§ 130-40. Removal of bulky items, mixed debris piles and rubbish.

(a)

Generally . No collection of bulky items, mixed debris piles and rubbish shall be made by the department of public works from any resident, business or dwelling where the bulky items, bulk yard trimmings or rubbish is the result of or includes:

(1)

Business or manufacturing in which the occupant may be engaged;

(2)

A lot that has been cleaned for the erection of a building; or

(3)

Material that is the result of repairs or rebuilding or any admixture that contains and construction and demolition waste.

(4)

Debris or items that have been removed from any real property rented or leased to others by any owner or the agent of any owner.

(b)

It shall be mandatory for each occupier of residential property in the city to prepare and place any bulky items, bulk yard trimmings or rubbish for removal by city personnel in accordance with the following provisions of this article:

(1)

tree waste and junk waste should be placed adjacent to the front curb in a location easily accessible to the collection vehicle after the hours of 7:00 p.m. the day before the scheduled collection day;

(2)

tree waste and junk waste should not be stacked under low overhead electrical wires or other cabling, signs or mailboxes; next to fences or posts; or on top of water meters, gas meters, fire hydrants or other exposed utility components;

(3)

materials should not be placed in the street, on the sidewalk, or other rights-of-way, or in any manner which would interfere with pedestrian or vehicular traffic;

(4)

tree waste or junk waste collection is limited to occupied residential units and residential vacant land only if the waste generated is in connection with the maintenance of the property.

(c)

The commissioner of public works or authorized designee may determine items eligible for pickup under the City of Atlanta's program for collection of bulky items, mixed debris piles and rubbish. The office of solid waste services may decline to accept such items that contain or have been contaminated by hazardous wastes, household hazardous wastes or other materials not defined here. The following restrictions are associated with items authorized for pickup:

(1)

No more than eight cubic yards (about the size of a minivan) of junk waste or tree waste may be placed at the curb for collection;

(2)

A maximum of four cubic yards of building material (not to include roofing shingles, brick, plaster, or concrete) generated by the resident in connection with the maintenance of the residential property may be collected by the department of public works;

(3)

Appliances containing refrigerant must have a tag attached to them certifying a qualified technician has removed the refrigerant;

(4)

The department of public works is not allowed to collect any material generated by contractors who were retained by a resident to perform work on his or her residential property. It is the responsibility of the contractor to remove all debris that may arise from the contractor's activities. These contractor-related activities include, but are not limited to: trimming and removal of trees, remodeling, new construction and roofing.

(5)

If authorized items placed for collection are mixed with restricted items, department personnel shall not be obligated to sort the materials and may refuse the entire load;

(6)

Department personnel collection services are not available to multi-residential structures of more than six units.

(d)

Collection schedules . The commissioner of public works or an authorized designee will establish a procedure by which residents may contact the department of public works to request the pickup and removal of bulky items, mixed debris piles, and rubbish. Twelve times per year call-in scheduling service is provided to single-family residential customers. Requests by single-family residential customers for collection of bulk materials for disposal that exceed the 12 times per year call-in scheduling service shall be charged the fee established under section 130-84 for additional bulk material disposal. Setting out bulk materials without scheduling a pick-up will be considered illegal dumping and a violation of city Code.

(e)

Bulky items, mixed debris piles and rubbish shall not be placed at the curbside before 7:00 p.m. on the day preceding the appointed pick-up period.

(f)

It shall be unlawful for any person to place bulky items, mixed debris piles and/or rubbish for removal by city personnel which are not prepared, placed and separated as required by this ordinance.

(1)

It shall be the duty of the commissioner or his designee to notify the property owner or occupant, in writing, to remove all bulky items, mixed debris piles and/or rubbish not prepared and placed as required by this section, at the property owner's or occupant's expense, or to prepare them in accordance with this article.

(2)

Upon failure of the property owner or occupant to remove or prepare such bulky items, mixed debris piles and/or rubbish within the time set forth in the notice, the property owner or occupant shall be subject to penalties

(g)

Requirements for outdoor events . Under certain conditions, the City of Atlanta may offer special collection for neighborhood and community cleanup events. A neighborhood or community recognized by the Planning Department of the City of Atlanta may apply to the commissioner to be approved for special collection if the event:

(1)

Is the only such request from the neighborhood or community for the calendar year;

(2)

Supports the goals of the city for cleaner neighborhoods and a cleaner environment;

(3)

Does not supplant any current or existing agency responsibilities or activities;

(4)

Provides a benefit to the community or neighborhood and the city; and

(5)

Complies with any other guidelines established by the commissioner of public works or authorized designee.

(Ord. No. 2004-06, § 1, 1-12-04; Ord. No. 2006-66, § 7, 9-26-06; Ord. No. 2007-56(07-O-1899), § 17, 9-24-07; Ord. No. 2016-24(16-O-1382) , § 1, 7-27-16; Ord. No. 2018-52(18-O-1300), § 9, 11-14-18 )