ORD NO 36-1976 ORDINANCE 54 1976
AN ORDINANCE TO ADOPT THE ARKANSAS SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL CODE. ADOPTED THE 28th
DAY OF JUNE 1973, TO PROVIDE FOR STORAGE OF SOLID WASTE, DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE,
PROHIBITING BURNING IN RESIDENTIAL ZONES, REGFLATING BURNING IN OTHER ZONES, COL-
LECTION AND TRANSPORTATION OF SOLID WASTE, E FORCEMENT OF SAID ORDINANCE, PENALTY
CLAUSE AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, OF THE CITY OF VAN BUREN, ARKANSAS.
SECTION 1.
There is hereby adopted by reference, the Arkansas Solid Waste Disposal Code.
Promulgated the 28th day of June 1973, of which not less than three (3) copies
have been and now are filed in the office of the Clerk of the City of Van Buren,
Arkansas, and the same are hereby adopted and incorporated as fully as if set out
at length herein and from the date on which this ordinance shall take effect the
provisions thereof shall be controlling.
SECTION 2. DEFINITIONS
The definitions given below apply whenever the following words are used in
this ordinance:
(1) Garbage: Putrescible animal and vegetable waste resulting from the
preparation, cooking and serving of food and the use of produce, tin cans, glass
containers and paper. All normal household waste will be considered garbage.
(2) Trash: Nonputrescible waste consisting of combustible and noncombus-
tible material such as, but not limited to, yard clippings, leaves, wood, glass,
and similar materials.
(3) Solid Waste: A collective term including all garbage, trash and non-
combustible waste.
(4) Commercial Container: A manufactured container other than a garbage can
or bag suitable for storage of waste generated by commercial customers and cap-
able of being emptied by mechanical equipment; provided 55 gallon drums or cans
may be utilized by commercial customers when approved by the designated representa-
tive of the solid waste collection service.
(5) Garbage Bag: A durable watertight plastic bag with a wall thickness
equal to or greater than 1 :6 mil. polyethelene plastic with a capacity of not less
than twenty (20) gallons and not more than thirty -two (32) gallons and having a
maximum loaded weight of seventy (70) pounds.
(6) Garbage Can: A watertight, galvanized metal or heavy duty plastic contain-
er of a capacity of not less than twenty (20) gallons and not exceeding thirty (30)
gallons, having a maximum loaded weight of seventy (70) pounds, kving two (2)
handles on the sides thereof by which it may by lifted, having a tight- fitting
metal or plastic top with a handle and being so constructed as to permit the free
discharge of its contents.
(7) Sanitary Landfill: Method of disposing of solid waste on land without
creating nuisances or hazards to public health or safety, by utilizing the prin-
ciples of engineering to confine the refuse to the smallest practical area, to
reduce it to the smallest practical volume, and to cover it with a layer of
earth at the conclusion of each days operation or at such more frequent inter-
vals as may he necessary.
(8) Person: Any individual, firm or corporation.
(9) Premises: Any dwelling, flat, rooming house, apartment building,
hospital, school, hotel, motel, club, restaurant, boarding house, eating place,
shop, church, place of business, manufacturing establishment, court house, jail,
or any other public building.
(10) Hazardous Waste: Any laboratory wastes including pathological speci-
mens (i.e., all tissues, specimens of blood elements, excreta, and secretions
obtained from patients or laboratory animals) and disposable fomites (any sub-
stance which may harbor or transmit pathogenic organisms) attendant thereto.
Also, surgical operating room pathologic specimens and disposable fomites atten-
dant thereto and similar disposable materials from out patient areas and emer-
gency rooms. Also, equipment, instruments, utensils, and fomites of a dispos-
able nature from the rooms of patients who are suspected to have or have been
diagnosed as having a communicable disease and must, therefore, be isolated, as
required by public health agencies.
SECTION 3 STORAGE OF SOLID WASTES
Every person in possession, charge or control of any premises within the
City of Van Buren, Arkansas, where solid waste is created or accumulated shall
be required to keep a sufficient number of approved garbage cans, garbage bags,
or commercial containers for deposit of solid waste to prevent the spreading or
scattering of such wastes.
When it is found that the storage of such solid waste might become a breeding
place for mosquitos, rodents, flies and germs harmful to the health of the in-
habitants of the community, any officer of the City of Van Buren, Arkansas enu-
merated in Section 8 of this Ordinance shall be empowered to order the owner or
person in charge of said premise to remove such solid wastes.
SECTION 4 STORAGE OF HAZARDOUS WASTES
Certain wastes, such as those produced by hospitals and nursing homes
should be stored or disposed of so as to prevent transmission of disease or
causing of injuries. Acceptable containers for hazardous hospital waste in-
clude double- strength bags (either plastic or paper) which are impervious to
moisture, double tied and have a strength sufficient to resist ripping or tear-
411) ing under normal use. Sharp objects (needles, blades, etc.) which have been
pulverized, melted, or otherwise processed so as to make them incapable of
puncturing and cutting, may also be disposed of in such containers. Containers
for wastes containing sharp objects that have not been so treated should be
puncture proof and should be taped closed so as to prevent escape of any material.
All containers for storing or transporting that portion of the hospital's or
nursing home's wastes which could be hazardous should be colored international
orange and labeled "HAZARDOUS WASTE" in black letters at least three (3) inches high.
SECTION 5 REQUIREMENT TO DISPOSE OF SOLID WASTE
Every person in possession, charge, or control of any premises, within
the City of Van Buren, Arkansas, where solid waste is created or accummulated
shall remove or shall cause to have said solid waste removed a minimum of
once each week or more often if necessary to conform with Section 11 (a) (1)
and Section 12 (d) of the Arkansas State Solid Waste Disposal Code. All solid
waste so removed shall be hauled to and disposed of, at a disposal site which
has been approved by the appropriate Oklahoma or Arkansas State agency having
jurisdiction over the approval of such sites. Failure to dispose of solid wastes
at an approved site, by a person hauling solid wastes for hire within the City
of Van Buren, Arkansas, shall constitute sufficient grounds for cancellation of
any permit or license for operation of private solid waste collection and haul-
ing services within the City of Van Buren, Arkansas.
SECTION 6 PROHIBITION OF RESIDENTIAL SOLID WASTE BURNING
It shall be unlawful for any person to burn any garbage, rubbish or solid
waste in any area of the City zoned residential as per the zoning ordinance of
the City of Van Buren, Arkansas.
SECTION 7 BURNING OF SOLID WASTE IN OTHER ZONES
In zones, other than residential, there shall be no burning of solid waste
other than in boilers, furnaces or incinerators, or in refuse burners safely
constructed and located, in accordance with Section 7 of the Arkansas State
Solid Waste Code, and or any other apropos Federal, State or lical law. In any
event these apparatuses shall be approved by the Fire Department and will be
inspected each summer for their effective operation.
SECTION 8 COLLECTION AND TRANSPORATATION OF SOLID WASTE
Solid waste containers should be placed in a safe and convenient place
for the purpose of collecting solid waste. However, the placement should not
interfere with the public right of way, pose a health hazard or create a public
nuisance. If placed curbside, they should only be out on days determined by
the solid waste collectors as days for servicing that particular area.
Every person engaged in the business of collecting and hauling solid waste
for hire within the City of Van Buren, Arkansas, shall obtain a permit or license
for that purpose. This permit or license shall be posted in an office in the
City of Van Buren, Arkansas, maintained by the solid waste collectors or their
agent to resolve complaints. A record of these complaints and their disposition
shall also be maintained for public inspection.
Each collection vehicle shall display the name and telephone number of
the collection service on both sides and the rear in letters five (5) inches
high. It shall be unlawful for any person to collector haul solid waste for
hire within the City of Van Buren, Arkansas, in any vehicle to which such name
and number has not been affixed. Persons engaged in collection activities for
hire shall wear uniforms identifying themselves as such.
Whenever an officer of the City of Van Buren, Arkansas, charged with the
enforcement of this ordinance finds a violation of this ordinance by a permit
or license holder he shall give a notice in writing setting out the violations
and given twenty (20) days notice to correct said violation. If said violations
are not corrected said officer may issue and order canceling said permit or
license. Said order of cancellation shall become final within ten (10) days
unless said permit or license holder appeal said order when it is claimed that
the provision of this ordinance do not apply or the true intent and meaning
of the ordinance has been misconstruded or wrongly interpreted. Said regular
Council meeting held after such appeal is filed, provided that all parties
have at least ten days (10) to prepare for said hearing. The City Council may
affirm the order or modify said order or set the order aside.
The permit or license holder may appeal this order to the Circuit Court
of Crawford County Arkansas for judicial review, within twenty (20) days. The
review shall be conducted by the court without a jury and shall be confined to the
record, except that in cases of alleged irregularities in procedure before the
City Council, not shown in the record, testimony may be taken before the court.
The court shall, upon request, hear oral argument and receive written briefs.
The court may affirm the decision of the City Council or remand the case for
further proceedings. It may reverse or modify the decision if the substantial
rights of the petitioner have been prejudiced because the administrative findings,
inferences, conclusions, or decisions are:
(1) in violation of constitutional or statutory provisions;
(2) in excess of the City's statutory authority;
(3) made upon unlawful procedure;
(4) affected by other error of law;
(5) not supported by substantial evidence of record; or
(6) arbitrary, capricious, or characterized by abuse of discretion.
Every person, whether having a permit or license to operate a solid waste
collection service in the City of Van Buren, Arkansas, or not, shall comply
with Section 12 of the Arkansas State Solid Waste Disposal Code by: (a) haul-
ing trash or rubbish in vehicles which have beds of tight construction to pre-
vent the contents from shifting or falling from the vehicles, and have a canvas
cover over the vehicle at all times except when loading or unloading; and (b)
haul garbage in vehicles specifically made for that purpose which either have
a bed constructed of metal and are leakproof or have metal containers with
tight fitting lids.
SECTION 9 ENFORCEMENT
The following officers of the City of Van Buren, Arkansas, may enforce the
Ordinance.
1. Policemen
2. Firemen
3. Building Inspector
SECTION 10 PENALTIES
Any person violating the provisions of this ordinance will be subjected to a
fine not to exceed $25 provided, however, that each day a violation of this
ordinance continues will constitute a separate offense for which a maximum fine
will be $25 per day for the second and subsequent days of violation.
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SECTION 11 SAVING CLAUSE
If any section, sentence, subdivision or clause of this ordinance if for any
reason held invalid or to be unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect
the validity of the remaining portions of the ordinance.
SECTION 12 POWERS
The powers vested hereby in the City of Van Buren, Arkansas, shall be in
addition to and commulative to any and all other powers of said City of Van Buren,
Arkansas, to enforce all laws and ordinances with respect to solid waste storage,
collection and disposal.
SECTION 13 EMERGENCY
That due to the need to solve the solid waste problem and to reduce the
danger of fire due to open burning of solid waste, an emergency therefore it
declared and the ordinance being necessary for the preservation of the public
peace, health, safety shall be in full force and effect from and after its
passage, approval and publication.
PASSED AND APPROVED THIS 18th DAY OF OCTOBER, 1976.
Allen Ray y .'•th. er, Mayor
ATTESTED.:
Euge P. Hobbs, City Cleric.
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