(A) Generally. Except as herein provided, no refuse shall be deposited or otherwise disposed of within the City of Amboy except as permitted by the State of Minnesota Solid Waste Management Act and the Blue Earth County Solid Waste Management Plan.
(B) Exceptions.
(1) Fertilizer. Municipal wastes may be disposed of on land when used as agricultural fertilizer, provided that it is done on a site which has received the approval of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and spread in accordance with the MPCA’s rules and regulations.
(2) Composting.
(a) General rule. Composting shall be allowed only on properties where there is a single-family, detached dwelling or property operated by the city as an essential service. Every householder or owner, occupant, or tenant of any premises who composts shall do so in an environmentally sound manner and shall meet the standards set forth in this section.
(b) Materials allowed. Only acceptable materials generated from the legal boundaries of the site of the containment shall be allowed into the composting structure. ACCEPTABLE MATERIALS means plant materials consisting of grass clippings, leaves, weeds, small twigs, evergreen cones and needles, wood chips, herbaceous garden debris and commercial ingredients (mixed into the composting material) specifically designed to speed or enhance decomposition. Kitchen wastes, such as eggshells, coffee grounds, chopped vegetables, and fruit remains also are acceptable.
(c) Materials not allowed. None of the following materials shall be placed in the compost container: meat, bones, fat, oil, dairy products, plastic, synthetic fibers, human or pet waste and diseased plants or plants treated with pesticides.
(d) Containers. Compostable materials shall be placed within a container of durable material, including, but not limited to, wire fencing, rot-resistant wood or brick, or a commercially manufactured container designed for composting. Containers shall be maintained in sound condition and shall be capable of securing all compostable material.
(e) Location of containers. Compost containers shall be located entirely on the owner’s property. The structure shall be located within the rear yard and shall not be located within 5 feet of any property line or 20 feet to a side lot line if adjacent to any public street right-of-way. Containers shall also be no closer than 20 feet from any dwelling unit located on adjacent property. The compost area must be located and designed so that seepage from the compost will not funnel off into public streets, alleys, or storm sewers.
(f) Maximum size. A compost container placed on private property shall not exceed 30 square feet in area and shall not exceed 3 feet in height.
(g) Maintenance. Compost containers and compostable materials shall be maintained so as not to create odors, rodent harborage, or a fire hazard. Compost shall be turned over and mixed within the container in order to keep the material aerated, to minimize odor generation and promote effective decomposition of material whereby it will not create a public nuisance.
(h) Alternative method of disposal. Leaves, grass clippings, garden clippings, and other similar materials may be brought to the city’s compost site or buried or plowed under.
(Am. Ord. passed 12-5-2005)
(3) Branches. Small tree branches must be brought to the city’s branch pile. Large branches and trunks of trees that are cut down in the city can not be brought to this pile but must be disposed of at the compost site to which the city takes brush and compost or at another place out of the city limits. Christmas trees should be brought to the curb for the city’s Christmas tree pickup which is held shortly after January 1 of each year. If it is not possible to have a Christmas tree at the curb for pickup, it should be brought to the city’s brush pile as soon as possible thereafter. All plastic, tinsel, or other decorations must be removed from the trees before disposal.
(Ord. 114, passed 5-3-1999) Penalty, see § 53.99