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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To get annoyed with DP about recycling?!

13 replies

recyclingproblem · 25/03/2023 17:35

Ok, I'll start by saying this is obviously a minor issue in the grand scheme of my life. Nonetheless, it does irk me. Hence my posting here, to find out whether I'm in fact unreasonable or whether my DP is.

We have a standard recycling bin in our kitchen, next to the main waste bin. It's basically just a plastic grey bin, the same as any other kitchen bin, but we don't put a bin liner inside it because it's for recycling, ie cardboard cereal boxes, empty tins and the like. We then empty it into our blue recycling bin outside when it's full, and repeat.

Anyway, DP consistently puts packaging in that hasn't been rinsed. I'm not talking cereal packets or pizza boxes, obviously. I mean like a yogurt pot with yogurt still around the insides of the pot. Or a tin of tinned tomatoes, with the juices still inside. As a result the "juices" from unrinsed items send up congealed at the bottom of the bin, meaning when it gets emptied into the outside bin it usually needs a good clean out with bleach.

My argument is it takes literally 30 seconds to rinse something before it goes in the bin. Yet he continues to do this. I could put a bin liner in it I suppose, which prevents juices running all over the bottom of it. But I don't think I should need to, since it's designed for non food waste items.

Who is unreasonable?

OP posts:
SamanthaCaine · 25/03/2023 17:41

Good question. The refuse collectors refused to take my recycling last week because my kids had put an unwashed yoghurt pot in the bin. Totally understandable when a human has to sort out the recycling at the local centre.

However it got me thinking when I've started to see more adverts on TV asking the public to use less water.

So what is worse? Wasting water or not recycling. I genuinely have no idea but know that I use a lot of water rinsing out tins, jars, pots and all sorts.

Answers on a postcard!

HB1982 · 25/03/2023 17:41

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

MsVestibule · 25/03/2023 17:47

HIBU and lazy! To answer a PP, I rinse tins out when I'm running the hot water before washing up. (We do have a dishwasher but there's always stuff that can't go in it!). Therefore it's water that would just be going down the drain.

However, I can't imagine it's better to just throw it into landfill, rather than using a bit of water to rinse it.

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 25/03/2023 17:49

I can't get worked up about this, really, but I think it depends how strict your council is. As long as ours fits in the bin, it's collected - they don't care about the condition of it.

bussteward · 25/03/2023 17:52

Tip the contaminated recycling out onto his side of the bed/his laptop/PlayStation/guitar/whatever he loves the most, to demonstrate the issue.

TinySaltLick · 25/03/2023 17:52

This reply has been deleted

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

I don't think that will impact either the developing egg nor the recycling

recyclingproblem · 25/03/2023 17:53

I only get worked up about it because I end up cleaning the bloody bin out every time it's emptied, as there's some congealed mess of yogurt / tomato juices / tuna juices (🤢) at the bottom of it. Grim.

OP posts:
NoSquirrels · 25/03/2023 17:54

recyclingproblem · 25/03/2023 17:53

I only get worked up about it because I end up cleaning the bloody bin out every time it's emptied, as there's some congealed mess of yogurt / tomato juices / tuna juices (🤢) at the bottom of it. Grim.

You need to make emptying AND CLEANING the bin his job.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 25/03/2023 17:54

Unclean recycling contaminates whatever lorry load it gers chucked in with so he is being unreasonable to not clean it before recycling. If he cba to clean it he may as well put it in the normal bin so at least it doesn't spoil everyone else's recycling.

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 25/03/2023 17:56

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 25/03/2023 17:54

Unclean recycling contaminates whatever lorry load it gers chucked in with so he is being unreasonable to not clean it before recycling. If he cba to clean it he may as well put it in the normal bin so at least it doesn't spoil everyone else's recycling.

Not all councils care about it being clean though. It really depends on the area.

marmitegirl01 · 25/03/2023 17:59

My kids do this so I feel your pain !

NoSquirrels · 25/03/2023 17:59

If I was Empress the first thing I’d do would be to sort out the hideously confusing postcode-lottery of refuse collection and recycling rules.

Solmum1964 · 25/03/2023 18:05

Our recycling gets washed at the end of the washing up. It might sit for a couple of days if everything else goes in the dishwasher.

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