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

[mi*vida*loca]

I have too much going on in my life to worry about someone placing trash in my bin. It wouldn’t cross my radar. Don’t sweat the small stuff and all that. Who knew it was such an issue.

 

[disneychrista]

I am paying for trash service it is not okay for a neighbor to assume it is okay to use my cans without permission.

I had new neighbors decide to FILL my green waste with apples from their backyard. I hadn't even meet them before this.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I would never do it without asking. I really wouldn't mind if the neighbor put stuff in ours if there was extra room. It would be nice if they asked first, but it is not a big deal.

 

[IAHFTPT]

My closest neighbor is so far away that I'd be really concerned it they were using my bins instead of their own.

 

[mom2rtk]

We pay for our pick-up. And it's not cheap. We pay extra to have more than one can so I'm not ok with someone else cheaping out on theirs an using ours for the overflow. I had a neighbor who actually did just that for a while though. I never did say anything to her, although if it happened today I probably would.

 

[Domo]

One of the greatest failings of our local council a few years back was that it got in a spat with the sanitary services... very quickly, rubbish and waste built up in the streets. The foxes and seagulls must have thought Christmas had come early! Nasty little situation that...

 

[because]

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.

I am thinking there is more to the story than this. You have admitted that you are lazy and entitled. Did your neighbor throw the trash back in your yard because she is fed up?

I think it is extremely rude and entitled to think one can just use someone else's can especially when theirs is right there and they are just too lazy to take a few more steps. You have no idea what the neighbor's plans are for depositing their trash.

Due to wind, we often fill our trash cans when we hear the trucks coming up the street. I would be super, super annoyed to see trash already in the bin taking space needed for my own.

 

[luvsJack]

We are not permitted to leave our trash cans on the curb. They go out the night before after sunset and are removed the next day before 5PM.

Yep another reason I like living in the country. My drive way is a tenth of a mile long I would HATE having to roll it that far every day.

 

[stsomewhere]

I have put trash in my neighbor's cans. We put ours out the night before. We have separate cans for trash and yard waste. If i just have a few sticks, I put it in my neighbors' can. We have an elderly neighbor, we rake her yard, shovel her snow, cut grass etc. If my neighbors needed to put extra in mine, I would not have a problem. Guess we are just an easy going neighborhood.

 

[luvsJack]

I am thinking there is more to the story than this. You have admitted that you are lazy and entitled. Did your neighbor throw the trash back in your yard because she is fed up?

I think it is extremely rude and entitled to think one can just use someone else's can especially when theirs is right there and they are just too lazy to take a few more steps. You have no idea what the neighbor's plans are for depositing their trash.

Due to wind, we often fill our trash cans when we hear the trucks coming up the street. I would be super, super annoyed to see trash already in the bin taking space needed for my own.

A little harsh doncha think? Everyone has their "lazy" moments. Gee. And I just don't see a little bag of trash as being "entitled".

 

[ols386]

It wouldn’t bother me if a neighbor put trash in my trash as long as it’s not anything illegal or of any danger to another person or animal. I would, however, think it’s rude to do so, but I wouldn’t confront them about it.

 

[nile455]

Fascinating responses, and some of them literally made me LOL. No we don't pay for trash pickup. And no it wasn't a large bag, nor was it an open bottle of pepsi, or a bag of dog poop, or a pizza box, or dirty diapers, or recyclables, or illegals, or anything else that should make a normal person even bat an eye. It was a small plastic CVS bag that was tied/knotted up and was placed in her large can that had had plenty of room and had already been placed out front for pickup. I actually don't know how she knew it was me, but maybe she saw me. Yes I was being lazy, I already admitted that, but I think some of the reactions here are ridiculous. But that's one of the reasons I love this board.

By the way, if throwing trash in a trash can is illegal, what does that make littering? Isn't that what she did?

 

[msjprincess]

I wouldn't do it, but I wouldn't care if someone put trash into my garbage can.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

How did she know it was yours??

And tbh, this is something I’ve never thought about. I have put my garbage in someone else’s can from time to time. I never knew it was such a faux pau

They are but she’s saying her neighbors were closer to her own. How did the neighbor know who threw garbage in her bin? That’s my question

___________________
Well in this case there's no question..the OP is the one who put their trash in their neighbor's trash can and that trash eventually was brought right back to the OP's property so in this situation the neighbor knew.

In other situations it may not be as easy. Someone could if it was a persistent problem look to do something like cameras or whatnot. I understand that in reality all one can do is be annoyed if this were to happen to them but if you actually know who is doing it it becomes a slightly different situation.

As for putting your trash in someone else's can most people are cool if you ask permission and if it is more the norm, as another poster talked about, then it becomes a different situation too. It could be you never knew it was a faux pas if you never actually asked for permission to do so. You may find those people who you put your trash in don't care one bit and you may also find out that those people do care.

 

[Skywalker]

Yep another reason I like living in the country. My drive way is a tenth of a mile long I would HATE having to roll it that far every day.

You get garbage pick up every day? Where's that?

 

[Allison]

or anything else that should make a normal person even bat an eye.

Wow. Nice.

It doesn't really matter how you feel about it. It matters how your neighbor feels about it. Just because you think it is okay, doesn't make her wrong or not normal because she doesn't want you to do it.

 

[nile455]

Wow. Nice.

It doesn't really matter how you feel about it. It matters how your neighbor feels about it. Just because you think it is okay, doesn't make her wrong or not normal because she doesn't want you to do it.

What I meant is, a normal person wouldn't take a small innocent CVS bag of trash out from her can and throw it on your lawn because it was sitting along with her own trash.

I feel good knowing that this level of pettiness doesn't exist in my household.

 

[disykat]

I would have no problem with my neighbor's putting trash in my can that had already been placed for pickup if there was still room in it. (Assuming of course that it wasn't dead animals or something deemed too stinky for their own trash can.) If I have room, I've already filled it and moved it to the curb and there is unused space already paid for, and the trash is being picked up within hours, why wouldn't I want them to use it?

Now, if neighbors were coming down my driveway and stuffing garbage in my can by my house that kept me from putting my own trash in it - I'd be mad!

 

[lynxstch]

I am on the side of 'yes' it's rude. We had a neighbor across the street, who kept putting his trash with ours. We pay for our trash pick up here. They don't allow you to split the cost with a neighbor either. The first week, I ignored it, the second week, I picked his bag up and put it back on his patio. I knew it was his as I opened the bag and his mail with the name and address was in the trash. Figured that would be the end of it. But no,the third week, 2 bags of trash appeared with ours. I picked them both up, walked across the street, put it back on his patio, and taped a note telling him the name of the trash company, their phone #, how much they charged, and what they would pick up. He came across the street telling me that I was rude? I said no it's rude to keep putting your trash with ours, without paying for it! I said if you want your trash picked up, pay for it, as we are not paying for yours to be picked up! He stopped doing it after that. I never see him put trash out, so he must take it somewhere else and dump it now.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

What I meant is, a normal person wouldn't take a small innocent CVS bag of trash out from her can and throw it on your lawn because it was sitting along with her own trash.

I feel good knowing that this level of pettiness doesn't exist in my household.

It’s not petty to expect your neighbors to be mindful of what’s yours and what is theirs. (Regarding the bins that is... I had no idea until this thread that the actual trash can belong to city in some places.)

What was wrong with your own can? If it was full why not just ask first?