Recycling

RECYCLING

ORDINANCE RE:  RECYCLING

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE LEGAL VOTERS OF THE TOWN OF STONINGTON IN LAWFUL TOWN MEETING DULY ASSEMBLED THAT THE FOLLOWING ORDINANCE RELATIVE TO RECYCLING BE ESTABLISHED BY THE TOWN OF STONINGTON:

I.      DEFINITIONS:

Bulky Waste - incorporates the definition as used in the regulations of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, as may be amended from time to time.  Currently the term is meant to describe construction, demolition and land clearing debris.

Cardboard - corrugated boxes and similar corrugated and kraft paper materials which have a minimum of contamination by food and other material.

Clean Wood - used pallets, cable spools and other manufactured products of unpainted or unfinished wood.  This category also includes tree limbs and trunks exceeding four inches (4") in diameter, excluding stumps.

Glass Container - any unbroken glass bottle or jar of any size or shape used to package food or beverage products suitable for human or animal consumption.

Metal Container - any aluminum, bi-metal, steel, tin-plated steel or other metallic can, plate or tray of any size or shape used to package food or beverage products suitable for human or animal consumption.  Clean aluminum foil is also included in this category.

Newspaper- any used or discarded newsprint, which has a minimum of contamination by food and other material.  The only gloss-printed paperstock in this category is the color print insert commonly found in Sunday editions.

Office Paper - any used or discarded high-grade white paper, computer print-out, manila cardstock, photo-copying paper which is suitable for recycling and has a minimum of contamination.

Special Wastes - nonhazardous commercial and industrial wastes which, by virtue of their properties and/or volume require special handling.  Examples in Stonington are foam plastic, velvet cuttings, and clean wood.

Reasonable opportunity to recycle - exists when for a given recyclable material there exists separate container, handling, transport, processing, and final disposition in the scrap materials marketplace.

Recyclables - any items, commonly regarded as wastes, which are designated by this regulation or by the Board of Selectmen to be pre-sorted for separate handling and delivered to the scrap materials market.

Scrap Metal - used or discarded items which consist predominantly of ferrous metals, aluminum, brass, copper, lead, chromium, tin, nickel or alloys thereof, including, but not limited to, white goods.

Scrap tires- discarded rubber or synthetic rubber tires used by or manufactured for vehicles including, but not limited to, automobiles, trucks, buses, and trailers.

Storage Battery - batteries used in motor vehicles, airplanes, boats, recreational vehicles, tractors, and like applications, or other lead acid batteries.

Waste Oil - crankcase oil that has been utilized in internal combustion engines.

II.     Recyclable Materials

A.      The list of materials regarded as recyclable is as follows:   

  • glass containers
  • metal containers
  • newspapers
  • cardboard
  • waste oil
  • storage batteries
  • scrap metal
  • leaves

B.      The Board of Selectmen will revise this list as opportunities to recycle become available.

III.    Residential Recycling

A.      When there exists, for a given household, the opportunity to recycle, then mixed glass and metal containers and newspapers shall be pre-sorted for separate collection.  Glass and metal containers shall be rinsed.  Newspapers shall be string-tied in bundles or placed in brown paper grocery bags.

B.      The Town will facilitate this opportunity to recycle by providing, at no cost, one recyclable materials container for use by each household.  The container will remain the property of the Town.  If the resident moves, the container shall remain at that address for use by the incoming occupant.  Replacement cost will be the responsibility of the owner of the residence.

C.      The Town will coordinate, with contracted waste and materials haulers, waste management districts within town, and with materials processors and markets, the transportation and final disposition of recyclables.

D.      In response to developments in the scrap materials market and developments in materials handling capability and processing technology, the Town will revise, from time to time the list of those materials required to be pre-sorted from residential waste.

E.      The Town will inform the general public about the recycling initiatives with a support program of information and education.

IV.     COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL RECYCLING

A.      The Town will coordinate, with private businesses and contracted waste and materials haulers, the separate handling and transport of cardboard.  For those businesses with no separate storage facilities on their premises for cardboard, the Town will provide a drop-off point for that material at the landfill's recycling area.

B.      The Townwill coordinate, with private businesses and contracted waste and materials haulers, any recycling outlet for specific special wastes as opportunities become available.

V.      WASTE OIL

A.      The Town will maintain a storage container at the landfill's recycling area to receive waste crankcase oil from residents, and provide for removal from the site, as needed, of collected waste oil.

B.      Private businesses, including garages and dealerships, shall make their own provisions for storage and removal of waste crankcase oil.

VI.     LEAVES

A.      The Town will maintain a leaf compost area at the landfill for drop-off by individual residents.

B.      Mature final compost product will be available at no cost to individual residents.

VII. SCRAP METAL

A.      The Townwill accept scrap metal at the landfill's recycling area.

B.      The Town will segregate scrap metals for removal to market, remove all PCB capacitors from appliances, and provide for removal of those capacitors from the premises for proper disposal.

VIII.STORAGE BATTERIES

A.      The Town will maintain a drop-off point at the landfill's recycling area for individuals delivering used lead acid batteries.

B.      The Town will prepare the stockpiled batteries for transport and provide for delivery to the scrap market.

C.      Private businesses, including garages and dealerships, will make separate provisions for proper disposition and discarded storage batteries.

IX.     ENFORCEMENT

A.      From the date of enactment of these regulations, there will be a sixty (60) day period of public education and information.  Those generators of waste found to be in violation of requirements for pre-sorting recyclables will be notified:

1.      Verbally

2.      In writing

3.      By personal meeting with the Town's representative

B.      Following the sixty (60) day period, recyclable materials, from any waste generator for whom there exists a reasonable opportunity to recycle, will no longer be accepted at the working face of the Town's landfill for burial, or at any disposal facility contracted by the Town.

1.      Contracted waste and materials haulers will be advised not to collect waste from waste generators in violation of pre-sorting requirements.  Dumping at the landfill face of such unsorted loads will be subject to fines prescribed herein:

First Offense:          written warning

Second Offense: $25.00 maximum fine

Third Offense:          $100.00 maximum fine

Subsequent Offenses: Review and determination by the Board of Selectmen of penalty which may include fines and/or revocation of landfill privileges

The Landfill Supervisor shall record violations and recommend the assessment of fines.  The recommendations of the Landfill Supervisor will be brought before the First Selectman for determination and action against the violator.  Appeals may be made to the Board of Selectmen.

2.      Contracted waste and materials haulers who, in accordance with these Regulations, refuse to collect from a waste generator who violates pre-sorting requirements will notify the Landfill Supervisor, no later than the next working day, for action by the Town against the violator.  The party whose waste was not collected will be held in violation of Connecticut General Statutes 22a-250 prohibitions against littering and subject to:

First Offense:          $10.00

Subsequent Offenses: not to exceed $100.00 and subject to order that material be removed

3.      Individuals and private businesses delivering their own waste to the Town landfill will place recyclable materials in containers provided at the Town recycling area before depositing waste.  Failure to do so will constitute a violation of Landfill Regulations as cited in 1. above.

X.      PROHIBITION OF UNAUTHORIZED COLLECTION OF RECYCLABLES

No person(s) engaged in the business of separation, recovery, collection, removal, storage or disposition of materials and wastes within the Town of Stonington, except as specifically authorized by the Town, waste management district, or specific waste generator, shall pick up pre-sorted recyclable materials.  This restriction shall also apply to any citizen, resident, taxpayer, or person who might engage in such a practice for personal gain.

XI.     The effective date of these regulations is July 1, 1989.

Adopted May 31, 1989
Effective July 1, 1989