§ 13.48.060. Refuse collection service required.

The accumulation, collection, removal and disposal of refuse shall be controlled by the city for the protection of the public health, safety and welfare and to contribute towards the diminution of air pollution in the city. The city council finds that to give practical effect, a comprehensive system for the periodic collection, removal and disposal of garbage, the recycling of recyclables, and the collection, removal, disposal and/or composting of green waste, from all residential property in the city and a comprehensive system for the periodic collection, removal and disposal of refuse from all property in the city is essential and benefits all residents of the city, and therefore, all such residents are made liable for the garbage collection charges, the charges for the recycling program, and the charges for the green waste collection program established by the city council for the collection and disposable of garbage, green waste and recyclables, and each resident shall pay at least the minimum rate established for such services by the city council adopted by resolution after public hearing, and modified in like manner from time to time thereafter.

A.

Every person or legal entity owning or occupying a developed parcel shall subscribe to the garbage collection service and recycling program service from the city, whether the owner or occupant uses the services or not. "Developed parcel" means any parcel of land used or to be used for a residential, industrial, or commercial purpose.

B.

Every person owning or occupying a residence shall subscribe to the recycling program and green waste collection program from the city whether the owner or occupant of the residence uses the recycling program and/or the green waste collection program or not.

C.

It is unlawful for a residential customer to put out refuse for collection by the city or the contract agent and fail to have sorted each of the following listed components from each of the other listed components: green waste, garbage, household hazardous wastes and recyclables.

D.

It is unlawful for any person to take or pilfer, for his own use or benefit, the recyclables of any other person after the recyclables have been put out for collection, without the consent of the owner thereof. The customer owns all garbage, green waste and recyclables until possession thereof is taken by the city or the contract agent, at which time the ownership thereof shall shift to the city or the contract agent.

E.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing contained in this section shall be interpreted as requiring anyone to discard into the solid waste stream any given item, including but not limited to recyclables and green waste, so long as the provisions of this chapter are not violated. If any person owning or occupying residential property in the city chooses to transport their own green waste and/or their own recyclables to a recycling center or to the land fill, then:

1.

Their obligation to pay their proportional share of the cost of the city's recycling program and the cost of the green waste collection program shall not, however, be diminished; and

2.

That person shall not, in any event, discard into the city's waste stream what would have been recyclables on what would have been green waste, as if they were nonrecyclable garbage.

(Ord. 1145 §2, 2006; Ord. 1060 §1 (Exh. A (part)), 2001).