Seattle to fine residents, businesses for wasting food

[green73]

The City of Seattle just passed a new trash ordinance that would fine residents and businesses for throwing away too much food.

The new rules would allow garbage collectors to inspect trash cans and ticket offending parties if food and compostable material makes up 10 percent or more of the trash.

The fines will begin at $1 for residents and $50 for businesses and apartment buildings, according to the Seattle Times.

Seattle Public Utilities requested the new rules after falling short of its recycling goals of 60 percent of trash by 2015, according to the Times. The recycling rate in 2013 was 56 percent.

The Seattle city council vote on the new rules was 9-0.

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/09/24/Seattle-Passes-Laws-to-Keep-Residents-From-Wasting-Food

[aGameOfThrones]

tyranny is great.

[Origanalist]

It's Seattle, what do you expect?

[acptulsa]

tyranny is great.

Especially since health laws demand that food be trashed if someone looks at it cross-eyed between the fridge and the pan. And a lot of those are federal regulations now, since Obama passed the Monsanto Appreciation Law a few years ago. And while it's tempting to blame Seattle's liberalness, I'm pretty sure they're worried about the percentage of trash they recycle because of federal regulations.

Reminds me of the body builder who was, according to the Feds, obese (too heavy for his height) and anorexic (lacking in body fat) at the same time.

They keep on doing everything they can to make us jailbirds if we do and jailbirds if we don't.

[Dr.3D]

Hummm... I wonder if that applies to the military as well. When I was in the Navy, we would sometimes throw out twenty five pounds of fried chicken after an evening meal. One day while we were moored in Subic Bay, I decided to put it all in a clean clear plastic bag. I took it out to the pier dumpster and handed it to the locals who were picking through the trash to find something to eat. They were so happy they had something to take home to their families that night.

[Ronin Truth]

Doesn't Spokane have any fine residents too?

[euphemia]

So I guess people will not be allowed to save money because they will be forced to buy pre-packaged, single-serving food for each person. Wonder how that will work on recycling.

Thomas Sowell says there are no solutions, only trade offs. What's the difference between throwing away a piece of chicken (which will biodegrade) I dropped on the floor and plastic wrap the chicken came in?

[Ronin Truth]

So I guess people will not be allowed to save money because they will be forced to buy pre-packaged, single-serving food for each person. Wonder how that will work on recycling.

Thomas Sowell says there are no solutions, only trade offs. What's the difference between throwing away a piece of chicken (which will biodegrade) I dropped on the floor and plastic wrap the chicken came in? Salmonella? :D

[presence]

10 percent or more of the trash.

This is abjectly stupid and arbitrary.

So if I'm not throwing out 90% consumerite packaging then I need to be fined... and imprisoned if I don't pay the fines?

FFS What if I buy 100% whole food and I throw out primarily chicken carcasses, apple cores, and banana peels?



Fucking government overreach.

[JK/SEA]

so, you get fined. Is there an appeal process?...

1. my neighbor set me up
2. someone confused my garbage with my neighbors
3. someone inspecting the garbage made a mistake
4. if you appeal the fine, will there be video evidence of the infraction
5. i'm glad i moved out of Seattle 40 years ago...

my prediction....this 'law' will be 'dumped'...

[Dr.3D]

Seems an easy way around this would be to start a compost pile and put all of the food waste into it. Sure it might stink, but it seems that's what the city of Seattle wants.

[acptulsa]

FFS What if I buy 100% whole food and I throw out primarily chicken carcasses, apple cores, and banana peels?

Then nature will 'recycle' every ounce of it, most in a matter of weeks, with ill environmental effects at all and no help from any government.

Why would you want to deprive the poor government of revenue that way? You ought to be in prison for even suggesting it's possible to save the earth without giving governments trillions of dollars, much less telling people exactly how to do it. Why do you hate America?


Seems an easy way around this would be to start a compost pile and put all of the food waste into it. Sure it might stink, but it seems that's what the city of Seattle wants.

Foolish mundane. That's illegal too.

What the city of Seattle wants is your fine and fee money. Now shut up and comply already.

[acesfull]

WOw, I thought NJ was the only state with crazy ordinances, now Seattle will have "Garbage Police" aka, trash collectors to fine its citizens..
I hope tyrants from NJ, don't hear about this one..

My .02

Acesfull

[Ronin Truth]

Seems an easy way around this would be to start a compost pile and put all of the food waste into it. Sure it might stink, but it seems that's what the city of Seattle wants. It seems like I read somewhere about some compost de-stink stuff.

[JK/SEA]

i have a 'hoop' compost set up. I bought 4 foot metal fencing in 25 foot lengths at the local hardware store, cut a 10 foot section and looped the ends together. When i do put ORGANIC material in it, i cover with a few shovels of dirt or grass clippings. No stink, no rodents. At the start of spring, i remove my hoop of compost and spread it around the garden and till it in. Probably too much work for some in the city, but it works good for me as i don't live in an apartment.

[Root]

http://police-badges.de/hidden/nypd/3024-2.jpg

[Origanalist]

http://police-badges.de/hidden/nypd/3024-2.jpg

Real?

[Root]

Real?
Unfortunately. Enjoy your garbage police Seattle.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Department_of_Sanitation_Police


The New York City Department of Sanitation Police (colloquially, "Sanitation Police" or "San Cop") are New York State Peace Officers as per section 2.10 of the New York State Criminal Procedure Law and are the law enforcement arm (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_enforcement_agency) of the New York City Department of Sanitation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Department_of_Sanitation) (DSNY). Even though its primary responsibility is to enforce the Sanitation Provisions of the New York City Administrative Code, officers are however authorized to enforce other laws and regulations, including other provisions under the New York City Administrative Code, New York State Public Health Law, New York State Vehicle & Traffic Law, and the New York State Penal Law.

[Jackie Moon]

Seems an easy way around this would be to start a compost pile and put all of the food waste into it. Sure it might stink, but it seems that's what the city of Seattle wants.

The city already has compost bins that they pick up at the curb.

The fine isn't for "wasting" food really... it's for throwing food in the garbage can instead of the compost can.

The local news story I saw showed workers sifting thru garbage and pulling out a bag of mini carrots and saying "see, why couldn't they have just opened this up and dumped it in the compost bin?"

[euphemia]

Seems an easy way around this would be to start a compost pile and put all of the food waste into it. Sure it might stink, but it seems that's what the city of Seattle wants.

And compost would be of what value? Small house, minimal landscaping. No garden.

I'm not arguing with you, but with Seattle for asking people to do more than they need or want to do to maintain their lifestyles.

[Acala]

Garbage men are going to need a swat team and an MRAP.

[Acala]

The city already has compost bins that they pick up at the curb.

The fine isn't for "wasting" food really... it's for throwing food in the garbage can instead of the compost can.

The local news story I saw showed workers sifting thru garbage and pulling out a bag of mini carrots and saying "see, why couldn't they have just opened this up and dumped it in the compost bin?"

Lots of food can't go in a compost bin. Only pure vegetable matter. No meat. No bones. No dairy. Not sure about baked goods, but I don't think so because they typically contain eggs and dairy.

[Jackie Moon]

Lots of food can't go in a compost bin. Only pure vegetable matter. No meat. No bones. No dairy. Not sure about baked goods, but I don't think so because they typically contain eggs and dairy.

Yeah, for my small garden compost pile that's how I do it.

But for the city's compost bins we're supposed to put all food waste in there and not in the garbage:

http://wmnorthwest.com/portland/guidelines/gif/yarddebris.jpg

[Acala]

Yeah, for my small garden compost pile that's how I do it.

But for the city's compost bins we're supposed to put all food waste in there and not in the garbage:

http://wmnorthwest.com/portland/guidelines/gif/yarddebris.jpg

Wow! I wonder what they are doing with the meat etc.? I thought the problem was that those materials attracted disease vectors (flies, rodents, etc.)

[Brian4Liberty]

In cities with the hyper-green sanitation, they sort through everything at the dump "station". Different recycling containers is just a way of pre-sorting to reduce work at the station. As a matter of fact, the more evolved cities usually just simplify to just two different containers. One for everything that would be considered recyclable (paper, plastic, metal) and garbage (everything else). It is all sorted again at the station.

And yes, some cities do mix that customer sorted trash back together in the trucks when they are picked up. It's a charade, but it makes people feel greener... :rolleyes:

[Jackie Moon]

Wow! I wonder what they are doing with the meat etc.? I thought the problem was that those materials attracted disease vectors (flies, rodents, etc.)

They definitely do while they're sitting in the compost bin. It can get pretty nasty. That's why it's easier to just throw some food in with garbage and seal it up in a bag instead.

But, they gave us smaller garbage cans and cut garbage pick up to once every two weeks to "nudge" us to recycle/compost.


In cities with the hyper-green sanitation, they sort through everything at the dump "station". Different recycling containers is just a way of pre-sorting to reduce work at the station. As a matter of fact, the more evolved cities usually just simplify to just two different containers. One for everything that would be considered recyclable (paper, plastic, metal) and garbage (everything else). It is all sorted again at the station.

And yes, some cities do mix that customer sorted trash back together in the trucks when they are picked up. It's a charade, but it makes people feel greener... :rolleyes:

Yeah, when you throw recyclable stuff in the garbage they pick it out when they sort thru it anyways. I figure I pay enough money to not have to worry about being perfect at pre-sorting.

And yes, it's all a charade. Nevermind that it's a waste of time and money and can actually be worse for the environment... it makes people "feel good".


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lPS3QXBqHc

[mad cow]

Yeah, for my small garden compost pile that's how I do it.

But for the city's compost bins we're supposed to put all food waste in there and not in the garbage:

http://wmnorthwest.com/portland/guidelines/gif/yarddebris.jpg

To be knocked over and pilfered by foxes,bears,stray dogs,raccoons and thus to be shared with rats,squirrels,skunks,buzzards and such,not to mention stinking up the joint.

[JK/SEA]

ok, for real, this is nothing more than a money grab by the Seattle liberals....