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Housekeeping

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Original poster

Household rubbish getting me down

34 replies

lubeybooby · 30/01/2011 18:23

Hi, wasn't sure where to put this so went for here. Hope it's ok.

I have fortnightly bin collections, and fortnightly recycling collections, staggered so that something is picked up every week.

Despite recycling all cardboard, plastics, paper, tins and glass there is never enough room in my bin and I end up with surplus. To add to this, one bin day ages I missed the collection and gradually the problem got worse and worse and I was having to store surplus rubbish in my shed. I don't drive so can't take it to the tip.

I got a skip and put it all in there, and was able to keep it for a month so all surplus was gotten rid of - I also had a big clear out and got rid of as much stuff as possible. This worked well for a while apart from having a skip full of rubbish outside my house, lovely - not.

Now it's been a while again since the skip and surplus is starting to build again and having trouble fitting everything in

It's making me miserable

I can't afford to keep getting skips, and they look so bloody ugly

Does anyone else have trouble with this? If so what do you do?

Our local council don't let you have more than one bin or a larger bin unless you have 6 or more in your household. I don't.

Please someone tell me weekly collections are starting again soon... or any other ideas would be welcome. Thanks

OP posts:
southeastastra · 30/01/2011 18:25

:( you could get another bin but you have to buy one.

(or bung your rubbish in the local litter bins)

i hate fortnightly collections too, seems unfair for people unable to get to the tip (which are inevitably not walkable)

onepieceoflollipop · 30/01/2011 18:26

Could you give us some idea of the contents of the main bin?

Personally I would be happy with fortnightly collections. We have 4 of us in the house and a standard sized wheelie bin. Rarely is it more than 1/4 full and that is on a "bad" week.

What is making it so full? (interested not judging btw) :)

I am doing bedtime soon but if any help could come back and give you a rough idea of what goes in ours! Do you compost btw?

Original poster
lubeybooby · 30/01/2011 18:28

I don't think they even let you buy one Sad In the leaflets they sent round when the fortnightly collections started they said if you need more than one or a bigger one you are obviously not recycling, but I am. Every miniscule thing that can possibly be recycled is washed, squashed and put out as they require.

Thank you though I will phone them and check just in case

OP posts:
TheProvincialLady · 30/01/2011 18:30

Maybe you need to try reducing your consumption? For example, do you drink lots of bottled water/canned drinks? Do you buy all your fruit and veg in a supermarke where they wrap everything in three layers and a box?

It must be a real PITA for you to store rubbish in your shed.

skydance · 30/01/2011 18:34

You could buy your own extra bin BUT the council won't collect it, so don't do that.

I wouldn't put your rubbish in local litter bins either, an eldery gentleman got fined near me for doing just that, he wrapping up his food leftover type rubbish and dropping it in the bin down the road on the way to get his paper each day, apparantely public rubbish bins are not for household waste.

You can get an extra recycling bin where I live, and a slighly larger household rubbish bin if you have 2 children in nappies.

But I really don't know what the answer is as we have to go the tip most weeks with extra rubbish and have often said it must be a nightmare for people who don't drive. Maybe look in the paper for an odd job man who might be willing to take your rubbish to the tip for a fee, although make sure there is nothing in the sacks identifying your house in case he just dumps it, you could get fined then.

Original poster
lubeybooby · 30/01/2011 18:34

My mind has gone completely blank!! Odds and ends that can't be recycled, food waste, basically anything that isn't newspaper/magazines, cardboard, tins or plastic, oh and glass. Whatever the hell that is I seem to have a lot of it.

We do have a lot of cans, bottles and plastic etc but that all goes in the recycling.

OP posts:
southeastastra · 30/01/2011 18:34

my sister has two and the council take them.

HeroShrew · 30/01/2011 18:35

do your council not take food waste? usually in a separate brown bin. Or could you start a compost heap? make sure it's veg waste only or you'll have lots of ratty friends

ditavonteesed · 30/01/2011 18:35

I miust admit I dont understand how you can have so much rubbish, are you buying and replacing things all the time? what is the rubbish, is it packaging or household items? are you only buying what you eat?

Original poster
lubeybooby · 30/01/2011 18:39

I don't think I have a HUGE amount of surplus rubbish, it's taken a couple of months to build and get to the point where I now have one bag in my shed with nowhere to go.

The problem originally started with missing a collection, thinking about it this time it's down to that too - they changed the day without notice and it was only 3/4 full. I probably wouldn't have this extra bag if it wasn't for that.

OP posts:
Bunbaker · 30/01/2011 18:39

"I miust admit I dont understand how you can have so much rubbish, are you buying and replacing things all the time"

Same here. There are three of us and our grey bin is only half full after a fortnight. We recycle: plastic, cardboard, paper, glass, tins and garden waste. We also have a compost heap for veg peelings.

skydance · 30/01/2011 18:41

my sister has two and the council take them. I wish they did that here south I'd definately get an extra one.

skydance · 30/01/2011 18:43

Meant to say, there's 5 of us, 1 in nappies, 2 in night nappies, I think that's a lot of our rubbish to start with, and we recycle everything we can.

ruddynorah · 30/01/2011 18:47

What is all this rubbish? Ours is fortnightly and never full, even with one baby in nappies.

onepieceoflollipop · 30/01/2011 18:48

I'm wondering if the food waste is more than "average" which bulks it out. Also someone said about the packaging that some stuff comes in?

We have the equivalent of one small bag of food waste that is composted. (obviously not everything, but raw veg peelings and fruit cores, a few used tissues, teabags some shredded paper)

Each week on average we have 3 full kitchen bin bags (standard sized bin, we empty bin every 1-2 days to cut down on smells but in total about 3 bags full, maximum)

Then probably one further carrier sized bag. I go round and empty bathroom binx1 and bedroom binsx2. Mainly tissues tbh. Empty shampoo bottles recycled. The odd razor blade, the odd tampon (mainly use mooncup)

Oh and 7 pullups (dd2 not dry at night).

Tend to use flannels rather than wipes (especially on faces after meals)

realistically I could probably cut the kitchen waste down a bit more (e.g. I should rinsed the aluminium tray that the veg came in but I was naughty and didn't)

we have very little food waste, hardly any. I used to (for example) chuck bread crusts but now I slice them if they are thick and use for toast.

onepieceoflollipop · 30/01/2011 18:50

A year ago we missed 4 collections (long story, bad weather and bad binmen Wink) and it was just after Christmas. Admittedly the bin was getting full, but we weren't desperate.

sharbie · 30/01/2011 18:52

i have your problem too op and it is really annoying - the rubbish collects and smells its awful. we use sheds but that causes problems too.we end up sometimes using local relatives space in their bins.its a nightmare, the sooner weekly collection is brought back the better.

Original poster
lubeybooby · 30/01/2011 18:55

Gosh, I don't know how you all do it.

As I say I don't think I have a massive amount of surplus but it certainly becomes a problem over say 3 months or so and a big problem if a collection is missed

I often find neighbours rubbish dumped in my bin but I don't know who is doing it. I can't keep my bin round the back either as I'm too scared of missing a collection. Argh.

I think I need to compost, but I have no idea how? where do I start with that?

OP posts:
Original poster
lubeybooby · 30/01/2011 18:55

Sorry you are having the same prob sharbie, it's horrible.

OP posts:
onepieceoflollipop · 30/01/2011 18:56

We got a compost bin from the council, fairly cheap. It is in a corner of the garden. We have a smaller compost bin (plastic container) in kitchen.

Try your council website? We got a leaflet with it to explain how to do it.

Original poster
lubeybooby · 30/01/2011 18:57

Ok will look into it, thank you. What can you compost?

OP posts:
Beamur · 30/01/2011 18:59

Will your Council allow you to call up and arrange a one-off collection of extra rubbish? Some places let you arrange collection of large items and such like.

Original poster
lubeybooby · 30/01/2011 19:00

beamur they do but it's £30 for 3 items and they say it has to be a furniture type item, sofa, wardrobe etc.

Maybe I'm missing something on the website... will have to call them and ask for advice I think. And definitely have to start composting.

OP posts:
onepieceoflollipop · 30/01/2011 19:02

Basically you can compost all raw veg and fruit waste such as peelings, cores, rotten veg etc. not cooked.

Also tea bags and coffee grounds and tealeaves.

You add some grass clippings and also a small amount of paper such as tissues, shredded paper etc.

This is just a general idea you would need to look into it more.

No cooked veg/fruit.

Nothing like bread, fish, meat, protein, carbohydrate (unless you are keen to have some rats Wink)

Beamur · 30/01/2011 19:24

£30 is flippin steep!
Composting is easy once you get started. Great for the garden too.
75% greens (ie veg peelings, grass cuttings)
25% browns (unbleached paper, sawdust - esp if from rabbits/guinea pig hutches) is ideal.
Wash egg shells too -again to deter rats

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