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It is the duty of each owner to provide for the sanitary disposal of all refuse accumulating on the owner’s premises before it becomes a nuisance. Any such accumulation remaining on any premises for a period of more than 30 days shall be deemed a nuisance and the City may proceed to abate such nuisances in accordance with the provisions of Title 5 Chapter 6 of this Code or by initiating proper action in district court. A single collector shall be authorized by the City to collect solid waste from residential premises, a single collector shall be authorized by the City to collect yard waste from residential premises, and a single collector shall be authorized by the City to collect recyclable material from residential premises as set forth in this Code.
No person shall allow, cause, or permit open burning of combustible materials where the products of combustion are emitted into the open air without passing through a chimney or stack, except that open burning is permitted in the following circumstances:
1. Disaster Rubbish. The open burning of rubbish, including yard waste, for the duration of the community disaster period in cases where an officially declared emergency condition exists.
2. Flare Stacks. The open burning or flaring of waste gases, provided such open burning or flaring is conducted in compliance with applicable rules of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
3. Recreational Fires. Open fires for cooking, heating, recreation, and ceremonies, provided they comply with the limits for emission of visible air contaminants established by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Rubber tires shall not be burned in a recreational fire.
4. Training Fires. Fires set for the purpose of bona fide training of public or industrial employees in firefighting methods, provided that the training fires are conducted in compliance with rules established by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
5. Variance. Any person wishing to conduct open burning of materials not permitted herein may make application for a variance to the IDNR Director.
All yard waste shall be separated by the owner or occupant from all other solid waste accumulated on the premises. For residential premises, the owner or occupant may either compost such yard waste on the premises or place it in paper bags, bundles, or containers in accordance with the requirements of the Metro waste authority Compost It! program or the City/Metro waste authority premium yard waste program.
1. Collection. For residential premises, persons choosing not to manage yard waste on their own property may place yard waste in brown paper bags which are imprinted with the Compost It! logo (as a part of the Compost It! program) or affix a Compost It! sticker to a brown paper bag. Brush bundles may also be placed for yard waste pick up provided that a Compost It! sticker is attached to the brush bundle and the brush bundle complies with the length, diameter, and weight restriction contained in the definition of brush bundle. Compost It! bags and stickers may be purchased at participating grocery, hardware, and convenience stores. The number of bags and brush bundles which residents may place out for collection is unlimited, provided that a Compost It! sticker is attached to each bag or bundle. In the alternative, the owner of a residential premises may choose to participate in the premium yard waste collection program in which a resident purchases a sticker for the season from the City in order to be permitted to use a plastic wheeled container to collect yard waste for pick up by the authorized collector of yard waste.
2. Composting. Back yard composting of yard waste is encouraged. Owners and occupants are encouraged to accumulate, upon property under their respective control, such quantities of leaves or yard debris as can be properly composted in a composting area (having at least three sides) or composting bin without creating offensive odors, litter, fire, or vector problems. Composting areas or bins must be located in a back yard, outside the boundaries of any easement areas, and no closer than five feet to the rear property line and no closer than two feet to any side property lines. Such composting so carried out shall be deemed to be an alternative disposition of the disposal of yard waste in satisfaction of any requirement in this section.
3. Violations. It is prohibited and will be deemed a violation hereof for any owner, lessee, or occupant of any residential, commercial, or institutional property in the City to put into or cause to be put into the solid waste collection system of the City any yard waste.
No person shall discard any litter onto or in any water or land, except that nothing in this section shall be construed to affect the authorized collection and discarding of such litter in or on areas or receptacles provided for such purpose. When litter is discarded from a motor vehicle, the driver of the motor vehicle shall be responsible for the act in any case where doubt exists as to which occupant of the motor vehicle actually discarded the litter.
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