WNY News
Lancaster to enact lidded container law for storing garbage
By Lee Chowaniec
Sep 24, 2006, 09:24

As was stated in a recent Buffalo News report, “According to Peter J. Trippi, head of Erie County's Vector Control Program, rats, which have firmly established themselves in Amherst, the Town of Tonawanda and Cheektowaga, are starting to increase their presence in Lancaster.”

At their next meeting, the Lancaster Town Board will be approving a resolution to instate a law to combat and control the town’s rat population. Also at that time, the board will set a public hearing date for citizen input before it becomes a law.

“We have had several discussions on rodent control and what we could do, and Council member Dan Amatura has asked me to put together a law proposal to act on it,” declared Lancaster Town Attorney Richard Sherwood at the recent board meeting.

Sherwood went on to say that the draft proposal he was working on basically directs that residents and businesses use containers with secure lids have to be used when placing garbage at the curbside for pickup. The law will also provide for the storage of such material in lidded containers on the property.

When asked what policing mechanism could be used to enforce the law, Sherwood responded by saying that has yet to be determined, but as gave as an example where someone did not use a lidded container for garbage pickup, the pickup company could be instructed not to take their garbage.

Sherwood said garbage would be defined as compressible (deposable) and non- compressible (non-deposable), solid and liquid materials. That excludes lawn waste, such as lawn clippings, and refuses; refuse here meaning materials like tile, mortar, wood, etc. “Those items do not attract rats and can be picked up in some other form,” said Sherwood.

The town already has a law in place that covers recyclables – glass, plastic, washed cans and paper. This law will make residents more aware of what’s required to control the rat problem already existing in Lancaster and its potential increase from the rat migration issue that is facing the county.

Using lidded containers, be they rubber, plastic or composite metal cans goes a long way in solving a lot of the problem,” said Sherwood. Even though there is a county law that demands the use of lidded containers for storage and garbage collection, the town’s law will add teeth to their enforcement.

The town is hoping residents will comply with the law by buying and using their own containers. Otherwise, the town would have to consider supplying containers where the cost would be much higher – a cost of $50 to $60 per tote’, $800,000 to the town. Replacement costs would be much higher should a tote be lost for any reason.

“If everybody used common sense and did what they’re supposed to, we would probably control the rodents in this area,” declared Supervisor Robert Giza.

Council member Ronald Ruffino interjected that cost projection did not take into consideration that the garbage trucks would also have to be retrofitted. The town would have to pay for the attached lift mechanism to raise the totes for emptying.

During the public comment session, the board was commended for finally tacking action on a subject (rat control) that they had been considering since spring of 2006.

The board was also advised to mention that should the town compel the use of the larger totes, they're heavy and cumbersome and that some senior citizens and others may not have enough space to store the totes when they're not at curbside.





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