Code of Alabama - Title 45: Local Laws - Section 45-49-252 - Definitions

Section 45-49-252 - Definitions.

The following words, phases, or terms as used in this part, unless the context indicates otherwise, shall have the following meanings:

(1) ABANDONED PROPERTY. Wrecked or derelict property having no value other than nominal salvage value, if any, which has been left abandoned and unprotected from the elements and shall include wrecked, inoperative, or partially dismantled motor vehicles, trailers, boats, machinery, refrigerators, washing machines, plumbing fixtures, and other similar articles which have no value other than nominal salvage value, if any; and is in a condition violative of Alabama statutes.

(2) ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENT. The department charged by the Mobile County Commission with the administrative management of this part.

(3) COMMISSION. The Mobile County Commission of Mobile County, Alabama.

(4) BULKY WASTE. Items whose large size precludes or complicates their handling by normal collection, processing, or disposal methods.

(5) BUNDLE. A package containing rubbish only, weighing not over 50 pounds and not exceeding four feet in its longest dimension, securely tied with cord or rope of sufficient strength to permit lifting and carrying of the full weight thereof without spillage or scattering.

(6) CERTIFICATE OF NEED. Written approval by the commission for the director to issue a permit to operate in accordance with this part.

(7) COLLECTION. Any person, firm, partnership, or corporation permitted by the director or franchised by the board to engage in the transportation or collection of solid waste. May require certificate of need.

(8) COLLECTOR. Any person, firm, partnership, or corporation permitted by the director or franchised by the commission to engage in the transportation or collection of solid waste. May require certificate of need.

(9) COMMERCIAL SOLID WASTE. Solid waste generated by stores, offices, and other activities which do not actually manufacture a product.

(10) CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION DEBRIS. Material generally considered to be not water soluble and nonhazardous in nature including, but not limited to, steel, glass, brick, concrete, or asphalt roofing material.

(11) DEAD ANIMALS. Animals that have died from any cause without proper burial, except those slaughtered for human consumption.

(12) DIRECTOR. The solid waste coordinator, appointed by the Mobile County Commission or its designated agent; is responsible for the administrative management of this part.

(13) DISPOSAL FACILITY. Site where solid waste is disposed of, whether by sanitary landfilling, incineration, treatment, recovery, or recycling.

(14) ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. The agency or agencies of this county, or of the state, charged with the enforcement of those aspects of this part related to the protection of the public safety, health, welfare, and environment, including all law enforcement officers of the county and litter patrol officers hired by the Mobile County Commission and deputized by the Mobile County Sheriff, who will work under the supervision of and be paid by the Mobile County Commission.

(15) GARBAGE. Materials resulting from the preparation, cooking, and serving of food; market wastes, trimmings, and other discarded matter from meat or produce, including containers in which packaged; and such other refuse as may be defined by the commission.

(16) HAZARDOUS WASTES. Materials or combinations of materials which require special management techniques because of their acute or chronic effects on air and water quality or both; on fish, wildlife, or other biota; or on the health and welfare of the public. These materials include, but are not limited to, volatile, chemical, biological, explosive, flammable, radioactive, and toxic materials.

(17) HEALTH OFFICER. The Director of the Mobile County Health Department and his or her authorized agents.

(18) INCINERATOR. An engineered apparatus used to burn waste sub- stances and in which all the factors of combustion, temperature, retention time, turbulence, and combustion air, can be controlled.

(19) INCINERATION. A controlled process by which solid, liquid, or gaseous combustible wastes are burned and changed into gases, and the residue produced contains little or no combustible material.

(20) INDUSTRIAL SOLID WASTE. Solid waste that results from industrial processes and manufacturing.

(21) INFECTIOUS WASTES. Those wastes resulting from the operation of medical clinics, hospitals, abattoirs, and other facilities producing waste which may consist of, but are not limited to, human and animal parts, contaminated bandages, pathological specimens, hypodermic needles, contaminated clothing, and surgical gloves.

(22) NON-RESIDENTIAL SOLID WASTE. Solid waste from agricultural, commercial, industrial, or institutional activities or from parcels of property occupied by six or more residential units unless exempt by the Mobile County Commission from mechanical pickup requirements.

(23) PERSONS. Any individual, partnership, copartnership, firm, company, public or private corporation, association, joint stock company, trust, estate, or any other legal representative, agent, or assign.

(24) POLLUTION. The condition caused by the presence in the environment of solid waste of such character and in such quantities that the quality of the environment is impaired or rendered offensive to life.

(25) PROCESSING. Any method, system, or other treatment designed to change the physical form or chemical content of solid waste.

(26) PROMISCUOUS DUMP. An unauthorized site where indiscriminate de- posits of solid waste are made by known or unknown persons and are exposed to the elements, vectors, and scavengers.

(27) PUTRESCIBLE WASTES. Materials capable of decomposition, causing environmental nuisances or obnoxious odors, or both.

(28) RECOVERED RESOURCES. Solid waste materials which still have useful physical or chemical properties after serving a specific purpose and can, therefore, be reused or recycled for the same or other purpose.

(29) RECOVERY. The process of obtaining usable materials or energy from solid waste.

(30)RECYCLING. The process by which recovered resources from solid waste are transformed into new products in such a manner that the original products lose their identity.

(31) RENDERING. A process of recovering fatty substances from animal parts by heat treatment, extraction, and distillation.

(32) RESIDENTIAL SOLID WASTE. All solid waste that normally originates in a residential environment. This definition is applicable to the solid waste generated upon a parcel of property occupied by fewer than six residential units and to parcels exempted from mechanical pickup requirements.

(33) RESIDENTIAL UNIT. Any unit used to house persons, or capable of such use. Includes single family dwellings; each unit in a duplex, condominium dwelling, or apartment house; and each mobile home in a mobile home parcel except mobile home parcels in rental or camp parks licensed by the health department.

(34) REPROCESSING. The action of changing the condition of a secondary material.

(35) RUBBISH. Solid waste or refuse, excluding garbage and bulky items; consists of both combustible and noncombustible trash, such as paper, cardboard, tin cans, plastics, yard clippings, wood, glass, and similar materials.

(36) SALVAGE. The extracting of materials from solid waste which is of value or useful.

(37) SALVAGING. The controlled removal of valuable or useful material from solid waste for utilization.

(38) SANITARY LANDFILL. A site where solid waste is disposed using sanitary landfilling techniques.

(39) SANITARY LANDFILLING. An engineered method of disposing of solid waste on land in a manner that protects the environment by spreading the waste in thin layers, compacting it to the smallest practical volume, and covering it with soil by the end of each working day in compliance with applicable state law.

(40) SANITARY NUISANCE. The commission of any act by a person, or the keeping, maintaining, propagation, existence, or permission of anything by a person by which the health or lives of individuals may be threatened or impaired or by which disease may be caused.

(41) SCAVENGING. The uncontrolled removal of materials at any point in solid waste management.

(42) SEPARATION. The systematic division of solid waste into designated components.

(43) SOLID WASTE. Garbage, rubbish, refuse, or other discarded solid or semi-solid materials resulting from domestic, commercial, industrial, agricultural activities and governmental operations excluding solids or dissolved material in domestic sewage, but not materials held for reuse or resale.

(44) SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT. Includes all or any aspects of handling solid waste: including collection, transportation, storage, separation, and disposal.

(45) SPECIAL WASTES. Those wastes that require extraordinary management. They include, but are not limited to, bulky wastes, abandoned automobiles, white goods, used tires, waste oil, sludges, dead animals, agricultural, and industrial wastes.

(46) STORAGE. The interim containment of solid waste, in an approved manner, after generation and prior to ultimate disposal.

(47) TRANSFER STATION. A facility where solid waste from several relatively small vehicles is placed into one relatively large vehicle before being transferred to solid waste processing or disposal facility.

(48) TRANSPORT. The movement of solid waste subsequent to collection.

(49) UNAUTHORIZED ACCUMULATION. Any accumulation of trash, garbage, or putrescible waste for more than seven days on any residential or commercial properties, excluding noncommercial composting, and commercial composting for which a valid permit has been obtained. This shall not include building materials used in constructing or repairing a building or other structure and stored at the site of such building or structure.

(50) WASTE OIL. All types of waste oils, including waste automotive lubricants, industrial waste oils, and others that may be potential pollution sources.

(51) WHITE GOODS. Inoperative and discarded refrigerators, ranges, washers, water heaters, and other similar domestic and commercial appliances.

(52) YARD TRASH. Vegetative matter resulting from landscaping maintenance such as trees and shrub trimmings, grass clippings, and palm fronds.

(Act 81-450, p. 773, §1.)

Last modified: May 3, 2021