qualified person as superintendent of the city sanitary department, such superintendent shall have full charge and control over all of the work provided for and contemplated by this chapter and he shall have such other duties as are required for collection of and enforcement of the provisions of this chapter. (Ord. 450 § 24, 1958).
3.20.320 Effective date.
This chapter shall be in full force and effect from and after the fifteenth day of May, 1958. (Ord. 450 § 27, 1958).
Statutory provisions: See RCW 35.21.120 to 35.21.150.