Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to put extra black bin bag out with neighbours?

106 replies

Tate15 · 07/12/2015 19:28

Stupid three black bin bags a fortnight!

I have five this week. Neighbours have one or two black bin bags.

I think it's ok to add one of mine to their pile but my daughter thinks it would be a faux pas of the highest order!

And as such she won't be arty to helping me put the bin bags out!

Would you mind? The bags are double wrapped, no holes and only go out in the morning.

OP posts:
torthecatlady · 08/12/2015 00:46

Omg! I have been waiting for a thread like this for ages! Sad I know Hmm

We have a fortnightly collection and a wheels bin for our black bags/rubbish, recycling is unlimited number of bags.

Our family consists of hubby and I, my 4yo stepson (weekend visits) and our 2 indoor cats (outdoor isn't an option at the moment).

Before getting our cats we only had 1 bag of waste (brag) every two weeks. WinkWe try to re-use / recycle as much as possible.

However since getting the cats... Hubby has been known to sneakily put a bag in our neighbours bin - it's crazy how much cat litter we go through. That being said we get 100% natural (biodegradable) wooden pellet cat litter...

Anyone reckon this could go in garden waste instead?

I called our council but they had no helpful suggestions other than to keep excess bags until next collection - they pong!! Envy

I've started considering taking small bagfuls of it to the small bin down the road by the shop. And soon I might have too! Blush

BrushtheHeat · 08/12/2015 00:55

tor my understanding is that cat/dog/pet faeces is not allowed in garden waste as it poses a biohazard risk. Have you had a look on pet forums to see if there are any hints about reducing the litter you go through without compromising on hygiene/smell? When I looked after a friends I bloody hated the litter tray still much better than allowing your cat to shit in other peoples flowerbeds!

Original poster
Tate15 · 08/12/2015 00:57

I buy the extra large bin bags from Lidl, then I put two standard black bins inside them on bin day!

OP posts:
BrushtheHeat · 08/12/2015 01:07

tor apparently a cat litter called "friendly natural cat litter" can be flushed. For someone who hasn't got cats in way too invested in the solution to you kitty litter based problem! Xmas Grin

BrushtheHeat · 08/12/2015 01:10

I'm, not in! Once you've flushed the poo and wee clumps tor* you can dig the used litter into the garden to biodegrade! I think I need to get a life or a cat

LeaLeander · 08/12/2015 01:11

I would be quite unhappy if someone helped themselves to space in my bin. Some jerk keeps putting smelly dog waste bags in mine and I've contacted the city about fining him.

Better to spend energies reducing one's own garbage. With all that is recyclable, I generate about a carrier bag a week of actual garbage. For those household trashing multiple black bags-seriously, what is in them? Can you conserve or change habits in any way?

Love the notion of a waste doctor!

BrushtheHeat · 08/12/2015 01:11

I did not mean to highlight your name in amongst the poo and wee clumps sentence Shock Blush

LeaLeander · 08/12/2015 01:13

Clumping litter if cleaned daily will reduce your garbage considerably.

kawliga · 08/12/2015 01:19

Ask them.

YWBVVVVVU to put it in without asking.

Pobspits · 08/12/2015 01:20

Where do the bin bags live all the time if not in a wheelie bin??

torthecatlady · 08/12/2015 01:20

Brushtheheat (not sure how to tag!) - thanks for your suggestion! Thanks

I'm going to look up about the flushing! I'm not a keen gardener (especially in December) Wink

Also, I suspected it would be considered a biohazard :( Google it is! Grin

Headmelt · 08/12/2015 01:38

Be careful flushing cat litter if linked into the local sewer system
Definitely ask your neighbours before using their bin "allowance". It would be rude not to and they may be angry to find out what you're doing, if you do it without asking first

LeaLeander · 08/12/2015 02:19

I would be worried about clogging the sewer line. My plumber says do not even flush tampons let alone something the bulk of litter. If my line had to be dug up & repaired it would be about $15,000 and jeopardize a 60-foot tall tree.

elementofsurprise · 08/12/2015 02:53

Our council is now recycling less than it did a couple of years ago! There's so much recyclable stuff going into the rubbish now, it's awful. Without a car it's impossible to recycle it - the recycling place won't even accept people on foot.

My neighbours always forget to put their bin out and use mine... so I have to do both. I've actually had to arrange a friend to come over when I'm on holiday to put the neighbour's bin out! Ridiculous, but better than the stinking pile of rubbish I'd come home to otherwise (looks enviously at mc areas where non-recycling neighbours would get a lecture and fine!)

IJustLostTheGame · 08/12/2015 07:35

Our council are bin nazis.
Our wheelie bins are tiny, dd's nappies alone could fill it in a fortnight. Our elderly neighbours let us top up their bin the night before collection.
Our council only take what's in the recycling boxes too, they won't take any extra so we have to take a load every weekend.
I bought a compost bin to try and cut down on waste but it hasn't at all.

MidniteScribbler · 08/12/2015 08:15

However since getting the cats... Hubby has been known to sneakily put a bag in our neighbours bin - it's crazy how much cat litter we go through.

I wouldn't mind a neighbour using spare bin space, but I'd be absolutely furious if I found out someone was sneaking foul smelling cat litter in. You'd find it returned to you, probably spread over your front porch.

Original poster
Tate15 · 08/12/2015 08:39

I used to burn some rubbish at my old address as I bought a burning bin and didn't have close neighbours as I was set back from everyone and backed onto countryside.

Then I got dogs and stopped using it as it takes a very long while to cool down.

We did enjoy the fires though!

Interesting that a lot of you have wheelie bins, here in Wales we don't.

OP posts:
lornathewizzard · 08/12/2015 08:52

I'm also confused about where the black bags live when not out for collection. Especially with the shit quality bin bags you can get. No wheelie bins just seems ridiculous.

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 08/12/2015 08:57

I never use my bag entitlement, because I live on my own. I'd happily let a neighbour use it, as long as they asked first. I'd be angry if they didn't. Sometimes I've arranged that someone else can use it, sometimes I clean the pets out at the last minute or sort out some boxes to use the quota.

Gutterflower · 08/12/2015 08:57

My neighbours (a family of 5) snuck their extra bags by the side of our bin last week, our bin was already full. My DH snuck them back. I wouldn't mind if we'd been asked but our bin was full and we were the ones who would be lumbered with a fine if the rubbish men decided not to take it.

KakiFruit · 08/12/2015 08:59

We don't have a rule like this but I couldn't care less if someone put extra waste into our bins.

Sharoncatastrophe · 08/12/2015 09:01

I do it, either asking them if I was able to or learning my own deposit (herrr herrr) out as close to actual collection time as possible.

3 a fortnight?! No way. The council can fuck off if they think they can send someone round to check up on my recycling and tell me to use disposable nappies

Original poster
Tate15 · 08/12/2015 09:02

I buy ordinary bin bags and double wrap in Lidl invincible ones and the are left outside in back garden at the side and moved to kerb via side gate.

No foxes here to rip bags

OP posts:
diddl · 08/12/2015 09:04

Is it not possible to recycle that much in the UK still?

We have a 60l bin for a family of 4 emptied once a fortnight.

It's rarely full.

I would ask re the bags though.

ClancyMoped · 08/12/2015 09:11

You should ask. It would be rude not to. If you've already put them out then drop a wee note through their door.
My elderly MIL always get her bin filled by her neighbours. It drives her crazy. It's the not asking that bothers her.