Is it wrong to put trash in your neighbor's trash can?

[nile455]

This was a one time thing, but the other night I put a small bag of trash in my neighbor's trash can. I admit it was out of laziness (her trash can was closer to me than my own), but I figured since it's just trash and it's all being picked up in the morning that it wouldn't be a big deal. She removed that bag and threw it on my driveway.

Isn't trash just trash? I can't imagine caring if someone put a small amount of trash in mine. It's weird how someone can get so possessive about.... trash.

 

[Nancyg56]

I think that it is disrespectful to assume that you can use someone elses possessions before you ask permission. O have placed a bag in my neighbors can but he has told me it was okay.

This would not bother me, but I would not think that others would be okay with it.

 

[Christine]

Well, the world is a weird place these days.

If you don't know your neighbors well, they might just be thinking "Well, why did neighbor put their trash in MY can, when their can is right there." It could appear to be a little suspicious/odd. They probably didn't think about the distance.

 

[JaxDad]

This was a one time thing, but the other night I put a small bag of trash in my neighbor's trash can. I admit it was out of laziness (her trash can was closer to me than my own), but I figured since it's just trash and it's all being picked up in the morning that it wouldn't be a big deal. She removed that bag and threw it on my driveway.

Isn't trash just trash? I can't imagine caring if someone put a small amount of trash in mine. It's weird how someone can get so possessive about.... trash.

It's not something I would do without asking, but it wouldn't bother me if someone did it to me (as long as they closed the lid properly).

 

[ronandannette]

I think that it is disrespectful to assume that you can use someone elses possessions before you ask permission. O have placed a bag in my neighbors can but he has told me it was okay.

This would not bother me, but I would not think that others would be okay with it.

Completely agree with this. There's TONS of things I would tolerate if it were done to me that I wouldn't dream of doing myself. It's not my place to decide what others' boundaries should or shouldn't be.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

Some cities have bylaws about this very thing. Ours does - you're not supposed to borrow your neighbors can, because the property owner is liable for what is in the bin (fines for dead animals, recyclables, paint/aerosol cans), PLUS our bylaw clearly states that the contents of the bin now belong to the City when you drop it in. The bin belongs to your property, and its contents are City-owned trash.

Sooooo if you look out your window and see someone else using your trash can, you can call bylaw... yeah... when people decide to illegally dump, they go wild. We had an instance in our city about a man being harassed by the city for a >$1000+ cleanup because in the middle of the night a construction company illegally dumped their construction trash ALL over his property. Even with security cameras, the city says he's the property owner, it's his responsibility. Now, he has evidence that he can take to a lawyer and sue the company, but that doesn't change the fact that HE has to pay out of pocket to clean up the company's mess!

So.... I agree with PP that if your need is super great (like gutting a house), please ask your neighbour for permission!

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

I for one could care less, unless you are throwing something that will get me fined.
Reeally why would I care.
About a month ago someone dumped a giant fish tank. That pissed me off because it was enormous. I live on corner in isoalated spot so sometimes I get people dumping stuff but this was enormous. The garbage truck passed it by because the two workers alone could not lift. I tracked them down and it took all three of us to get it into the truck. So that one pissed me off, but really don't get annoyed when people throw something in.

 

[ForMyBoys]

Perhaps they had trash they needed to put in their can and yours was overfilling it so they were annoyed? I wouldn't have tossed the bag into your driveway, I would have just asked you not to do that.
But trust me neighbors can act way worse. Years back our neighbor to the right put his additional Christmas trash into our garbage can and our neighbor across the street. It did not bother us but it really did bother our neighbor across the street. The neighbors across the street were so annoyed they made huge signs that said something like "Our neighbor is a ***********." or something along those lines. The signs definitely had large swear words written on them. So we woke up Christmas morning to leave for church and that is what we were greeted with. My husband went to talk to them to make sure they knew it wasn't us, I actually never talked to them again after that since I can't imagine being so angry that I would have ever thought that was appropriate. They were a couple and the fact that two people thought this was ok floored me. They were a big reason we moved, I didn't want to live across from that kind of crazy.

 

[CarolAnn856]

If someone asked me, I'd be more than happy to tell them to go ahead. But putting your trash in someone else's can without asking is rude.

 

[Allison]

Yes, it's wrong. You don't do that without asking.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

If someone asked me, I'd be more than happy to tell them to go ahead. But putting your trash in someone else's can without asking is rude.

Bingo.

I'd give it back if you didn't bother to ask too.

 

[Caseheidi]

I have picked up garbage on the street/sidewalk when passing a neighbors house and put it in their can when it is on the steeet while walking by, but I would never put a bag of trash from my house in their can without permission. The first I feel is cleaning up their property and is not invasive. The other is just rude.

 

[dclpluto]

What you did was wrong

 

[lifesavacation]

You should always ask.

 

[kimblebee]

Wouldn’t bother me in the least. If it was the night before pickup how would they know unless they were peeking out their window or something. Our garbage bin plus recycling bin stay in the back lane so if someone put something in our bin chances are we would never know. If we needed to throw out something and our bin was full, I’d just put it in the neighbours bin lol

We don’t pay per item picked up or anything so an extra bag once in a while means nothing. Plus, I’d rather someone use my bin than have it end up just tossed in the back lane.

It’s garbage. Garbage.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Admittedly I do not know your local rules about trash so my comments are in part due to my own rules.

This was a one time thing, but the other night I put a small bag of trash in my neighbor's trash can. I admit it was out of laziness (her trash can was closer to me than my own), but I figured since it's just trash and it's all being picked up in the morning that it wouldn't be a big deal.

Well trash is just trash sure in the larger sense but it doesn't allow you to just willy nilly put your trash whereever you see fit.

She removed that bag and threw it on my driveway.

Me personally I would have put it in your trash can/barrel only the one time. If I saw it happen again (or knew it was you) I wouldn't be as nice the next time. However, I understand why she did what she did.

Isn't trash just trash?

In the grand scheme yes. On the small scheme-no. In some cities that I've lived in you have to pay for excess garbage that doesn't fit in your trash can/barrel. In my current city that's not an issue but the neighboring city it is and it's a steep overage charge (you have to buy stickers to put on the excess bags). So your bag at any given point could become an issue for your neighbor.

I can't imagine caring if someone put a small amount of trash in mine.

Yeah I could. I don't need people using my trash can as their own even though we rarely have a lot of trash (we have much more recycling). If you asked and she said "sure" no harm no foul then.

It's weird how someone can get so possessive about.... trash.

It's not possessiveness. It's basically a "hey this is for my house, your trash can/barrel is for your house---therefore use your trash can/barrel that corresponds to your house"

 

[Shanti]

This was a one time thing, but the other night I put a small bag of trash in my neighbor's trash can. I admit it was out of laziness (her trash can was closer to me than my own), but I figured since it's just trash and it's all being picked up in the morning that it wouldn't be a big deal. She removed that bag and threw it on my driveway.

Isn't trash just trash? I can't imagine caring if someone put a small amount of trash in mine. It's weird how someone can get so possessive about.... trash.

You shouldn't have done that. It's their property, and their decision to make about whether or not they want to share it. Maybe they planned to put some big trash in it later- you never know & shouldn't assume on behalf of someone else that it's no big deal.

You've got your own garbage can for a reason.

 

[Mizzoufan]

As long as it doesn't it end up being bags. I'm ok. put the lid down and make sure the trash gets in the can and doesnt fall all over we should be ok.

 

[ronandannette]

Sooooo if you look out your window and see someone else using your trash can, you can call bylaw... yeah... when people decide to illegally dump, they go wild. We had an instance in our city about a man being harassed by the city for a >$1000+ cleanup because in the middle of the night a construction company illegally dumped their construction trash ALL over his property. Even with security cameras, the city says he's the property owner, it's his responsibility. Now, he has evidence that he can take to a lawyer and sue the company, but that doesn't change the fact that HE has to pay out of pocket to clean up the company's mess!

So.... I agree with PP that if your need is super great (like gutting a house), please ask your neighbour for permission!

My company spends tens-of-thousands of dollars a year hauling trash away from our constructions sights. The big, commercial bins are frequently filled by area residents who feel perfectly at liberty to toss furniture, tires, their own reno debris, combustibles and yes, dead pets in. I'd like to personally throw all that crap back on their yards, but life's too short...

Wouldn’t bother me in the least. If it was the night before pickup how would they know unless they were peeking out their window or something. Our garbage bin plus recycling bin stay in the back lane so if someone put something in our bin chances are we would never know. If we needed to throw out something and our bin was full, I’d just put it in the neighbours bin lol

We don’t pay per item picked up or anything so an extra bag once in a while means nothing. Plus, I’d rather someone use my bin than have it end up just tossed in the back lane.

It’s garbage. Garbage.

But would you presume do the same to your neighbours without permission and just expect them to be fine with it? I think that's where we're all lining up here. I totally agree that I wouldn't go to war with a recalcitrant neighbour if they used my garbage cart, but I do consider it very poor manners, especially when the OP points out her own bin was just a little further away.

 

[3DisneyBuggs]

Around here if there is any recyling mixed in your trash you can get a fine. I would get annoyed if a neighbipor used my trash can, not put a sign up annoyed but annoyed. Last month my neighbor had company for a week due to a death in the family. He asked to use our pail on garbage day and we said yes. He does recycle so no worries there.