Mixed bin colours up, didn’t collect

[Babooshka1991]

Moved house recently and we accidentally mixed up the cardboard and plastic recycling bins. Oops! They weren’t collected, I presume because of the error.

Both go out together every two weeks so they were next to each other on the kerb. AIBU to think the refuse collectors could clearly see which had cardboard in and which had plastic in, and could have just emptied them correctly?

To add: we know it was our mistake but I’m still surprised they didn’t just empty them

were the bins shut? If so they would of opened the relevant colour bin and saw it was the wrong rubbish, they wouldn’t check other bins

YABU. Why would they collect if they’re wrong?

@Ohdearnotagain76 yes shut, but the same guys collect/ empty both

Can you imagine how much longer it would take if every bin had to be checked?

On the same lorry? Or do they come twice?

That isn’t their job, making sure the appropriate bin is used is your responsibility. Imagine if they had to do that at every household, searching bins etc? They have a timescale to get around the route and pick up bins, not check peoples bins.

@luckylavender what do you mean though, they have to check them all before emptying?

Yes they check quickly the correct bin before they wheel it over to the truck but they aren’t going to check 2 or 3 bibs each time just in case someone filled the wrong bin. What a weird idea.

In fact I’m sending this to my binman mate as his colleagues and him could do with a laugh.

If you're so new to the area you don't know which is the right bin for which rubbish, I'm amazed you've managed to determine which person and lorry round is responsible for the different parts of your collection.

@BashfulClam looking in them it’s dead obvious that one is just full or cardboard and one plastic, as we got the wrong colour, so I wouldn't think any searching would be needed

Our council have now changed it so if the wrong things in the wrong bin they won’t collect it at all until it’s removed, do it 3 times and they will remove your bin permanently

@BashfulClam I thought they went in the same lorry as they’re collected same time, do they not no? Or is one chap on plastic and one on cardboard so they wouldn’t notice?

Do they empty them both at the same time OP? Or do they empty one then come back later for the other?

@SpinningFloppa Ah so we are marked now! Better get it right next week

That’s not their responsibility though it’s yours! They just quickly check the bin on schedule that week not dick about checking whether you have used the other bin for cardboard. They don’t have time to be checking extra bibs it’s a tight timescale.call the council and ask if you can log it as a ‘missed collection’ and they might send the bin men to collect it off schedule. I’ve had my bin missed before and when called they appeared 2days later.

Unless the binpeople have x-ray vision no it is not obvious that you mixed bins. They do not have time to check all the bins and if you don't know what colour bin is what then I would not be assuming you are correct it is the same bin lorry. You made a mistake. Fix it for next time and move on

I do get it - they had to check first anyway so would have seen which one was which, and it's not as though there was cross contamination between refuse and recycling. We've been here 18 years and on the rare occasion we've got the weeks wrong, they've never left them - always come in for the right ones, so we always give them a small tip of £20 each man.

It could be that you’ve 3/4 filled the bin up correctly with eg tins or bottles and then put a layer of cardboard and paper on top. They can’t tip a bin that might be full of mixed materials in as it will ruin the whole load in the lorry.

It’s easily done but it’s your fault - you can’t blame them. I’m sure you won’t make that mistake again though!

They do so many bins yabu

My guess is they realised your mistake but wanted to make sure you'll know next time. If they took the rubbish, you wouldn't know.