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

[okeydokey]

You were wrong not to ask. Using someone else's things without asking is rude.

 

[robinb]

I don't think it's a big deal to put garbage in someone else's can, especially if it's going to be picked up the next morning. Frankly, I think your neighbor was pretty passive aggressive dumping your trash back on your driveway. I guess I would feel differently if I had to pay some kind of tipping fee.

 

[melanielll]

We used to live where you had to pay per can. People would walk around like zombies the night before pick-up trying to put stuff in other people's cans. It was totally annoying. We paid for an extra can, but wouldn't put it out until just before trash time. People needed to suck it up and pay for their own trash.

On a side note - the Goodwill drop-off spot was often filled by people dumping trash. I knew people who would fill a bag with trash and put a few used things on top so that it would look like a donation. Plus - people used to go by drive-up windows and put stuff into the trash cans in the line and then leave without ordering. Good times.

 

[Poohforyou]

I wouldn't care one bit as long as we still had room for our stuff. We'll often put our can out and then maybe do one last sweep of the house for trash and take it out so a neighbor's bag might not allow us to put in our last load.

I wouldn't throw the neighbor's bag on their driveway because that isn't an acceptable solution IMO. Some animal will have a field day dragging stuff all over.

 

[Chocolate Cake]

Totally wrong and very rude. How can you think it is ok not to ask? What if they had last minute garbage and they couldn't fit it in THEIR can because of you?

I started a thread about this a while back:

https://www.disboards.com/threads/neighbor-filled-my-trash-can-furious-long-vent.3492803/

 

[Disneylover99]

It would bother me and I think it's rude.

 

[nile455]

Totally wrong and very rude. How can you think it is ok not to ask? What if they had last minute garbage and they couldn't fit it in THEIR can because of you?

I started a thread about this a while back:

https://www.disboards.com/threads/neighbor-filled-my-trash-can-furious-long-vent.3492803/

Thanks for the link. However, this is not exactly apples-to-apples. Your neighbor, as you say, filled your trash can with two kitchen sized garbage bags. How is that possibly the same thing as one drugstore bag that takes up almost no space?

 

[Chocolate Cake]

Thanks for the link. However, this is not exactly apples-to-apples. Your neighbor, as you say, filled your trash can with two kitchen sized garbage bags. How is that possibly the same thing as one drugstore bag that takes up almost no space?

Still so very rude. What if it was a "drugstore bag" filled with dog dirt? Now my garbage can smells. Diapers? Now I have to hose the stench out of my garbage can. Soda cans not washed out? Now ants in the garbage can and eventually the clean shed where I store them.

There are many reasons why you don't overstep neighborly boundaries. I pay for my cans. I don't want anyone to use them without asking.

 

[Hikergirl]

In the grand scheme of things putting a small bag in someone else's garbage isn't a big deal. However I think it says something about a person's ability to respect boundaries. It would never occur to me to put something in someone else's can, and if I needed too I would ask permission. Sure it is a small thing, but where do you draw the line at taking it upon yourself to use other people's property?

 

[nile455]

Still so very rude. What if it was a "drugstore bag" filled with dog dirt? Now my garbage can smells. Diapers? Now I have to hose the stench out of my garbage can. Soda cans not washed out? Now ants in the garbage can and eventually the clean shed where I store them.

There are many reasons why you don't overstep neighborly boundaries. I pay for my cans. I don't want anyone to use them without asking.

I eliminated literally every one of your scenarios in a previous post in this thread. There was nothing foul about the small bag. It was harmless. And small.

 

[cluvsdisney]

Are you friendly with this neighbor? Have you done this before or frequently?

In general, I don’t think it’s the biggest deal (provided I have room for my garbage, the extra bag is not making some kind of added mess to my pail, etc) but if someone I didn’t like was doing it or if it’s happened often, it would annoy me. Granted I would say stop doing that before resorting to throwing the garbage back on your property.

 

[Skellingtonj]

Our garbage is out right now. It’s pretty empty which is unusual and someone could b

I eliminated literally every one of your scenarios in a previous post in this thread. There was nothing foul about the small bag. It was harmless. And small.

I’m on your side here... I don’t see the harm... maybe if you did it over and over I’d see an issue...

 

[Pacolovestacos]

(Regarding the bins that is... I had no idea until this thread that the actual trash can belong to city in some places.)

I'm dubious about that claim but even so, there is trespassing. If I haven't given someone permission to step on my land to throw their trash out, that is trespassing. Ownership of the the actual trash can is irrelevant.

 

[bcla]

I'm dubious about that claim but even so, there is trespassing. If I haven't given someone permission to step on my land to throw their trash out, that is trespassing. Ownership of the the actual trash can is irrelevant.

Depends. Where I grew up the trash can was supposed to be placed by the house in a place where it was accessible, but most definitely on one's property. They've since switched to a curbside pickup using specific plastic rolling containers (for use with mechanical pickup arms) that are the property of the city's refuse contractor. There's no doubt since they're provided by the contractor.

I still live in a place where we provide the cans and get charged by the size/number of the cans. Mostly we leave it on the sidewalk although some homes have no sidewalks or curbs and it may end up on the street. They usually come by with a big rollaway can similar to the ones that other areas require and dump the contents of each can into it. So they still need to be able to lift the residential cans, although the machine arms picks up the rollaway can. I guess it's one thing to try and toss 50 lbs of garbage, but another when it's 150 lbs.

As for tossing stuff in a trash can, I've been known to maybe toss a candy bar wrapper or the like into any random trash can. It wouldn't bother me if someone did that with mine.

 

[mummabear]

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.

Without asking them yes.
We pay for a wheelie bin, if it’s filled with someone else’s then I have no where to put mine.

 

[aprilgail]

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.

I am glad we have the same town rule here- would make the area look like crap to have garbage cans sitting out by the curb 24/7.

I wouldn't care if someone put anything in our trash can if it was already out at the curb- pepsi or anything! So it leaks- the pail stays outside anyway so not like it is going inside the house or garage- now that would be gross keeping your trash can and garbage in your house or garage.

We get pick up 4 days a week and we can put out a dozen pails if we wanted to and they would take every one of them. Things like mattresses or large things (other than appliances) can go out twice a week- appliances you call for a special pick up and they get them the next day with a special truck. Someone throwing a bag of trash into our pail won't make a bit of difference to me- even if it filled up the pail and I had a trash bag to add in the morning I could just put that trash bag next to the garbage cans and they would take it- no big deal.

 

[CarolAnn856]

I'm dubious about that claim

Our township owns our trash bins. Our recycle bins are not our property, either.

Regardless, they are still in someone's posession, so even though we don't technically own them, it would still be rude to use someone else's without asking.

 

[Pacolovestacos]

Our township owns our trash bins. Our recycle bins are not our property, either.

So just curious about that, your township bought your trash bins for you then right?

 

[NHdisneylover]

So just curious about that, your township bought your trash bins for you then right?

I've lived in several areas where the town or waste company actually owns hte bins. When you move in and set up service they bring the bins out for your use while you live there, when you move away the last pick up they take the bins themselvs as well as the trash.

 

[NHdisneylover]

and was placed in her large can that had had plenty of room and had already been placed out front for pickup.

I find the part I left from your quote above odd----you seem to think that since the can was already at the curb the neighbors would not want to add to it---even though your can was also already set out, and you had this trash that needed added after the fact. If you sometimes add more later, why wouldn't it occur to you that others might do the same?

Anyway--generally speaking, I think it is serious overkill to have left hte bag in your yard if it was a one off and there are not other ongoing issues with the neighbors that might warrant them being espeiclaly annoyed with your actions. In their shoes, I'd probably shrug and ignor it if it were a one off, or maybe drop it back in your can. But, if it was an ongoign thing, yeah, I would get annoyed and probably eventually start returning your trash to you for you to dispose of in your can.