§ 14-3. Definitions.
Definitions for the purposes of this chapter shall be defined as specified below. Unless specifically defined, words or phrases used in this chapter shall be interpreted to give them the meaning they have in common usage and to give this chapter the most reasonable application.
Bulky waste means large items of solid waste, such as furniture, mattresses, bedding, automobiles, large machinery parts, and other waste whose large size and quantities precludes or complicates their handling by normal solid waste collection, processing or disposal methods.
Collection means the act of removing solid wastes from a point of generation to a central storage point or to a disposal site, or from a central point to a disposal site.
Commercial solid waste means solid waste generated by stores, offices, restaurants, warehouses, businesses and other nonmanufacturing activities.
Composting means the controlled decomposition of organic waste by naturally occurring bacteria.
Construction and demolition waste means solid waste resulting solely from construction, remodeling, repair or demolition operations on buildings or other structures.
(1)
Inert: Brick, rubble, concrete (reinforced), concrete (no reinforcing), and uncontaminated earth.
(2)
Woody: Untreated wood, uncontaminated sawdust, tree parts (including stumps), land clearing debris, other wood material (not contaminated with other materials).
(3)
Mixed C&D: Mixed construction and demolition waste, asphalt, roofing material (other than shingles), paper (wall paper, empty cement bags, material wrapping, etc.), cardboard, glass, paint containers (dry and lids removed), sheet rock, plaster containers (dry and lids removed), insulation, metal, tin, white goods (compressors removed), pallets, crates, pipe (metal, concrete, plastic), wood furniture (no upholstery), metal furniture (no upholstery), reinforcing steel.
County convenience site and/or recycling container site means a facility owned or contracted for operation by the county consisting of containers and/or compactors and other appurtenances for the collection of solid waste or recyclables.
Demolition landfill means an approved landfill that is limited to receiving inert, woody and mixed C&D.
Department means the Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources.
Disposal means the discharge, deposit, injection, dumping, spilling, leaking or placing of any solid waste into or on any land or water so that such solid waste or any constituent thereof may enter the environment or be emitted into the air or discharged into any waters, including groundwaters.
Garbage means all putrescible wastes, including food waste, food containers and vegetable matter, but excluding sewage and human waste.
Hazardous waste means solid waste, or a combination of solid wastes, that because of its quantity, concentration or physical, chemical or infectious characteristics may:
(1)
Cause or significantly contribute to an increase in mortality or an increase in serious irreversible or incapacitating reversible illness; or
(2)
Pose a substantial present or potential hazard to human health or the environment when improperly treated, stored, transported, disposed of or otherwise managed, or as defined in the Federal Toxic Substances Control Act (40 CFR, Part 761).
Industrial solid waste means waste materials from processing plants, factories or manufacturing operations including but not limited to sawdust, shavings, feathers, excelsior, cartons, boxes, metal, glass, paper, wood, textiles, chemicals or plastics.
Industry means a place of business employing more than ten individuals and engaged in the manufacture or assembly of a product or products.
Infectious waste means solid waste capable of producing an infectious disease. The types of waste designated as infectious are: microbiological waste, pathological waste, blood products and sharps.
Institutional solid waste means solid waste generated by educational, health care, correctional and other institutional facilities.
Litter means any material which is blown, thrown or otherwise deposited on public or private property in violation of state or local laws.
Medical waste means waste containing body fluids in volumes greater than 20 milliliters (less than a teaspoon full) and sharps not packaged in containers that are rigid, leak proof when in an upright position, and puncture resistant. All other medical waste that is benign, noninfectious, will be accepted as M.S.W.
Municipal solid waste means any solid waste resulting from the operation of residential, commercial, industrial, governmental or institutional establishments that would normally be collected, processed, and disposed of through public or private solid waste management service. Municipal solid waste does not include hazardous waste, sludge, or mining or agricultural wastes.
Pathological wastes include human tissues, organs, body parts, secretions and excretions, blood and body fluids that are removed during surgery and autopsies; and the carcasses and body parts of all animals that were exposed to pathogens in research, were used in the production of biologicals or in the in vivo testing of pharmaceuticals, or that died of known or suspected infectious disease.
Person means an individual, corporation, company, association, partnership, unit of local government, state agency, federal agency or other legal entity.
Putrescible means solid waste capable of being decomposed by microorganisms with sufficient rapidity as to cause nuisances from odors and gases, such as kitchen wastes, offal and carcasses.
Radioactive waste means any waste which emits ionizing radiation spontaneously.
Recyclables means newspapers and inserts, cardboard, glass containers (clear, green, brown in color), aluminum and bi-metal beverage and food cans, plastic beverage containers (PET and HDPE) and magazines.
Recycling means the process by which recovered resources are transformed into new products in such a manner that the original products lose their identity.
Refuse means all nonputrescible waste.
Scavenge means any unauthorized salvaging of discarded items.
Sludge means any solid semisolid or liquid waste generated from a residential, municipal, commercial, institutional or industrial waste water treatment plant, water supply treatment plant or air pollution control facility, or any other such waste having similar characteristics and effect.
Solid waste means any hazardous or nonhazardous garbage, refuse and other material that is either discarded or is being accumulated, stored or treated prior to being discarded, or has served its original intended use and is generally discarded, including solid, liquid, semisolid or contained gaseous material resulting from industrial, institutional, commercial and agricultural operations, and from community activities. The term does not include: fowl and animal fecal waste, or sludge, oil or other liquid petroleum products or radioactive material.
Solid waste collector means any person who collects, transports, or disposes of solid waste for compensation.
Solid waste disposal site means a location at which solid waste is disposed of by incineration, sanitary landfill or other approved method in accordance with Article 9 of Chapter 130A of the N.C. Administrative Code.
Storage means the containment of solid waste, either on a temporary basis or for a period of years, in such a manner as not to constitute disposal.
White goods means inoperative or discarded refrigerators, ranges, water heaters, freezers and other similar domestic and commercial large appliances.
Yard waste means solid waste consisting solely of vegetative matter resulting from landscaping maintenance, such as leaves, pine straw, pine cones, grass trimmings, limbs, etc.
(Ord. of 3-9-93, § III; Ord. of 10-20-97)