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Refuse administrator outlines Title 13 revisions: end of 300‑gallon residential containers, expanded convenience centers and enforcement changes
Summary
Refuse Division administrator Tim Swager told the committee Title 13 changes (last revised 2018) update container standards, define owner/tenant responsibilities, align penalties with the Ohio Revised Code, create a Refuse Appeals Board, and expand convenience centers and food‑waste collection to reduce landfill diversion.
Tim Swager, refuse division administrator in the Department of Public Service, briefed the Public Utilities & Sustainability Committee on proposed revisions to Title 13, last broadly revised in 2018. Swager said the updates reflect operational changes in collection methods, clearer owner/tenant container responsibilities, compactor compaction ratio adjustments for multifamily properties and aligned civil and criminal penalties.
Swager said as part of the conversion program the city will eliminate 300‑gallon containers for residential use citywide, completing the switch by Nov. 2. "As of November 2nd this year, we will have no 300 gallon containers anywhere in the city for residential use," Swager said, and he reported more than 40,000 homes have been converted to 90‑gallon containers to date.
He described enforcement refinements tied to the Ohio Revised Code and the creation of an independent Refuse Appeals Board to handle Title 13 disputes. Swager said the change to a 3:1 compactor compaction ratio at multifamily properties aims to avoid overflow problems and ensure adequate servicing.
Council members raised resident and small‑business concerns about losing 300‑gallon containers. Swager responded that the city does not bill refuse service and many businesses had been improperly using the 300‑gallon residential service; the conversion corrected permits and reduced alley dumping. He said the 2017–2018 pilot showed conversions reduced illegal dumping and improved neighborhood conditions.
On bulk pickup, Swager described scheduling practices (reserve a bulk slot via 311; set bulk out no more than 72 hours before scheduled pickup) and said the department’s goal is pickups within 2–4 weeks. He noted spikes driven by storms or university move‑outs and that in September nearly one‑third of scheduled bulk stops were not set out when crews arrived. Swager encouraged residents to use two convenience centers (Allen Creek; Georgesville Road at 1550 Georgesville) open Tuesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m., and said convenience centers improve diversion and allow staff to sort reusable items for Salvage and donation partners.
Swager also described recycling changes — citywide weekly recycling for single‑family homes and a multifamily pilot — and expanded food‑waste drop‑off locations (five existing sites, four more planned by year end) intended to divert organics from landfills and meet emissions objectives.
No formal vote on the proposed Title 13 revisions occurred at the hearing; staff will return with proposed code language and implementation plans.
