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A change to Cheverly's town code after concerned residents raised a stink means those with pets and babies will not have to worry about being penalized for how they dispose of waste.

The Town Council will amend its town code on waste and recycling to include diapers and animal waste in regular trash collection. The new code will also require all residents to recycle.

The Town Council did a first reading Nov. 12 of an ordinance that will amend the draft of a code prohibiting residents from including diaper and animal waste in regular trash. County landfill officials said previously such waste was to be disposed of through flushing down the toilet, composting, burying or bringing the waste to the landfill as a hazardous material, Town Administrator David Warrington said.

The Town Council could pass the ordinance in January, meaning the law could go into effect sometime close to Feb. 14.

According to Warrington, Brown Station Road Sanitary Landfill officials told Cheverly officials in past years that residents were prohibited from placing animal waste and diapers with regular trash, and the town added this regulation into the town code during a revision made Oct. 26.

But when residents who read the revised code complained, Cheverly council members tried to confirm the requirement with county landfill officials, who said that in fact there is no such county restriction on disposal of animal and diaper waste.

The town sent a Nov. 3 letter to Charlie Wilson, the director of the county's Department of Environmental Resources, asking for proof the regulation prohibiting diaper and animal waste exists. After consulting with Wilson, county landfill officials called Juan Torres, Cheverly's public works director, to say diapers and animal waste were acceptable in regular trash.

Warrington said he did not know what the penalty would have been for including the waste in the trash.

"We didn't want to pass something that was illegal," Warrington said. "They've been saying all these years it was illegal, but no one ever passed a regulation."

Resident Shawn McDonald said Nov. 12 that when it comes to required recycling, he wants some more town government communication with residents about any changes in the code.

"I don't think there's a good enough education program outside of the [town] newsletter," McDonald said.

Warrington said Friday that Mayor Julia Mosley is considering sending informational door hanger fliers to all residents, as well as including a brief about the ordinance in the town newsletter.

Residents with a high number of recyclable items such as aluminum, paper and plastic in their regular trash would receive warnings to sort their recyclable items, Cheverly officials previously said.

If residents receive warnings and do not comply, the town's public works department will sort their recyclables and bill the homeowner for the labor.

Resident Fred Price Jr. said required recycling was long overdue for Cheverly because it could save the town money.

The move is expected to save the town $20,000 annually in landfill dumping fees, Warrington previously said.

However, Price hopes council members will take time to personally contact homeowners in their wards who fail to recycle — whether due to sickness or stubbornness — before giving fines.

"I think it will give you an opportunity to interact with the citizens, and I think this program will be up to the council to sell," Price said.

E-mail Natalie McGill at nmcgill@gazette.net.