West Windsor Township Council has adopted an ordinance stiffening regulations for the disposal of yard waste — including a prohibition on the use of any type of bag.
The ordinance, adopted on December 7, requires residents to place their yard waste in a trash can, bucket, or other vessel — excluding bags — in an effort to prevent it from blowing out into the street and into stormwater.
The company that takes West Windsor’s recyclables does not take leaves or other yard waste that is packaged into plastic or paper bags. If used, the bags can become hazardous, either through getting wet from the rain or from blowing around with the wind.
The ordinance supplements one that was adopted last year to prohibit brush and leaves from being placed in bicycle lanes on local roads. The new measure prohibits sweeping, raking, blowing, or otherwise placing yard waste that is not in a container at the curb or along the street — unless it is done during the seven days prior to a scheduled collection.
Even then, residents will not be able to place the yard waste closer than 10 feet from any storm drain inlet, or in such a manner that it blocks a bicycle lane or other depressed curb crosswalk. Placing yard waste in the public ways adjacent to private property at any other time or in any other manner will be a violation of the ordinance.
Officials maintained, however, that their biggest problem still lies in public education and understanding of the leaf collection schedule. Some residents continue to ignore the requirement that they only put out their leaves a few days before the scheduled pickup date. They said they continue to hear complaints from residents that their neighbors are putting huge piles of leaves out for pickup immediately after a collection, and leaving them there for weeks.
Business Administrator Robert Hary said violation notices were sent to residents who were not complying with the ordinance, and at least one summons for a court appearance was issued to a repeat offender.
Council President George Borek said that while supporting the new ordinance is a step in the right direction, the township still needs to do more. This is especially true since officials have been running into problems with the enforcement of a separate ordinance the council adopted last December requiring landscapers to register with the town, he said.
According to Borek, that ordinance was enacted to ensure that landscaping companies contracted by residents know the rules and regulations for brush and leaf collection in town. Under the ordinance, landscape contractors are charged $10 yearly to register.
However, Borek said that landscapers who are already registered with the state do not have to follow the requirement to register with the township, which was meant to ensure the contractors are familiar with township ordinances. He said he has approached state legislators in the 14th District, asking them to change the law at the state level, allowing municipalities to enforce their own requirements. He said he wants township officials to look for other ways to manage the yard waste issue in town.
