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Council weighs enforcing garbage-can ordinance and expanding recycling toters
Summary
Council members discussed enforcing an existing ordinance requiring trash to be placed in cans and explored moving the enforcement window to the night before pickup; members also discussed applying for grants to supply standardized recycling toters to reduce litter and sewer impacts.
Councilors spent part of the meeting debating how strictly to enforce the borough’s existing ordinance that requires trash to be placed in cans and limits curbside placement to the day of pickup.
A council member said the ordinance already states garbage must be in cans and raised the idea of changing enforcement to require cans to be out the night before collection. "We have an ordinance... it says the day of pickup," a council speaker said; others proposed revising the enforcement practice to the night before to reduce raccoon and rodent problems.
Council members discussed practical issues and exemptions, including when residents have oversized items that do not fit easily into cans and how strict enforcement might affect residents who have mobility or capacity challenges. Staff suggested public messaging (website and local paper) and mass notifications ahead of enforcement to reduce surprises.
Members also discussed pursuing grant funding for standardized recycling and garbage toters to reduce overflowing bags and sewer-system impacts in combined-sewer areas; grant-supported toters could also make mechanical pickup easier for crews and reduce on-street debris.
No ordinance change was approved at the meeting. Council asked staff to prepare a proposed enforcement change and public-notification approach and to investigate grant options for recycling toters.
