Tips for reducing rubbish I.E squashing it!!

[Sunnymeg]

I have just worked out, that due to missing two bin days during our forthcoming summer holiday, we will have to last nearly four weeks until our bin is collected. Our council have a strict policy that they will only empty one bin per household and will not take any other bags. The lid of the bin must close properly. We normally use three bin bags over a two week period, so am,anticipating using six a month. We recycle as much as we can, so can't see us reducing the amount that way. Unfortunately our neighbours are away at the same time, so cannot put the bin out for us.

Does anyone have any tips for reducing the actual bulk, we need to put in the bin?

Erm sorry if I'm missing something but if you're away (ie not there) you won't create as much waste anyway will you?

Get a ladder and put on some wellies. Have someone else who can keep a straight face nearby. Climb up the ladder, place one or two feet in the bin and stand on the rubbish. In my experience 12 year olds are the most willing to do this but lack the weight for it to be effective.

We will be home for four weeks with no bin collection due to the way the dates fall. Re the squashing thing, I know someone who broke four ribs when the bin moved as they were doing it and they fell to the floor.

Any other ideas?

if you recycle tins, glass, paper, cardboard, plastic and food waste, there isn't really a lot left!

I'm thinking what goes in my bin - plastic wrapping (I buy as little as possible) sweet papers, chocolate wrappers not that I eat chocolate of course and that's really it. I end up with about the same as you, three kitchen bin liners for two weeks which is well under half a wheely bin. Are you sure you have a problem?

However is there a nappy wearer in the house? That really bumps it up.

Just a thought if your out and about, take recyclables to the shops where they have the recycle bins outside or a trip to the tip if you know your going to be passing. Get the kids to make models with cardboard and yogurt pots. Start decluttering to make sure your house is as empty as possible for this collection before the next. Batch cook to get rid of packaging now and freeze so you just have a pot to wash.

Ask a neighbour to put the bins out?

*another

Do you have a car? If so can you take your rubbish to the skip those weeks?

if you have a Barbie or a chimena, you can put a lot of rubbish on the hot coals, a handful at a time (not plastics).

It may smoke a bit. A lid may help.

I only put my slim bin out once a month, and it is only half or 2/3 full.

I recycle everything I can. I also compost all fruit and vegetable peelings. I do not have a compost heap as such but I just throw them in a fairly inconspicuous area of my garden.

I don't buy ready meals or processed food, and I get my meat from the butcher's so I have not got much packaging to get rid of.

However, when I do have some packaging, I cut it in four pieces which I then pile on top of each other before putting them in the bin. That makes a huge difference to how much I can then put in a bin bag.

If you are not composting yet but are able to do it, it might be worth doing it, even if it is just temporarily to address your issue. It will enrich your soil too.

Cutting any voluminous packaging will make a difference too.

if necessary, you can put any non-food waste that will not rot, smell or attract flies (such as clean packaging, and tins or bottles that you have rinsed after washing up) in bin-bags and leave it until you come back.

Plan meals around stuff with recyclable packaging, or no packaging at all. Don't buy anything else.