Commercial businesses in Lisbon would no longer be allowed to take their waste to the transfer station under a proposal now before the Town Council.

Interim Town Manager Jim Bennett said Lisbon’s ordinance, as it stands now, is unusual.

“I’m not aware of any communities that allow commercial business to just come in and throw, get rid of their waste and have all the property tax payers pay for it,” he said. “And it was a little surprising to me when I came here and found out that large commercial businesses were coming in with giant loads to put it into the hopper, to have the town taxpayers pay for it.”

The changes proposed for two ordinances are aimed at making it so almost no one except residents can dispose of waste at the transfer station, he said.

Under the proposal, nonprofits would not be considered commercial businesses, allowing them to continue to use the transfer station.

Commercial trash haulers would still be allowed to take residential waste to the transfer station, but not trash from businesses. Past attempts by the town to prevent commercial trash haulers from taking residents’ trash to the dump went nowhere amid public backlash.

Properties or buildings with four or more rental units — excluding units that are owner-occupied — would also be considered commercial businesses.

Other proposed changes would increase fines, allow the town to recoup legal fees in court actions and treat individual acts violating the statute by the same person as separate from one another, Bennett said.

By some time this summer commercial haulers will also have to demonstrate how they are going to handle recycling, a mandate in current ordinances that require residents to recycle.

The changes will also clean up the two ordinances, which are “convoluted” and contain redundancies and contradictions, council Chair Chris Camire said.

If passed by councilors, the changes would not likely go into effect until later in the spring, Camire said.

Councilor Greg Garnett said he supports the changes but wants to make sure the town is giving commercial businesses a heads up before they are implemented.

Residents will be able to share their thoughts about the proposed changes during a public hearing at the next Town Council meeting, Feb. 17.