Social Spotlight: Trash Cart Do's and Don'ts

Question: I've noticed several of my neighbors leaving their trash carts at the curb long after the carts are emptied. Some neighbors never roll their cart back to their houses, choosing instead to take their trash to the curb each day. Is there anything I can do to make them move their carts from the curb?

Answer: The City of Sanford's code of ordinances is very clear about empty trash containers. Sec. 28-40b states:

Empty containers shall be removed from the street by the owner, no later than the day in which garbage and recyclables are picked up by the trucks, with the exception of business areas where the time limit will be 30 minutes between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

That means homeowners and renters should roll their carts back to their homes the day of collection. Of course, things happen and sometimes the carts stay at the street an extra day or so.However, carts should not remain at the curb indefinitely.

Important: Sanford's code of ordinances is also very clear about the type of site or location from which the city will collect trash. Sec. 28-40d states:

No collection, with or without charge, shall be made from vacant lots nor shall any large rocks, tree trunks, stumps, tree limbs, soil, or any other heavy objects be collected from houses or other structures under construction or recently completed, or any property where debris has been cut or placed by a contractor.

In the case of vacant lots or residential construction, the property owner or contractor is responsible for removing trash and debris.

Code Enforcement Is Your Answer

Knowing the rules is only half the battle. The obvious questions is: What can a person do to keep their neighbors within city code?

The short answer: Call in the enforcers. The City of Sanford has a code enforcement team who are responsible for responding to residents' complaints and concerns. They will follow the City's enforcement procedures for moving any code offenders into compliance.

The City's website offers a list of potential concerns and the number you'd call to begin the resolution process. If you don't see your concern listed, you can call 919-777-1405.

Or, YourGov It

The City also offers YourGov, a mobile app that make reporting code violations -- or any service request -- easier. The app is free to download, works on both Apple and Android devices, and can be used anywhere.

For further questions or concerns about trash collection or the YourGov mobile app, please contact the City's Service Center at 919-775-8247.

Solid Waste Collection Transition In Full Swing

Last week, residents in the City of Sanford began getting brown roll-out carts to replace their Waste Management (WM) carts.

That’s because Sanford City Council, after weeks of discussion, voted on March 5, 2013 to enter into a new solid waste contract with Waste Industries (WI). The new contract will start on July 1, 2013, but WI is delivering its carts throughout the month.

Don’t Switch Yet

Residents should continue using WM’s roll-out carts until the company’s contract expires at the end of June, says Larry Craig, superintendent of Solid Waste Services for the City. WM will collect their carts during the week of June 24 when they come through.

Trash placed in the brown carts will not be picked up until July 1.

One Key Change

While the trash collection contractor has changed, most everything else will stay the same. You’ll continue to put your trash at the curb once per week. You’ll also continue placing recyclables in the blue carts and rolling them out once every two weeks.

What’s different: The change to WI may result in a new pickup schedule for some residents. WI will notify residents prior to July 1 if they are affected. Otherwise, pickup days will remain the same for both garbage and recycling.

Patience, Please

During this month of transition, the City asks all residents to have patience with both Waste Management and Waste Industries. The City is happy to help with collection issues, as are the customer service reps at both WM and WI.

You may report problems to the Service Center at 919-775-8247.