My First Visit from the Trash Inspector.

   / My First Visit from the Trash Inspector. #1  

ultrarunner

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I knew it was just a question of time before the trash inspector would be making a visit.

The city where I work has instituted a source waste management ordinance with teeth as in the power to cite and fine.

Currently work spends 15k annually for a 6 yard dumpster twice a week and another 3k for a recycling dumpster once per week.

Today I learned that I have a lot of work to do...

The biggest change concerns used paper products... like used restroom paper towels, paper plates, cups, left over food and the occasional bag of leaves and branches... all these items must be directed to a new dumpster for organic recycling which starts at $100 per week...

Since this is a hospital I question the logic of recycling used restroom paper napkins... but rules are rules.

I will also loose my ace in the hole to dispose of midnight dumper trash... which happens in the early AM... never know what I might find... appliances, construction Debitors from lath and plaster to concrete.

The biggest change will be having to have multiple containers side by side for inside for trash...

Example... in the lobby restroom I will need to have a Organic Recyclable for used paper towels.

I will also need to have next to it a Trash receptacle should the used paper towel have blood as in someone has a bloody nose...

Everything about modern infection control is about minimizing contact and efficient disposal... I see no way to police what the public tosses into the building containers... it is hard enough to police staff in the break and lunch rooms!

I will certainly give it my best... add in-house garbage police to my list of titles...
 
   / My First Visit from the Trash Inspector. #2  
Garbage cop:laughing: Gotta love California.... I have never understood why people live there.:confused3:
 
   / My First Visit from the Trash Inspector.
  • Thread Starter
#3  
It is big business since garbage service is compulsory just about everywhere here and unpaid bills result in a city lien against the serviced property...

I often wondered how a private for profit company is guaranteed 100% on accounts receivable with the city doing the legal work and filing the liens... it is much easier for government entities to lien than non-government.

I will need to readjust my attitude from I'm paying $1250 a month for biweekly dumpster service so I'm going to make sure it goes out full and getting full value.
 
   / My First Visit from the Trash Inspector. #4  
I knew it was just a question of time before the trash inspector would be making a visit.

The city where I work has instituted a source waste management ordinance with teeth as in the power to cite and fine.

Currently work spends 15k annually for a 6 yard dumpster twice a week and another 3k for a recycling dumpster once per week.

Today I learned that I have a lot of work to do...

The biggest change concerns used paper products... like used restroom paper towels, paper plates, cups, left over food and the occasional bag of leaves and branches... all these items must be directed to a new dumpster for organic recycling which starts at $100 per week...

Since this is a hospital I question the logic of recycling used restroom paper napkins... but rules are rules.

I will also loose my ace in the hole to dispose of midnight dumper trash... which happens in the early AM... never know what I might find... appliances, construction Debitors from lath and plaster to concrete.

The biggest change will be having to have multiple containers side by side for inside for trash...

Example... in the lobby restroom I will need to have a Organic Recyclable for used paper towels.

I will also need to have next to it a Trash receptacle should the used paper towel have blood as in someone has a bloody nose...

Everything about modern infection control is about minimizing contact and efficient disposal... I see no way to police what the public tosses into the building containers... it is hard enough to police staff in the break and lunch rooms!

I will certainly give it my best... add in-house garbage police to my list of titles...

I would do some checking with the local health department and the state environmental agency; some of these practices seem to be suspect. I wouldn't be surprised if the process you describe comes under further scrutiny elsewhere. I know in this state, we used to have special disposal requirements for hospital waste, and even had a licensed incinerator that burned all that nasty biological stuff, including sharps, etc. Radioactive materials could not be incinerated, at least until they were depleted.
 
   / My First Visit from the Trash Inspector. #5  
:duh:
The "energy" consumed by writing, printing, inspecting, enforcing, complying & executing………
Do they think these things out? NFW!
 
   / My First Visit from the Trash Inspector.
  • Thread Starter
#6  
I would do some checking with the local health department and the state environmental agency; some of these practices seem to be suspect. I wouldn't be surprised if the process you describe comes under further scrutiny elsewhere. I know in this state, we used to have special disposal requirements for hospital waste, and even had a licensed incinerator that burned all that nasty biological stuff, including sharps, etc. Radioactive materials could not be incinerated, at least until they were depleted.

Yes... I did ask her several specific to medical questions and she said she would need to get back to me...

The dirty paper plates, used paper cups and tossed out food in the trash is what the inspector wrote up.... these were all bagged and placed in the 6 yard dumpster in violation.

All of the above must be placed in a yet to arrive organic dumpster for collection... however, anything with blood has to be sorted out...

Then we have separate collections for Sharps, Pharmaceuticals, Fluorescent Bulbs, Processing Waste, Batteries, Radiologicals as well as secure document destruction collection points through out the facility.
 
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   / My First Visit from the Trash Inspector. #7  
The junk Nazi wrote me a letter one time. I had to part with that old car I'd been meaning to turn into a farm buggy. I've got another one in the yard now. Hopefully I'll get rid of it before he returns.
 
   / My First Visit from the Trash Inspector. #8  
That's a new one on me. Our dump loves organic waste and even takes in dry poo from city sewer department. They are selling the methane. The more organic the more it produces. They want it all though.
 
   / My First Visit from the Trash Inspector.
  • Thread Starter
#9  
We need to separate the organic from trash from recyclables plus all the other things that require special disposal.

It just that soiled paper is now organic as is wood unless it is painted wood...
 
   / My First Visit from the Trash Inspector. #10  
Seattle instituted a system where homeowners could be fined if their trash "appeared" to have more than 10% recyclables in it. They have now dropped the program because a judge declared it an unreasonable search without probable cause. I always thought it was going to be dropped because of implimentation issues. There was no system to contest the fine, no documentation or training on what 10% appears to be, and just exactly what appears to be 10% means. Does 9% appear to be 10%? But 9% is legal, unless it appears to be 10%.
 
 
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