New Ordinance Would Define 36-Hour Limit for Trash Cans Left at Curb

A new ordinance under consideration by the O'Fallon City Council tonight will attempt to redefine the conditions under which garbage containers are considered a nuisance—specifically, how long they can be left in the street.

The current ordinance defines as a nuisance:

Garbage cans which are not securely covered, which are leaking, which are unsanitary or which do not prevent the entry of flies, insects and rodents and garbage cans which have been left or stored along public roads, sidewalks and rights-of-way in the City of O'Fallon for more than thirty-six (36) hours.

City staff were concerned that enforcement would be difficult when the city has no way to know when the cans were placed on the street.

Instead, they suggested that the 36-hour time frame start at 6 p.m. on the evening prior to the scheduled service. That would give the owner up until 6 a.m. of the day after scheduled pick-up to move the container.

The new ordinance would recognize that scheduled service days can be affected by weekday holidays.