Mineral City adds teeth to trash can time limits at curbs
MINERAL CITY (WJER) (July 19, 2023) – Village residents leaving their trash out by the curb all week can now be fined for it.
The village has long had a requirement in place preventing residents from putting their trash cans out at the curb before 6 p.m. the night before pickup days, which are Mondays, or past 6 p.m. on collection days. Mayor Laurie Green says a new ordinance, #2-2023, now makes that a misdemeanor offense with a fine of up to $150 dollars each extra day the trash receptacles are left out.
She says they’ve had about 20 people violating this, despite multiple warnings.
“They just continued to refuse,” she said.
Green says it also poses a potential health hazard.
“It’s becoming a safety concern for residents. We’re worried about rats, racoons, things like that getting in those cans.”
Green says village street department employees and council members will alert the sheriff’s office to offenders of this new ordinance. But the village won’t always be strict with that 6 p.m. removal time on Mondays.
“If it’s pouring down rain, or you work until 8 p.m., we’re going to try to be understanding about that,” she said. “When it’s Tuesday and Wednesday, that’s where it’s not going to be acceptable.”
The ordinance establishes that waste receptacles must also be stored either inside a garage or directly alongside a building on a property when not out for curbside pickups.