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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

…to chuck apple cores into the bushes?

58 replies

onflic · 27/05/2026 17:21

DH is of the view that they will break down or be snaffled by wildlife pretty quick so they’re not litter. I think they might attract rats or unwanted wildlife so should be pocketed. Who is BU?

OP posts:
BrickProblems · 27/05/2026 19:51

My dad is a farmer and would infinitely rather someone chucked an apple core into a hedge than bagged it up and potentially left it lying about having “meant to” take it home. His real hate is when people leave dog poo in bags hung up on branches or gates, rather than taking it home or even - he would rather - just kicked into the hedge where it disappears in a couple of days. Plastic bags are the worst.

CelticSilver · 27/05/2026 19:46

The routes of Roman roads can be traced by the distribution of apple trees caused by marching soldiers lobbing their cores by the roadside. I'm fine with it as long as it's out of sight.

5foot5 · 27/05/2026 19:31

CoralOP · 27/05/2026 18:46

I hate people dropping litter with a passion but apple cores are completely different, feeds wildlife, eventually turns to compost, you can't get annoyed about an apple core. A plastic bottle on the other hand, I'll chuck it off someone's head if I seen them drop a plastic bottle!

My thoughts exactly

ToKittyornottoKitty · 27/05/2026 19:27

PrizedPickledPopcorn · 27/05/2026 19:09

Because I don’t want to contribute decaying matter to landfill- it causes gases (methane) to build up which is why we have food waste bins. It feels weird to be told you must bin it when you’re out, but you must not bin it at home.
And I do want to feed the birds.

Show quote history

So why not take your litter home and put it in your food waste bin? Then you’ve not littered (because it is classed as littering) and potentially left it to rot in the countryside, but it doesn’t add to landfill either.

EmailsaysOOO · 27/05/2026 19:19

We back into a field and I throw loads of fruit and veg into the hedgerows. Got to be better than incineration and no different to landfill.

PrizedPickledPopcorn · 27/05/2026 19:09

ToKittyornottoKitty · 27/05/2026 18:03

Im aware of how an apple is eaten thanks! Didn’t answer the question of why it’s not thrown in a bin. If you are throwing them in bushes by the side of the road it’s just littering really

Show quote history

Because I don’t want to contribute decaying matter to landfill- it causes gases (methane) to build up which is why we have food waste bins. It feels weird to be told you must bin it when you’re out, but you must not bin it at home.
And I do want to feed the birds.

Dollymylove · 27/05/2026 18:57

I live in a wooded area so I always throw my cores into the bushes when I am out walking. The wildlife can eat them or maybe a new apple tree will spring up !!

bridgetreilly · 27/05/2026 18:51

Arran2024 · 27/05/2026 17:50

Dogs can't eat apple pips. Not sure about other animals.

They’re fine. They would have to eat about 150 pips for it to be near toxic levels. My dog loved an apple core.

Vet maths

Teenagerantruns · 27/05/2026 18:51

Its absolutely fine, ...apple's fall of tree's all the time.
Also no dogs is goung to die from eating an apple core

CoralOP · 27/05/2026 18:46

I hate people dropping litter with a passion but apple cores are completely different, feeds wildlife, eventually turns to compost, you can't get annoyed about an apple core. A plastic bottle on the other hand, I'll chuck it off someone's head if I seen them drop a plastic bottle!

Eaglemom · 27/05/2026 18:32

Arran2024 · 27/05/2026 18:15

Pips release cyanide when chewed. Vet advice is not to give them to dogs.

No dog has ever died from cyanide poisoning due to eating an apple pip.

ToKittyornottoKitty · 27/05/2026 18:32

onflic · 27/05/2026 18:22

Yes this is in a situation in the woods with no bins about. I wouldn’t drop one on the floor on the high street

Just take your litter home and put it in your own garden. Leave only footprints in the countryside an all that.

Mintine · 27/05/2026 18:27

Yes, I agree with your husband, I would never drop litter but with apple cores, I will put them out for the birds, if I haven't eaten the lot core and all!

Original poster
onflic · 27/05/2026 18:22

Yes this is in a situation in the woods with no bins about. I wouldn’t drop one on the floor on the high street

OP posts:
2dogsandabudgie · 27/05/2026 18:20

MsGreying · 27/05/2026 17:48

Public spaces? Don't some councils fine you?

Yes, I think if caught it could be classed as littering.

Secretseverywhere · 27/05/2026 18:15

I'm rural and I’d chuck an apple core in the bushes. I wouldn’t do it in town as if everyone did it the bush would be buried! We have a community orchard and the windfall is often left and devoured by insects.

I wouldn’t do the same with a banana peel but apple cores break down quickly in comparison. They’d be all shrivelled and brown in a couple of days ( in this heat) even without insects so they just disappear into the dirt.

Arran2024 · 27/05/2026 18:15

Pips release cyanide when chewed. Vet advice is not to give them to dogs.

OpenCloseSplit · 27/05/2026 18:14

Delphiniumandlupins · 27/05/2026 18:06

I was assuming the apple was being eaten on a walk, in an area where there wasn't a bin. No rubbish should be thrown at the side of a road imo.

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I think that’s what that poster is asking, why can’t you do what you’d do with other litter, if there’s no bin in sight the take it home or keep it on you until you see one.

I have no strong feelings about whether Apple cores are ok to pets and wildlife etc but I’d probably wrap it and put in a pocket instinctively as it’s what I do with my litter in general. I have a dog so have several dog shit bags in every coat pocket/bag etc, I’m going on a rural walk and choosing to take food with me I’d pop my fruit peelings and cores etc in one of those.

Noorandapples · 27/05/2026 18:14

In the countryside absolutely fine, just not next to a main path. Towns and cities no because of the amount of vermin in crowded housing areas.

Delphiniumandlupins · 27/05/2026 18:11

The remains of fruit that grows here (apples, pears etc) will decompose quite quickly but non-native species (bananas, citrus etc) doesn't. So that would affect my decision.

Delphiniumandlupins · 27/05/2026 18:06

ToKittyornottoKitty · 27/05/2026 18:03

Im aware of how an apple is eaten thanks! Didn’t answer the question of why it’s not thrown in a bin. If you are throwing them in bushes by the side of the road it’s just littering really

Show quote history

I was assuming the apple was being eaten on a walk, in an area where there wasn't a bin. No rubbish should be thrown at the side of a road imo.

ToKittyornottoKitty · 27/05/2026 18:03

PrizedPickledPopcorn · 27/05/2026 17:29

Because the core is the only part left. If you eat one in the car or on a walk, there is no other waste.

I always throw them in the bushes, blackbirds really like them.

Show quote history

Im aware of how an apple is eaten thanks! Didn’t answer the question of why it’s not thrown in a bin. If you are throwing them in bushes by the side of the road it’s just littering really

Ohthatsabitshit · 27/05/2026 17:57

I think pips, peel, cores, squishy bits of fruit are all fine in the countryside or roadside out of town.

BertieBotts · 27/05/2026 17:54

I think it's probably objectively better to put them where they can be used by wildlife and break down naturally than stick them in a bin where they will contribute to landfill, but technically it is littering. So you are both right in different ways.

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