A. “Adequate service” means the establishment of and payment for a solid waste services account at the level of service necessary for the containment and collection of disposed solid waste at each single-family residence, multifamily residence or commercial customer, as determined by the administrator. This level of containment shall be rodent, bird and insect resistant and contain solid waste in a sanitary condition at all times.

B. “Administrator” means the official of the city holding the office of public works director, or the official’s designated representative.

C. “Ashes” means the solid waste products of coal, wood and other fuels used for heating and cooking from all public and private establishments and from all residences.

D. “City” means the city of Auburn, located in King County and Pierce County, Washington.

E. “City’s agent” means the city’s solid waste service provider.

F. “Commercial customer” includes multifamily residences, businesses, institutions, governmental agencies and all other users of commercial-type garbage, recyclables, and/or compostables collection services.

G. “Compostables” means yard debris, shredded compostable mixed paper, and food scraps separately or combined.

H. “Compostables cart” means a city-approved wheeled cart that is a plastic container with 35, 64 or 96 gallons of capacity provided to compostables collection customers for the purpose of containing and collecting compostables; designed for and used with a hydraulic lifting mechanism; weighing not over 65 pounds per 32-gallon capacity when full; fitted with a sturdy handle and a cover; rodent, bird and insect resistant; and capable of holding collected liquids without spilling when in an upright position.

I. “Curb” or “curbside” means on the single-family residence’s property, within five feet of the public street without blocking sidewalks, driveways or on-street parking. If extraordinary circumstances preclude such a location, curbside shall be considered a placement suitable to the resident, convenient to the service provider’s equipment, and mutually agreed to by the city and city-contracted service provider.

J. “Detachable container” means a watertight metal or plastic container equipped with a tight-fitting cover, capable of being mechanically unloaded into a collection vehicle, and that is not less than one cubic yard nor greater than eight cubic yards in capacity.

K. “Drop-box container” means an all-metal container with 10 cubic yards or more capacity that is loaded onto a specialized collection vehicle, transported to a disposal or recycling site, emptied and transported back to the customer’s site.

L. “Food scraps” means all compostable pre – and post-consumer organic wastes placed in a compostables cart, such as whole or partial pieces of produce, meats, bones, cheese, bread, cereals, coffee grounds or egg shells, and food-soiled paper such as paper napkins, paper towels, paper plates, coffee filters, paper take-out boxes, pizza boxes, or other paper or biodegradable products specifically accepted by the city’s agent. Food scraps shall not include dead animals weighing more than 15 pounds, plastics, diapers, cat litter, liquid wastes, pet wastes or other materials prohibited by the city’s agent. The range of materials handled by the compostables collection program may be changed from time to time to reflect those materials allowed by the Seattle-King County Health Department.

M. “Garbage” means all putrescible and nonputrescible solid and semi-solid wastes, including, but not limited to, rubbish, ashes and discarded commodities that are placed by customers in appropriate bins, bags, cans or other receptacles for collection by city agents. The term “garbage” shall not include special wastes, swill, construction/demolition materials segregated from other wastes, or source-separated recyclables and compostables.

N. “Garbage can” means an approved container that is a watertight galvanized sheet metal or plastic container not exceeding four cubic feet or 32 gallons in capacity; weighing not over 65 pounds when full; fitted with two sturdy handles, on each side; and fitted with a tight cover equipped with a handle. All containers shall be rodent, bird and insect resistant and kept in a sanitary condition at all times.

O. “Garbage cart” means a city-approved wheeled cart that is a plastic container with 20, 35, 64 or 96 gallons of capacity provided to customers for the purpose of containing and collecting garbage; designed for and used with a hydraulic lifting mechanism; weighing not over 65 pounds per 32-gallon capacity when full; fitted with a sturdy handle and a cover; rodent, bird and insect resistant; and capable of holding collected liquids without spilling when in an upright position.

P. “King County disposal system” means the areas owned, leased or controlled by the King County solid waste division, King County, Washington (per the county interlocal agreement with the city) for the disposal of garbage.

Q. “Micro-can” means a container that is a watertight galvanized sheet metal or plastic container not exceeding 10 gallons in capacity or 15 pounds in weight when full; fitted with two sturdy handles, one on each side; and fitted with a tight cover equipped with a handle. All containers shall be rodent, bird and insect resistant and kept in a sanitary condition at all times.

R. “Minimum service level” means a single-family residential, multifamily residential or commercial service at a 10-gallon garbage can rate, or at adequate service as determined by the administrator. The average weekly size and frequency of garbage service for a particular customer shall be as determined necessary to meet health standards by the administrator (adequate service).

S. “Multifamily residence” means a multiple-unit residence with three or more attached or unattached units. Mobile home parks billed collectively for collection service are considered multifamily residences.

T. “Occupied unit” is defined as all units having active city utility accounts.

U. “Person” means every person, firm, partnership, association, institution and corporation. The term also means the occupant and/or the owner of the premises eligible, entitled, or required to be served, or for which service is rendered, as described in this chapter.

V. “Private drive” means a privately owned or maintained way serving fewer than four residences; or serving less than one residence for every 100 yards in distance.

W. “Private road” means a privately owned and maintained way that allows for access by a service truck and that serves four or more residences.

X. “Public street” means a public way used for public travel, including public alleys.

Y. “Putrescible waste” means solid waste which contains material capable of being readily decomposed by microorganisms.

Z. “Recyclables” means certain reclaimable materials that are separated from garbage by the generator for recycling or reuse, including, but not limited to, paper fibers, metals, glass, plastics, organics and other materials.

AA. “Recycling” means any process by which solid waste materials are transformed into reusable resources or reusing waste materials and extracting valuable materials from a waste stream.

AB. “Recycling cart” means a service provider-provided 35-, 64 – or 96-gallon wheeled cart suitable for household collection, storage and curbside placement of recyclables.

AC. “Recycling container(s)” means a service provider-provided container suitable for on-site collection, storage and placement of recyclables at multifamily residence and commercial customer locations.

AD. “Residence” and “residential” mean living space(s) individually rented, leased or owned.

AE. “Service provider(s)” or “city’s agent” means that entity(ies) holding a valid contract(s) with the city to collect and dispose of solid waste.

AF. “Single-family residence” means a one-unit house, one unit of a duplex, or a mobile home with individual garbage collection located on a public street or private road. Residences located in an area that does not allow safe access, turn-around, or clearance for service vehicles or on a private drive will be provided service if materials are set out adjacent to a public street or private road. See also ACC 8.08.090, Containers – Special disposal regulations.

AG. “Solid waste” means garbage, recyclables and compostables.

AH. “Special waste” means any discarded material from a nonresidential source including: process sludges, waste from a pollution control process, waste containing free liquids, unknown chemical containing equipment removed from service, residue from the cleanup of a spill of a waste chemical, contaminated residuals from the cleanup of a facility associated with chemical waste, off-specifications and outdated commercial products or chemicals, friable asbestos, asbestos-bearing process waste, untreated medical waste, treated medical waste, residues/sludges from septic tanks, incinerator ash, oil, paint and emission control filters.

AI. “Swill” means and includes every waste accumulation of animal, fruit or vegetable matter, liquid or otherwise, that attends the preparation, use, cooking, dealing in or storing of meat, fish, fowl, fruit and vegetables, except coffee grounds.

AJ. “Tipping fee” means the cost charged by the transfer station or landfill to dispose of one ton of refuse.

AK. “WUTC” means the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission.

AL. “Waste reduction” means reducing the amount or type of waste generated.

AM. “Yard debris” means leaves, grass clippings of woody as well as fleshy plants. Nonflocked Christmas trees are acceptable as yard debris if cut up and bundled. Material larger than four inches in diameter or four feet in length is excluded. Degradable string or twine, not nylon or other synthetic material, shall secure bundles of yard debris. (Ord. 6367 § 2, 2011; Ord. 6160 § 1, 2008; Ord. 6139 § 1, 2007; Ord. 6069 § 1, 2006; Ord. 6054 § 1, 2006; Ord. 5968 § 1, 2006; Ord. 5622 § 1, 2001; Ord. 5243 § 1, 1999; Ord. 5212 § 1 (Exh. D), 1999; Ord. 4500 § 2, 1991.)