Syracuse to begin fines for residents who don’t use new trash carts properly

Syracuse, N.Y. — When it comes to the new trash collection system in the city of Syracuse, the time for learning how to comply without fear of financial penalty is about to end.

The public works department plans to begin issuing violations this week to residents who fail to follow rules for using new 96-gallon garbage containers distributed citywide in early September.

In response to feedback from the Syracuse Common Council, Mayor Ben Walsh’s administration had agreed to a six-week grace period so residents had to time to adjust to new rules for setting out trash. Instead of issuing violation notices that result in a fine if not corrected within 24 hours, staff has left written warnings. The grace period expires Wednesday.

Violators face fines totaling $100, which is considerably lower from when council approved the new garbage pickup law in March. The law originally put the penalty at $350, the same as any other trash setout violations, such as putting out a television or hazardous waste.

Councilors decided that fine was too high for container-specific violations, which can include leaving the lid open or not having the garbage within the can kept inside bags. Before the citywide rollout started just after Labor Day, council approved an amendment lowering the fine to $175. On Monday, councilors lowered it again to $100.

Councilor Amir Gethers, who chairs the council’s Public Works Committee, said smaller fines reflect legislators’ goal of making sure the container program does not become a financial burden on residents.

The council also unanimously approved an amendment that will expand collection service to some residents living in buildings that have both commercial and residential tenants.

The city is not supposed to provide residential garbage pickup to those mixed-use properties under existing law, although dozens of properties were receiving the service anyway. When the new carts were issued, some of those mixed-use building residents who were improperly getting city garbage collection spoke up when they didn’t get a new cart.

Councilors decided they wanted those residents to have the service, so they put forward an amendment earlier this month. Administration officials pushed back, saying that would add up to 1,500 new units for sanitation workers to cover, which would be too much. They suggested a compromise of adding just owner-occupied mixed-use buildings, which they said would amount to about 75 additional properties.

The council countered with a tweak to provide residential waste service for mixed-use buildings with up to four housing units. Gethers said councilors were skeptical that limiting mixed-use household service to owner-occupied units could be enforced. In addition, they felt cutting off service at properties with four or few units was a reasonable compromise.

“It won’t be too much for our sanitation crews,” he said.

The Walsh administration does not agree, saying the council’s approved amendment could add an estimated 1,000 units to the city sanitation routes. Walsh could veto the council’s action, but the council could override the veto.

“The amendment increases costs to the City and puts greater demand on our Sanitation employees,” Chief Policy Officer Greg Loh said in a written statement. “We will evaluate the operational impact of this significant change and consult with our Sanitation employees before determining our next course of action.”

Following a test phase over the summer involving 6,800 residential properties, the city issued carts to 25,600 additional properties in early September. The $2.6 million program uses wheeled trash cans that can be emptied into trucks using an automated lift system. City officials believe the system will improve cleanliness on streets, and the auto-lift systems should reduce workers compensation costs from $4 million annual to $2.3 million.

City reporter Jeremy Boyer can be reached at jboyer@syracuse.com, (315) 657-5673, Twitter or Facebook.