Last week, City Councillor Paul Scapicchio initiated a Home Rule Petition with the Boston City Council that will regulate the collection of commercial garbage in Boston between 11:00 pm and 6:00 am. This petition will work in concert with an effort led by House Majority Leader Salvatore DiMasi (D-Boston) at the State House to amend existing laws to require commercial trash collection to take place at times that are less detrimental to Boston’s residents.

In recent months, the City Council has been deluged with phone calls, emails and letters from irate residents that have been dealing with disturbances caused by late night garbage collection. According to Councillor Scapicchio, "In the absence of regulation, commercial trash collection has taken place at two, three and four in the morning. This is a noise, odor and light generating activity. Working people and families are being denied the right enjoy peace and quiet in their homes."

According to Representative DiMasi, "Anyone who lives near a supermarket, restaurant, convenience store or industrial site in any Boston neighborhood will tell you horror stories about being awakened at two and three in the morning by the sounds of a garbage truck and the smell of diesel fumes. No one should have to deal with this type of inconvenience. This effort attempts to right that wrong."

"Laws and ordinances exist to regulate the use of construction equipment to curb noise, air and light pollution from adversely impacting residents’ quality of life in Boston," commented Councillor Scapicchio following Wednesday’s Council session. "However, no provision has been made for commercial waste disposal, despite the fact that equipment that makes as much noise as construction equipment is used to empty dumpsters and collect trash for businesses."

In its current form, the trash collection petition states that, "No person shall use, deploy, drive, operate or otherwise control any vehicle or heavy machinery to remove any commercial trash, garbage, rubbish, ashes, offal or other offensive substances from any dumpster or trash receptacle within one hundred yards of a residential building in the City of Boston after 11:00 pm and before 6:00 am." Failure to comply with the pick-up times would result in a $250 for each offense. Councillor Scapicchio concluded, "This is an issue that affects any Boston resident who lives near a business that has trash collection through the night. It isn’t fair to the residents that have to live with the hassle and inconvenience and this effort attempts to do something about it."

Source: Office of Councilor Paul Scapicchio 4/1/04