Section 10-A623. E-4.6 SANITATION, LITTER, AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

 

623.1Among the many aspects of environmental health in the District are the maintenance of sanitary conditions, the reduction of litter, and the control of disease-carrying pests. The District’s Department of Health maintains numerous programs to reduce food-borne illness, ensure compliance with hygiene standards, provide for animal and welfare control, and reduce exposure to animal-transmitted diseases like rabies and West Nile Virus. 623.1

 

623.2Litter and trash are probably the most visible and pervasive forms of pollution in Washington. A variety of programs have been launched to combat litter, including the District’s Clean City Initiative and the “Keep Washington, DC Beautiful” program, an affiliate of the national “Keep America Beautiful” program. These programs emphasize rapid District response to dumping problems; organization of neighborhood clean-up programs; education about local litter, rodent control, and dumping laws; and strengthening and enforcement of these laws. 623.2

 

623.3Policy E-4.6.1: Vector Control

 

Continue and strengthen efforts to control rats, mice, mosquitoes, and other disease vectors and pests. A variety of related strategies should be used to support these programs, including public outreach and education, garbage control and containment, adequate trash and refuse collection services, ongoing maintenance of public space, enforcement of littering and dumping regulations, clean-up of construction and demolition debris, structural controls and integrated pest management, and a reduction in the number of vacant and abandoned buildings. 623.3

 

623.4Policy E-4.6.2: Clean City Programs

 

Improve environmental quality through programs that promote efficient trash removal, neighborhood clean-ups, and levying of fines and penalties for abandonment of personal property (including cars) and illegal dumping. 623.4

 

623.5Policy E-4.6.3: Discouraging Illegal Dumping

 

Develop and maintain effective public education and enforcement tools to curb littering and illegal dumping, and to promote the safe disposal of solid waste (including hazardous waste, medical waste, construction debris, used oil, and scrap tires) and bulky items. 623.5

 

623.6Policy E-4.6.4: Environmental Health Activities

 

Maintain and improve existing District programs to ensure community hygiene, food and restaurant safety, animal and welfare control, and the control of disease vectors. Promote continuous coordination among District agencies to ensure healthful and sanitary conditions throughout the District. 623.6

 

623.7Action E-4.6.A: Expanded Trash Collection and Street Sweeping

 

Explore the feasibility of expanding trash collection services and street sweeping schedules to improve the cleanup of vacant properties, roadsides, public spaces, parks, and city-owned lands. 623.7

 

623.8Action E-4.6.B: Neighborhood Clean-Ups

 

Co-sponsor and participate in neighborhood and citywide clean-up activities such as those currently held along the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers, and those held around schoolyards and District parks. Encourage Advisory Neighborhood Commissions and other community groups to develop and announce cleanup campaigns in conjunction with the city’s bulk trash removal schedule. 623.8

 

623.9Action E-4.6.C: Strengthening and Enforcement of Dumping Laws

 

Take measures to strengthen and enforce the District’s littering, rodent and disease vector control, and illegal dumping laws. These measures should include:

 

a.Providing adequate funding to carry out anti-littering programs;

 

b.Empowering the community to report illegal dumping activities;

 

c.Increasing public education on dumping laws, including posting of signs where appropriate; and

 

d.Expanding surveying and enforcement activities. 623.9

 

623.10Action E-4.6.D: Publicizing Bulk Waste Disposal Options

 

Continue to sponsor and publicize options for bulk waste disposal, including information on the Fort Totten transfer station and the District’s schedule for curbside bulk trash waste removal. 623.10

 

See the Hazardous Materials section of this chapter for additional actions relating to hazardous waste disposal.

 

notation

The provisions of Title 10, Part A of the DCMR accessible through this web interface are codification of the District Elements of the Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital. As such, they do not represent the organic provisions adopted by the Council of the District of Columbia. The official version of the District Elements only appears as a hard copy volume of Title 10, Part A published pursuant to section 9a of the District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1994, effective April 10, 1984 (D.C. Law 5-76; D.C. Official Code § 1 -301.66)) . In the event of any inconsistency between the provisions accessible through this site and the provisions contained in the published version of Title 10, Part A, the provisions contained in the published version govern. A copy of the published District Elements is available www.planning.dc.gov.