[Adopted 5-21-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-03]
This article shall be known as the "Hellam Township Municipal Collection and Disposal of Municipal Waste and Recyclable Materials Ordinance."
The following words, terms and phrases shall have ascribed to them the meanings herein set forth, unless the use of such word, term or phrase in context clearly indicates a different meaning:
CHRISTMAS TREE COLLECTION
A separate collection and transportation of trees to a mulching site.
CONTRACTING COLLECTOR
The person, corporation or partnership with whom the Township of Hellam shall enter into a contract for collection, transportation and disposal of municipal waste along with billing and collection for the service.
DWELLING
A building or structure designed for living quarters for residential purposes.
DWELLING UNIT
One or more rooms in a building, which room or rooms have a kitchen with fixed cooking facilities, eating sleeping and living facilities, arranged for occupancy by one person or two or more persons living together as one family.
IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBER
A parent, spouse, child, brother or sister, or child of a brother or sister; or a spouse's parent, child, brother or sister, or child of a brother or sister.
LEAF WASTE AND YARD DEBRIS
Leaves, garden residue, shrubbery and tree trimmings, and similar material, but not including grass clippings.
MUNICIPAL WASTE
Any garbage, refuse, industrial lunchroom or office waste and other material, including solid, liquid, semisolid or contained gaseous material, resulting from operation of residential, municipal, commercial or institutional establishments and from community activities and any sludge not meeting the definition of residual or hazardous waste in the Solid Waste Management Act[1] from a municipal, commercial or institutional water supply treatment plant, wastewater treatment plant or air pollution control facility. This term shall also include "solid waste," as defined in the Pennsylvania Solid Waste Management Act, together with coal ash and drill cuttings. The term does not include source-separated recyclable materials.
NEWSPAPER
Paper of the type commonly referred to as "newsprint" and distributed at fixed intervals, having printed thereon news and other matters of public interest, but not including glossy advertising inserts included with newspapers.
PERSON
Any individual, firm, partnership, corporation, association, cooperative enterprise, trust, municipal authority, federal institution or agency, state institution or agency, municipality, public and private schools and educational facilities, other governmental agency or any other entity or any group of such persons which is recognized by law as the subject of rights and duties. In any provisions of this article prescribing a fine, penalty or imprisonment, the term "person" shall include the officers and directors of a corporation or other legal entity having officers and directors.
QUALIFIED PROPERTY
Any property, including a farm, which contains a residential dwelling unit which generates municipal waste, except those exempted in § 389-15A(2) of this article.
RECYCLABLE MATERIALS
Certain types of cardboard, glass containers, metal containers, plastic containers, and any other materials, all as specifically defined and designated by the contracting collector and/or Township, and provided to residents in newsletters, website posting and other written information.
TOWNSHIP
The Township of Hellam, York County, Pennsylvania or its authorized representative or representatives.
WASTE
Municipal waste, as defined herein.
WRIGHTSVILLE
Wrightsville Borough or the Wrightsville Municipal Authority.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 35 P.S. § 6018.101 et seq.
There is hereby established in the Township a collection, transportation and disposal program for the collection, transportation and disposal of municipal wastes and recyclable material from all qualified properties. The Township is authorized to promulgate such rules and regulations as are necessary to implement the collection, transportation and disposal program for municipal waste from qualified property. Following appropriate bidding procedures, the Township is authorized to enter into a contract with a contracting collector for the collection, transportation, disposal and billing of municipal waste and recyclable material, which contract shall contain such terms and conditions as the Township shall deem appropriate.
A. 
On and after the effective date of this article, and on and after the date established in the Township for the implementation of a collection, transportation and disposal program for the collection, transportation and disposal of municipal wastes and recyclable material from all qualified properties, only the contracting collector authorized by the Township, after appropriate bidding procedures, shall collect, transport and dispose of municipal waste and recyclable material from any and all qualified property located within the limits of the Township of Hellam.
B. 
On or after the effective date of this article, and on and after the date established in the Township for the implementation of a collection, transportation and disposal program for the collection, transportation and disposal of municipal wastes and recyclable material from all qualified properties, any person who collects refuse and/or recyclable material in the Township who is not the authorized contracting collector shall be in violation of this article. This section shall not apply to refuse collectors collecting refuse from nonqualified properties as set forth in § 389-15A(2), below.
A. 
Each person owning or occupying a qualified property within the Township shall dispose of all municipal waste and recyclable material generated therein by having the same collected, transported and disposed of by the contracting collector in accordance with the terms and conditions of a contract between Township and contracting collector. The person shall have the option of: the "standard collection" for collection of a quantity not exceeding that set forth in § 389-17, below; the low-volume "pay-per-bag" tag option permitting persons to purchase a minimum of 26 bag tags annually; or standard collection utilizing a ninety-six-gallon cart/toter. All persons shall have the option of purchasing additional bag tags at a specified price for any additional waste exceeding that permitted under their chosen option. Each bag tag permits collection/disposal of one container or one large item. Said contracting collector shall have the exclusive right and obligation to collect and haul refuse within the Township, except as follows:
(1) 
Those persons who decide to personally dispose of their refuse and recyclables. The placing of municipal waste at roadside for collection or the hiring or use of any person not a resident or immediate family member, or the use of any vehicle larger than a pickup truck to dispose of one's own refuse and recyclables shall not be considered personal disposal.
(2) 
Any property which utilizes a dumpster or dumpsters for collection of refuse and recycling and does not place municipal waste at roadside, such as, but not limited to, a church, commercial or retail business or establishment, apartment house, multifamily dwelling complex, condominiums, and other such planned residential development or mobile home park.
(3) 
Those persons who, as of the effective date of this article, are sanitary sewer customers of Wrightsville and receive and pay for trash collection service from Wrightsville; provided, however, that any such person may choose to discontinue service with Wrightsville and become customers of the contracting collector at any time during the contract period. Provided, also, however, that any such person, once a customer of contracting collector, may not later cease to be a customer and revert back to being a customer of Wrightsville.
B. 
On or after the effective date of the trash collection program implemented by this article, any person who is the owner or occupant of a qualified property who permits any person not a resident, relative, or the contracting collector to collect or remove any garbage, refuse or recyclable material from the premises shall be in violation of this article.
C. 
It shall be unlawful to cause or permit to accumulate any municipal or solid waste anywhere in the Township unless in a tightly covered metal or plastic container having a definite shape.
A. 
A receptacle in which municipal waste is placed for collection, which is a round sheet metal or plastic container which is watertight, has a tight fitting lid, handle, has a capacity not exceeding 32 gallons, and when filled, does not exceed more than 50 pounds. Plastic "garbage bags", for one time use, properly tied, may be substituted for plastic or metal containers. All municipal or solid waste or other material subject to decay, excepting sewage, leaves, grass or animal fertilizer, shall be kept in a tightly covered metal or plastic container having a definite shape. It shall be unlawful to place or permit the same to remain anywhere in the Township other than in a tightly covered metal or plastic container having a definite shape. All containers or plastic bags shall be securely covered or tied, as the case may be. Such containers, when filled, shall not weigh more than 50 pounds each. It is understood that all municipal waste must be in containers, or securely tied in bundles not larger than three feet by three feet; such bundles will be considered containers, and the maximum weight of 50 pounds per container shall apply. Containers shall not be placed at the curb or next to the cartway of the road earlier than 4:00 p.m. the evening of the day preceding a scheduled collection day. Contracting collector may also furnish its own receptacles, not to exceed a capacity of 96 gallons.
B. 
All recyclable materials shall be placed at roadside on collection day in the receptacle provided by the Township or contracting collector or in a receptacle approved by the Township. Such receptacles shall be the property of the Township or contracting collector and shall not be removed from the property for which they are being used.
A. 
Contracting collector shall collect not more than four containers, secured plastic bags or bundles of the authorized size and weight on each collection day unless the resident has purchased additional tags for additional containers. Tires, removed from the wheels, cannot exceed 32 inches in diameter or a maximum of 12 inches tread width, shall count as one container. Where contracting collector has not made a collection by reason of the failure of the residents of a qualified property to comply with this article, the contracting collector shall report the matter in writing to the Township. No limitation shall be placed on the amount of recyclable materials collected.
B. 
Leaf waste and yard debris may be included with other municipal waste for disposal.
The contracting collector shall collect municipal waste and recyclable material on both sides of all public streets, roads, alleys and highways in the Township which are maintained and adopted by either the Township or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and on all private roads as directed by the Township. Collection shall be made from the front curbline, or where there is no curb, immediately next to the cartway of the public street or road.
The contracting collector shall collect municipal waste and recyclable material in accordance with the terms of the contract between contracting collector and Township, but in no event less than one time per week from each collection point. The contracting collector shall commence the collection of municipal waste and recyclable material not earlier than 6:00 a.m., prevailing time, and shall complete collection no later than 6:00 p.m., prevailing time. No regular collections shall be scheduled for any Saturday or Sunday. If the regular collection day shall fall on any holiday recognized by the contracting collector, the contracting collector shall make the collection on the next regular working day after the holiday.
Vehicles used in making the collections shall have completely enclosed watertight metal compaction bodies and shall be able to traverse all public or private roads and streets as directed by the Township. All such equipment shall be approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. It shall be unlawful to deposit or permit to fall from any vehicle any municipal or solid waste on any public street or alley in the Township; provided, that this section shall not be construed to prohibit placing municipal or solid waste in a container complying with the provisions of this article preparatory to having such material collected and disposed of by contracting collector.
Municipal waste containers and recyclable receptacles shall be picked up at the designated collection points and deposited into the collection vehicles. No municipal waste or recyclable materials may be spilled on the roads and streets of the Township and the contracting collector must make every effort to prevent scattering of municipal waste and recyclable materials, particularly paper and other light materials by the wind. Contracting collector must take care not to damage containers belonging to residents or Township, and in the event of willful or unnecessary damage to such containers, contracting collector shall be liable for the same. Contracting collector shall promptly notify the Township if any residents or property owner claim damage (to containers) other than reasonable wear and tear.
For properties served by the contracting collector, Christmas trees shall be added as a separated recyclable material. Christmas trees shall be placed at curbside or roadside where municipal waste is normally placed on such dates as are established by the Township or contracting collector. Such Christmas trees must be placed at the street or alley side by 6:00 a.m. on the scheduled collection day.
A. 
Contracting collector shall also collect and dispose of recyclable materials. Contracting collector shall provide roadside recycling service per the contract documents and this article. Contracting collector shall conform to all ordinances of the Township, the Township solid waste management plan, any county plan and any statutes or regulations of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The contracting collector shall keep accurate weight receipts for all designated recyclable materials and municipal or solid waste collected from within the Township, and must provide these totals to the Township annually or as often as deemed necessary by or specified in the exclusive contract documents and exclusive contract awarded by the Township. Contracting collector shall make available for inspection by the Township any records and/or weight receipts pertaining to customers in the Township. The exclusive contract hauler shall permit the Township to use the information collected pursuant to this section for purposes of applying for and obtaining grants from the commonwealth.
B. 
All residents of qualified property subject to roadside pickup of refuse and solid waste within the Township shall prepare all recyclable materials for curbside collection in a manner as specifically defined and designated by the collector and/or Township, and provided to residents in newsletters, website posting and other written information.
C. 
Except for the contracting collector, it shall be unlawful for any person to take, remove or dispose of recyclable materials after such materials are set out for collection.
A. 
Every owner of a qualified property shall pay a fee for the collection, transportation and disposal of municipal waste and recyclable.
B. 
The contracting collector is hereby authorized to charge a fee and shall be required to perform billing for the fee charged for garbage and recycling collection, transportation and disposal services. Billing of the fee charged, levied and assessed shall be in accordance with rate set forth in the contract between the contracting collector and the Township. All fees and charges which remain unpaid after the invoice due date shall be deemed delinquent. The billing of fees and charges shall be sent directly to the property owner or occupant and the property owner or occupant will be responsible for payment of the fee and charges. The fee and charges shall be charged for each unit.
C. 
This fee will be billed quarterly, or semiannually by the contracting collector and will be due and payable 30 days after the invoice billing date. If any fees or charges imposed by this article are not paid by the due date, there will be a penalty of $10 added to the outstanding invoice. Thereafter, the penalty will be added quarterly during each quarter the bill remains unpaid (in the months of January, April, July, and October).
D. 
If the owner or occupant shall fail to pay any charges or fees after the invoice becomes delinquent, the Township or contracting collector is authorized to file a civil lawsuit for the collection of charges, penalties, interest and costs of collection, including reasonable attorney's fees. Upon the filing of a civil lawsuit, a penalty of $50 shall be added to all delinquent accounts.
E. 
Upon the filing of a civil lawsuit for the collection of any delinquent fees or charges, contracting collector shall be entitled to charge and collect as a part thereof, all costs of collection, including reasonable attorney's fees.
The contracting collector shall become the owner of the municipal waste and recyclable materials at such time as it is collected from each collection point.
A. 
All municipal or solid waste shall be placed in containers for collection. It shall be unlawful to dispose of any municipal or solid waste anywhere except in accordance with the Pennsylvania Solid Waste Management Act,[1] this article, and any Hellam Township solid waste management plan. All owners of qualified properties and all other producers of municipal waste shall dispose of all municipal waste by using the services of the contracting collector, unless exempted by § 389-15A of this article. Such owners and producers of municipal waste shall become contractually bound to use and pay for such services in accordance with this article, all other Hellam Township ordinances, contract documents, regulations, and applicable law, with the right on the part of the contracting collector to withdraw services for payments therefor which are delinquent for more than 90 days. It shall be a violation to refuse or neglect to pay for hauling services in the absence of a breach of contract by the contracting collector.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 35 P.S. § 6018.101 et seq.
B. 
Contracting collector shall dispose of municipal waste and recyclable only at a disposal facility approved or operated by the York County Solid Waste Authority for the type of waste to be disposed. Contracting collector shall keep accurate weight receipts for all designated recyclable materials and municipal solid waste collected from within the Township and must provide these totals to the Township annually or as often as deemed necessary by the Township. Contracting collector must make available for inspection by the Township any records and/or weight receipts pertaining to customers in the Township. Contracting collector must permit the Township to use the information collected pursuant to this section for purposes of applying for and obtaining grants from the commonwealth or any other organization or agency.
The owners or occupants of premises that do not constitute a qualified property, as defined under § 389-15A(2) of this article, shall enter into a contract with a person authorized or licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to collect, transport and dispose of municipal waste, which contract shall provide for the collection and transportation of municipal waste and recyclable from the premises and which contract shall provide for the disposal of the municipal waste and recyclable at a disposal facility approved by the York County Solid Waste Authority. A copy of the contract referred to in this section shall be presented on demand to the Township by the owner or occupant of the premises upon request.
A. 
No person who is not the owner or occupier of a qualified property shall dispose of or place for collection any municipal waste or recyclable materials within the limits of the Township of Hellam.
B. 
No owner or occupant of a qualified property shall dispose of or place for collection any municipal waste or recyclable materials not generated by the owner or occupier of the qualified property.
Contracting collector shall comply with all statutes and laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and all ordinances of the Township of Hellam in any manner relating to the collection, transportation, disposal, and billing and collection of municipal waste.
The contracting collector shall pay promptly any damages inflicted upon property owners or residents occasioned by the fault or negligence of the contracting collector or its employees or agents. Failure to promptly pay damage occasioned by its fault or negligence shall also constitute a violation of this article.
Collection of municipal waste shall be made only in trucks equipped with compactor-type units or with tarpaulin-covered bodies. A person collecting municipal waste shall dispose of said material only in compliance with the exclusive contract, the Hellam Township solid waste management plan, the Pennsylvania Solid Waste Management Act and, in the event that it does not, then it shall be subject to forfeiture of any authorization to collect municipal waste in the Township. Such failure shall also constitute a violation of this article.
Any person who shall violate any provisions of this article shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000, or in default of payment of such fine, then to suffer imprisonment for not more than 90 days. Each day's continued violation of this article shall constitute a separate offense.
A. 
In any case where a provision of this article is found to be in conflict with a provision of any zoning, building, fire, safety or health ordinance, the provision which establishes the higher standard for the promotion and protection of the health and safety of the residents of the Township shall prevail. In any case where a provision of this article is found to be in conflict with the provisions of any ordinance or code in the Township existing on the effective date of this article which establishes a lower standard for the promotion and protection of the health and safety of the residents of the Borough, the provisions of this article shall be deemed to prevail, and such other ordinances and codes are hereby declared to be repealed to the extent that they may be found in conflict with this article.
B. 
If any section, subsection, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of this article shall be declared invalid for any reason whatsoever, such decision shall not affect the remaining portions of this article, which shall remain in full force and effect and, to this end, the provisions of this article are hereby declared to be severable.
A. 
Section 389-13 of this article shall take effect five days after adoption of this article.
B. 
The remaining sections of this article shall take effect on the effective date of the commencement of services by the contracting collector.