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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Putting rubbish in a public bin

233 replies

HippyPippy · 20/08/2023 22:18

Someone I know regularly puts a carrier bag or two in a public bin. It’s because her bun is always full and she doesn’t want to put the dog waste in her own bin.

She has said that sometimes people driving by will give her dirty looks and beep their horn as if she’s doing something wrong?

I personally wouldn’t bat an eyelid if I saw someone putting rubbish in a bin, but it got me thinking whether others think this is wrong and if so why?

OP posts:
LoveBluey · 20/08/2023 22:21

We get our bins collected every 2 weeks so the first few days after it's been emptied I do sometimes take dirty nappies with me and pop them in a public bin as I don't want them in my bin for 2 weeks. Particularly in the summer when they would smell.

Flyonthewall01 · 20/08/2023 22:21

I suppose it depends if it’s a well used bin. Is she over filling a public bin the results in others not binning their rubbish when on walks etc?
couldn’t she just take her additional rubbish to the tip?

1stepforward2stepsback · 20/08/2023 22:24

It is filling up a public bin which may then be too full for others to use. It will be emptied at a frequency determined by its intended use, not emptied very regularly in case people fill it with domestic waste.

She should really take it to the tip. But while it’s not ideal, it’s far better than fly tipping and not something I could be bothered getting my knickers in a twist over.

BananaSlug · 20/08/2023 22:25

Gosh everyone does that round here! Our bin collections have recently this year gone on to fortnightly so now all the public bins are full of huge bags of rubbish and rubbish by the side of them too because people are resorting to dumping it in public bins, I do it too as I’m not putting things in my bin that will be left rotting in the summer for 2 weeks I had maggots the other day so now I’m putting no food in my bins and taking it to public ones

Deadringer · 20/08/2023 22:27

My neighbour is too mean to pay for bins so he puts all his rubbish in public bins. People should be responsible for their own rubbish, if it smells so be it, bit selfish to make it someone else's problem.

hoomallow · 20/08/2023 22:28

Don’t see an issue

Isthisexpected · 20/08/2023 22:28

LoveBluey · 20/08/2023 22:21

We get our bins collected every 2 weeks so the first few days after it's been emptied I do sometimes take dirty nappies with me and pop them in a public bin as I don't want them in my bin for 2 weeks. Particularly in the summer when they would smell.

Please give reusables a try!

Lilithlogic · 20/08/2023 22:29

Deadringer · 20/08/2023 22:27

My neighbour is too mean to pay for bins so he puts all his rubbish in public bins. People should be responsible for their own rubbish, if it smells so be it, bit selfish to make it someone else's problem.

Where are you from that you have to pay for your bins to be emptied?

TheBitterBoy · 20/08/2023 22:30

This is fly tipping. People have been fined for doing this.

QueenOfWeeds · 20/08/2023 22:31

Do outside bins really smell so badly that you can smell them from inside your home? Not being goady. Our landfill waste goes fortnightly and I don’t think I’ve ever noticed a smell?

User15387500 · 20/08/2023 22:32

People beeping horns should be keeping their eyes on the road not gawping at bins

BIossomtoes · 20/08/2023 22:35

TheBitterBoy · 20/08/2023 22:30

This is fly tipping. People have been fined for doing this.

Of course it’s not fly tipping. It’s using the bin for its intended purpose.

Deadringer · 20/08/2023 22:35

We pay for bins in Ireland, do you not in the UK? We pay a yearly charge, then a pay by weight and lift charge every time they are emptied.

fearfuloffluff · 20/08/2023 22:36

Deadringer · 20/08/2023 22:35

We pay for bins in Ireland, do you not in the UK? We pay a yearly charge, then a pay by weight and lift charge every time they are emptied.

@Deadringer it's just covered by council tax

uhOhOP · 20/08/2023 22:36

LOL at the people saying they'll get maggots in the bin after two weeks. What the fuck are you putting in your bins? I put my refuse bin out every fourth or fifth (fortnightly) collection and have absolutely no problems with smells, let alone maggots. And yeah, even in periods of high temperatures.

Lilithlogic · 20/08/2023 22:37

Deadringer · 20/08/2023 22:35

We pay for bins in Ireland, do you not in the UK? We pay a yearly charge, then a pay by weight and lift charge every time they are emptied.

Ah, council tax covers ours.

ohcrums · 20/08/2023 22:37

LoveBluey · 20/08/2023 22:21

We get our bins collected every 2 weeks so the first few days after it's been emptied I do sometimes take dirty nappies with me and pop them in a public bin as I don't want them in my bin for 2 weeks. Particularly in the summer when they would smell.

That's disgusting. I hope you at least flush the poo first like you're meant to.

User15387500 · 20/08/2023 22:38

In the UK we often have to pay for garden waste bins which are optional. Rubbish and recycling is from council tax

BananaSlug · 20/08/2023 22:38

uhOhOP · 20/08/2023 22:36

LOL at the people saying they'll get maggots in the bin after two weeks. What the fuck are you putting in your bins? I put my refuse bin out every fourth or fifth (fortnightly) collection and have absolutely no problems with smells, let alone maggots. And yeah, even in periods of high temperatures.

Chicken bones and yes I did get maggots, dirty nappies would cause the same. Either way no food is going in my bin again 🤣

Mademetoxic · 20/08/2023 22:38

BananaSlug · 20/08/2023 22:25

Gosh everyone does that round here! Our bin collections have recently this year gone on to fortnightly so now all the public bins are full of huge bags of rubbish and rubbish by the side of them too because people are resorting to dumping it in public bins, I do it too as I’m not putting things in my bin that will be left rotting in the summer for 2 weeks I had maggots the other day so now I’m putting no food in my bins and taking it to public ones

My area has been every 3 weeks for years. Fortnightly bin collection existed about 10 years ago. 🤣

Deadringer · 20/08/2023 22:38

BIossomtoes · 20/08/2023 22:35

Of course it’s not fly tipping. It’s using the bin for its intended purpose.

Show quote history

I don't know if it qualifies as fly tipping, but public bins are there to help keep the streets clean, not for domestic waste.

Tulipvase · 20/08/2023 22:38

uhOhOP · 20/08/2023 22:36

LOL at the people saying they'll get maggots in the bin after two weeks. What the fuck are you putting in your bins? I put my refuse bin out every fourth or fifth (fortnightly) collection and have absolutely no problems with smells, let alone maggots. And yeah, even in periods of high temperatures.

We have a separate food waste bin that is collected weekly. My PIL, who li e one county over, don’t. I guess they could get maggots more easily than me.

fearfuloffluff · 20/08/2023 22:39

It is flytipping. She's dumping household waste, public bins are for waste produced out and about (the odd wrapper etc).

If she doesn't have space, she should find a way to reduce her waste. Or make friends with a neighbour who always has space, eg someone living alone.

I don't care much if my bin smells, it's a bin. Food waste goes to recycling in my area, which reduces the problem a lot.

Nappies should have poo dropped/scraped into the toilet and flushed, this is what you're meant to do and saves you having a bin full of shit. Or use reusables.

ohcrums · 20/08/2023 22:39

You can get fined in some councils for doing this if they manage to catch you.

BananaSlug · 20/08/2023 22:40

ohcrums · 20/08/2023 22:39

You can get fined in some councils for doing this if they manage to catch you.

How would they know where you live 🤷🏻‍♀️

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