Seagulls targeting a trash can on a New Jersey beach. (Photo: Jackie/Flickr)
Seaside Heights, which is assembling a team of workers to conduct daily sweeps of litter during the summer season, is planning to implement new measures that officials hope will put a stop to a nagging problem: homeowners and businesses using public trash cans to dispose of their own waste.
“There have been problems over the years,” said Mayor Anthony Vaz. “Some of our residents who leave on weekends, because they’re not allowed to put their garbage out until 5 pm on a Sunday, will place it in the public receptacles. Unfortunately some businesses have done the same.”
While placing private refuse in a public garbage can may seem like a petty problem, it creates larger ones, according to officials.
“The cans overflow and we have to go out for extra collections,” said Vaz.
The problem has become so pervasive that Public Works crews have found it difficult to keep up, sometimes performing three or more rounds of collections each day for a single can. The issue becomes particularly problematic when large items such as household garbage bags or cardboard boxes are disposed in the public cans, leading them to overflow and attracting both birds and bugs in the summer heat.
Seagulls converge upon outdoor dining areas in Seaside Heights, N.J., Aug. 2, 2023. (Photo: Shorebeat)
“If you want your streets to look nice, you can’t have garbage overflowing or slices of pizza smudged on the ground,” Vaz said. “You don’t want to see a sight like that to begin with, but then our Public Works guys are spending more and more time emptying the same cans.”
The borough is planning on installing new, heavier trash cans around town which will have smaller openings that will prevent large items from being shoved in. This week, the borough council introduced an ordinance that will make it illegal to deposit home or business refuse in public trash cans, and impose a fine for those who are caught doing so.
“The cans are going to have a smaller opening so you can’t get that type of garbage in, but that’s not going to stop some people, so we wanted to do an ordinance as well,” the mayor said.
The ordinance will be up for a public hearing and second vote for adoption at the next council meeting, which is planned for April 2.
Police, Fire & Courts
Cops: Juvenile Arrested After 118mph Joy Ride in Seaside Heights, Toms River Kills 2
