Environment - Solid Waste Containers - Cleaning and Sanitization Requirements

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0619*

SENATE BILL 619
M3 6lr3004

By: Senators Watson, West, and Salling
Introduced and read first time: February 5, 2026
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Environment – Solid Waste Containers – Cleaning and Sanitization 2
Requirements 3

FOR the purpose of establishing requirements for the cleaning and sanitization of certain 4
solid waste containers; and generally relating to the cleaning and sanitization of 5
solid waste containers. 6

BY adding to 7
Article – Environment 8
Section 9–264 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2014 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 12
Article – Environment 13
Section 9–268 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2014 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 16

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 17
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 18

Article – Environment 19

9–264. 20

(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 21
INDICATED. 22

2 SENATE BILL 619

(2) “CLEAN AND SANITIZE ” MEANS TO REMOVE RESIDUE, 1
CONTAMINANTS, ODORS, AND HARMFUL MICROORGANISMS FROM ALL CONT AINER 2
SURFACES. 3

(3) “PROFESSIONAL CLEANING SERVICE” MEANS A LICENSED ENTITY 4
CAPABLE OF: 5

(I) CLEANING AND SANITIZI NG SOLID WASTE CONTA INERS; 6
AND 7

(II) AS NECESSARY , TESTING SOLID WASTE CONTAINE RS FOR 8
HARMFUL BACTERIA AND PATHOGENS USING METH ODS APPROVED BY THE 9
DEPARTMENT. 10

(4) “SOLID WASTE CONTAINER” MEANS A TRASH BIN, DUMPSTER, OR 11
SIMILAR RECEPTACLE USED FOR THE STORAGE OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE. 12

(B) THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO A SOLID WASTE CONTAI NER USED 13
FOR THE STORAGE OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE FROM A SINGLE–FAMILY HOME. 14

(C) (1) THE OWNER OF A SOLID WASTE CONTAINER SHAL L CONTRACT 15
WITH A PROFESSIONAL CLEANING SERVICE TO CLEAN AND SANITIZE T HE SOLID 16
WASTE CONTAINER AT LEAST ONCE PER MONTH. 17

(2) A PROFESSIONAL CLEANING SERVICE CONTRACTED UNDER THIS 18
SUBSECTION SHALL: 19

(I) IMPLEMENT CLEANING AND SANITIZATION PROTOCOLS 20
THAT INCLUDE: 21

1. THE USE OF DISINFECTA NTS APPROVED BY THE 22
DEPARTMENT; 23

2. HIGH–PRESSURE WASHING; AND 24

3. THE REMOVAL OF ALL OD ORS AND VISIBLE 25
RESIDUES; AND 26

(II) MAINTAIN DOCUMENTATIO N OF EACH CLEANING AND 27
SANITIZATION SERVICE RENDERED TO THE OWNER OF A SOLID WASTE CONTAINER 28
FOR AT LEAST 12 MONTHS AFTER THE SERVICE DATE. 29

SENATE BILL 619 3

(D) (1) SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPHS (2) AND (3) OF THIS SUBSECTION, THE 1
DEPARTMENT MAY IMPOSE AN ADMINISTRATIVE PENALTY NOT EXCEEDING $250 ON 2
A PERSON THAT VIOLATES SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION. 3

(2) THE DEPARTMENT MAY DELEGATE ITS ENFORCE MENT 4
AUTHORITY UNDER THIS SUBSECTION TO A LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT. 5

(3) A PENALTY MAY NOT BE I MPOSED UNDER THIS SUBSECTION 6
UNLESS: 7

(I) THE DEPARTMENT OR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT FIRST 8
ISSUES A WRITTEN NOTICE OF VIOLATION TO THE PERSON; AND 9

(II) THE VIOLATION IS NOT CORRECTED WITHIN 3 MONTHS 10
AFTER RECEIPT OF THE WRITTEN NOTICE. 11

(E) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROV IDE GUIDANCE AND TEC HNICAL 12
ASSISTANCE TO LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS 13
SECTION. 14

(F) THE DEPARTMENT MAY ADOPT REGULATIONS TO IMPLE MENT THIS 15
SECTION. 16

9–268. 17

Except for violations of Part III of this subtitle and violations enforced under §§ 18
9–229(b), 9–264(D), 9–267, and 9–268.1 of this subtitle, the provisions of §§ 9–334 through 19
9–344 of this title shall be used and shall apply to enforce violations of: 20

(1) This subtitle; 21

(2) Any regulation adopted under this subtitle; or 22

(3) Any order or permit issued under this subtitle. 23

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shal l take effect 24
October 1, 2026. 25