Public health report: Health department focused on dumpster violations

Some of Waltham’s businesses may need to keep an eye on their dumpsters.

Health inspectors spotlighted some kind of improper dumpster protocol, from broken equipment to missing plugs, in more than half of failed late-spring inspections at retail and restaurant locations around the city.

According to Health Department Inspector Ivan Colon, the Health Department slowed down during May and June because of a personnel shortage. Still, the department inspected a total of 53 restaurants, catering spots, gas stations and other retail establishments in Waltham during that period. All passed reinspection. 

It’s common for establishments to have minor violations during inspections, and when a business is found to be unsatisfactory, the department sets a deadline for the owners to correct any violations — usually five days from the date of inspection. Colon told The Waltham Times that restaurants and other businesses generally resolve all of their violations by the deadline. 

Colon said if the Health Department finds a violation at a restaurant or other food establishment that causes immediate and severe health concerns, or finds three or more violations the department counts as “critical,” it will close the business until it determines the business is safe for patrons.

Health complaints

Additionally, the Health Department acted on nine housing complaints reported to the department by tenants between May 18 and June 25. 

It has brought two of these complaints, one about rats and one about a sewage backup, to court; the other seven, which range from pests to sewage issues to broken appliances to insufficient means of egress, remain open as of June 25.

Stores, restaurants and other businesses

Below is a summary of the violations at the 16 retail and restaurant locations where inspectors found violations between May 18 and June 25. Violations that inspectors designated as critical are marked with an asterisk.

Family Dollar, 309 Moody St., on May 18

Inspectors identified the following instances of noncompliance with Waltham’s safety regulations:

• The store needed to clean out mold buildup from an egg fridge.
• The store needed to replace some broken tiles in the floor.

The owners were given five days to address these issues, which were corrected by the time of publication.

Yumcha, 901b Main St., on May 26

Inspectors identified the following instances of noncompliance with Waltham’s safety regulations:

• The restaurant’s floors required cleaning.
• An area on the back wall of the kitchen required cleaning.

The owners were given five days to address these issues, which were corrected by the time of publication.

CVS Pharmacy, 91 Linden St., on May 28

Inspectors identified the following instances of noncompliance with Waltham’s safety regulations:

• The store needed to replace some water-stained tiles in the ceiling.
• The store’s floors required vacuuming and washing.
• The store needed to clean out a buildup of food spills from a milk fridge.

The owners were given five days to address these issues, which were corrected by the time of publication.

Guatelinda Supermarket, 251 High St., on May 28

Inspectors identified the following instances of noncompliance with Waltham’s safety regulations:

• The dumpster was not properly plugged. 
• The store needed to remove expired foods from the shelves. 

The owners were given five days to address these issues, which were corrected by the time of publication.

Walgreens, 15 Main St., on May 29

Inspectors identified the following instance of noncompliance with Waltham’s safety regulations:

• The area around the dumpster required cleaning.

The owners were given five days to address this issue, which was corrected by the time of publication.

Veronica’s, 1074 Main St., on June 1

Inspectors identified the following instances of noncompliance with Waltham’s safety regulations:

• The store’s floors required cleaning.
• The dumpster was not properly closed.
• There was a mattress improperly stored in the dumpster area.

The owners were given five days to address these issues, which were corrected by the time of publication.

Pro-Tech Towing & Recovery, 205 Willow St., on June 1

Inspectors identified the following instance of noncompliance with Waltham’s safety regulations:

• The location was missing a retail license sign from the Health Department.

The owners were given five to 10 days to address this issue, which was corrected by the time of publication.

Latino’s Market, 699 Main St., on June 2

Inspectors identified the following instances of noncompliance with Waltham’s safety regulations:

• A dumpster the building’s landlord was responsible for maintaining had rotted through.

The owners were given five to 10 days to address these issues, which were corrected by the time of publication.

Gordon’s Fine Wines & Liquors, 894 Main St., on June 3

Inspectors identified the following instance of noncompliance with Waltham’s safety regulations:

• The dumpster was not properly plugged. 

The owners were given five days to address this issue, which was corrected by the time of publication.

Kung Fu Tea, 246 Moody St., on June 3

Inspectors identified the following instances of noncompliance with Waltham’s safety regulations:

• The areas under some racks and a refrigerator in the kitchen required cleaning.

The owners were given five days to address these issues, which were corrected by the time of publication.

Extended Stay America Suites Grab and Go, 32 and 52 Fourth Ave., on June 9

Inspectors identified the following instance of noncompliance with Waltham’s safety regulations:

• The dumpster was not properly closed.

The owners were given five days to address this issue, which was corrected by the time of publication.

Easy Convenience, Beer & Wine, 26 Elm St., on June 16

Inspectors identified the following instances of noncompliance with Waltham’s safety regulations:

• The dumpster was not properly plugged.
• The rear storage room was not properly accessible.

The owners were given five days to address these issues, which were corrected by the time of publication.

Speedway, 66 Prospect St., on June 17

Inspectors identified the following instances of noncompliance with Waltham’s safety regulations:

• The owners needed to exterminate rats around the dumpster. *
• The dumpster was not properly plugged. *
• The area around the dumpster required cleaning. *

The owners were given 10 days to address these issues, which were corrected by the time of publication.

Tikal Market, 35 Lexington St., on June 20

Inspectors identified the following instances of noncompliance with Waltham’s safety regulations:

• The dumpster was not properly plugged. *
• The owners needed to exterminate rats at the back of the property. *

The owners were given 10 days to address these issues, which were corrected by the time of publication.

La Chapincita Market, 424 Moody St., on June 22

Inspectors identified the following instances of noncompliance with Waltham’s safety regulations:

• The dumpster was not properly plugged. 

The owners were given five days to address these issues, which were corrected by the time of publication.

Patel Brothers, 425 Moody St., on June 22

Inspectors identified the following instances of noncompliance with Waltham’s safety regulations:

• Some produce shelves required cleaning. *
• The back door was not kept properly closed.

The owners were given five days to address these issues, which were corrected by the time of publication.

About Health Department inspections

Waltham’s Health Department conducts regular inspections of housing and food establishments to ensure compliance with the city’s safety codes. Twice a year it inspects each of the city’s restaurants, schools, lodging houses, nursing homes and any other businesses that serve food or are regulated by specific Waltham health codes to make sure they comply with the city’s safety regulations. Its inspectors also investigate complaints about pests, trash management on private properties and other environmental hazards.

All information was obtained from public records requests to the Waltham Health Department.