Seattle OKs $1 fine for adding too much food to garbage bins (Vancouver: sales, apartment)

[Arushan]

Seattle residents could start getting small fines next year for putting too much compostable material into the trash.

The Seattle City Council passed a new ordinance Monday that could mean $1 fines for people who toss too many table scraps into the trash.
Under current Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) rules, people living in single-family homes are encouraged but not required to dispose of food waste and compostable paper products in compost bins.
Apartment buildings must have compost bins available, but residents of apartment buildings aren’t required to use them.
And businesses aren’t subject to any composting requirements.
Under the new rules, collectors can take a cursory look each time they dump trash into a garbage truck.
If they see compostable items make up 10 percent or more of the trash, they’ll enter the violation into a computer system their trucks already carry, and will leave a ticket on the garbage bin that says to expect a $1 fine on the next garbage bill.
Apartment buildings and businesses will be subject to the same 10 percent threshold but will get two warnings before they are fined. A third violation will result in a $50 fine. Dumpsters there will be checked by inspectors on a random basis.
Collectors will begin tagging garbage bins and Dumpsters with educational tickets starting Jan. 1 when they find violations. But fines won’t start until July 1.


More: Seattle OKs $1 fine for adding too much food to garbage bins | Local News | The Seattle Times


What is your opinion on this? Good? Bad? Government over-reach?

[Ira500]

Originally Posted by Arushan

Seattle residents could start getting small fines next year for putting too much compostable material into the trash.

The Seattle City Council passed a new ordinance Monday that could mean $1 fines for people who toss too many table scraps into the trash.
Under current Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) rules, people living in single-family homes are encouraged but not required to dispose of food waste and compostable paper products in compost bins.
Apartment buildings must have compost bins available, but residents of apartment buildings aren’t required to use them.
And businesses aren’t subject to any composting requirements.
Under the new rules, collectors can take a cursory look each time they dump trash into a garbage truck.
If they see compostable items make up 10 percent or more of the trash, they’ll enter the violation into a computer system their trucks already carry, and will leave a ticket on the garbage bin that says to expect a $1 fine on the next garbage bill.
Apartment buildings and businesses will be subject to the same 10 percent threshold but will get two warnings before they are fined. A third violation will result in a $50 fine. Dumpsters there will be checked by inspectors on a random basis.
Collectors will begin tagging garbage bins and Dumpsters with educational tickets starting Jan. 1 when they find violations. But fines won’t start until July 1.


More: Seattle OKs $1 fine for adding too much food to garbage bins | Local News | The Seattle Times


What is your opinion on this? Good? Bad? Government over-reach?

Government overreach. I'm all in favor of separating food waste and compost. I do it. But when a government hires Dumpster Inspectors...? What's next? Asking people to snitch on their neighbors?

[TR25]

I don't see what the big deal here is. The fine is minimal and has good intentions. "Certain" people find the need get up in arms anytime the government is involved.

[sean98125]

So if I have more than 10% of compostable stuff in my trash can I need to add more trash to bring the percentage down.

Got it.

[Hemlock140]

I agree that it's too much, but the problem is that the city contracts with collection companies who may be at some point fined by the county when they dump recyclables into the landfill pile at the transfer stations. This has been a big problem in Vancouver, BC (I read the Vancouver Sun regularly). Our service does not require a food waste/yard container, it's available but for an additional charge and it's only collected every other week in winter.

Metro fines trash haulers more than $450,000 for banned recyclables

[mkarch]

Originally Posted by Ira500

Government overreach. I'm all in favor of separating food waste and compost. I do it. But when a government hires Dumpster Inspectors...? What's next? Asking people to snitch on their neighbors?

Should we do it like in Jersey, where private companies collect the garbage and break peoples legs if there's too much compost in the trash?

[amaiunmei]

Originally Posted by Ira500

Government overreach. I'm all in favor of separating food waste and compost. I do it. But when a government hires Dumpster Inspectors...? What's next? Asking people to snitch on their neighbors?

I'm kind of surprised at the lack of knowledge of municipal codes regarding solid waste pickup. So, here's a brief education.

1) The city reserves the right to "determine the disposition" of your trash. See Seattle Municipal Code 21.36.095: Seattle Municipal Code

2) The method by which the city is inspecting the compost is pretty much identical to the system set up to enforce recycling ... the only difference is that the fine is a whole lot less. Basically, the contractors that pick up the garbage can also inspect the garbage. They don't inspect everyone's garbage, but if the composition looks "off", they can leave a note letting the homeowner know. Pickup can be refused by the contractor if the composition of the garbage has too many recyclables or, now, compost.

3) The director of SPU can have his authority backed up by the Chief of Police, among others: Seattle Municipal Code

4) If you want to know the costs of the solid waste pickup in Seattle, I strongly suggest you check out SMC 20.40.050: Seattle Municipal Code

SPU and the City of Seattle regularly has meetings regarding these issues, and I strongly suggest that if you are interested, then get involved! Policy won't change until people have their say.

[sean98125]

So the take away from this is that if you aren't sure if something is recyclable or compostable is to put it one of those bins instead of putting it in your trash can. There's no fine (yet) for trash in your compost or recycling bin.

[jm31828]

One more reason I am glad I don't live in Seattle proper. It's idiotic! Food waste breaks down, so it's not something that is going to fill up landfills and take up that space forever! It's the least of our worries for what is going in the trash cans. And how is this exact- what if food waste only takes truly 8% of your volume but the inspector thinks it looks like 10% or so?

I'm all for fines for throwing away recyclable items like plastic, glass, etc. because those items do clog up landfills and never break down, but going after food waste is just ridiculous.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by Ira500

Government overreach. I'm all in favor of separating food waste and compost. I do it. But when a government hires Dumpster Inspectors...? What's next? Asking people to snitch on their neighbors?

WA has been ahead of you on this for over 20 yrs. "WSP incentive to snitch on neighbors who have out-of-state licensed vehicles". (You can even report out-of-state purchases that may be avoiding WA DOR sales tax.) This is all encouraged by WA State, and an accepted practice for decades.