Garbage collection on Shabbos

Question

Inspired by this question...

The local council require a fee for the collection of certain refuse. In certain cases there are those who have a bin with all their garden waste that is picked up once a week.

What happens if it is discovered that the collection is on Shabbos. The result means that people have paid (albeit in advance) for a goy to come and do a service on Shabbos.

As a result, is one allowed to let this happen? - i.e. should they explore other options in order to remove the waste, or since they have already paid and the council chooses to come on Shabbos, something they have no say in, can they just let them do their job?

Answer 1

Ask your LOR if this question is relevant but assuming there is a prohibition in garbage being thrown into a garbage truck (muktzah, no eruv etc.) if someone already paid but the city council chooses to send their workers on Shabbos it would seem like their coming on Shabbos is no different from any other case of hiring a non-Jew to do something and he decides to do it on Shabbos.

It is permissible becuase he isn't working on Shabbos for your benefit.He is doing it for his benefit of being paid and it is for his benefit of convenience that he chose to do it on Shabbos.So he isn't really doing anything on Shabbos per se for you.

Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 247:1 says as follows

שולח אדם אגרת ביד עכו"ם ואפי' בע"ש עם חשיכה והוא שקוצץ לו דמים

A letter may be sent with a non-Jew even on Erev Shabbos close to night, if he made how much will be paid (to the non-Jew) and he doesn't tell him to travel on Shabbos.