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

[luvsJack]

We had 2 months in the spring where our can disappeared on trash day before we got home. Think a neighbor who was moving nicked it from us to fill up with moving garbage, as I saw 2 full cans in a driveway down the street.

It took 2 months and several phone calls for the county/company to bring us another.

It was interesting figuring out what to do with our garbage during that time. If it wasn't too stinky, I would bring it to the dumpster at work in my van. Other times, dh would add it to the widowed neighbor's can by the street the night before trash day. Other times, I would deposit it in a neighbor's bin on the way to work.

Fortunately, we recycle more than have for garbage.

But what a pain in the backside.

This reminds me of the problems DS and dil had with the garbage company. When they married, dil had a small house. They decided to buy a bigger house just down the road. The garbage company told them to just take their can and they would bring the new residents another can. So they did. But the guy they bought the house from left his can. So she called the company and said she didn't want to pay for two cans so they could pick one up. They picked both of them up! So they went a month with no can with her calling at least 3 times a week. Finally they brought back. . . BOTH cans. So dil said fine we will just keep it. Now they were being charged while the can was gone but when they brought the two cans back, they stopped billing them. She would call or try to pay and they would refuse. Then one night two kids went around painting obscene stuff on garbage cans with black spray paint. So she then called and said to pick the painted one up. They brought another can and never picked up the painted one. Lol. Dil threw her hands up.

At current count they have 3 cans and are only billed for one when they aren't credited instead of billed. Every week they put all three cans out so they can pick up the extras and every week they leave all 3.

 

[DISNEYSQUIRRELS]

It's always awesome to see who's who in these forums! If someone has to ask... "Is it wrong to put trash in your neighbor's trash can?" you know the answer! Would you mind that same neighbor coming into your yard without permission & plucking some of your flowers or veggies from your garden? Really??

 

[Chocolate Cake]

There was no way the household would notice or have any issue with it - unless they were particularly mean.

But what if the owner of this trash can had the rare poo-smell-induced-asthma as your dad? What if they had to add more trash to their can and when they opened up the lid BAM! The same asthma attack you protected your dad from is now their issue?

How would your dad notice the smell (so badly it would trigger his asthma), but the owner of the can is not to have an issue with such a stench?

 

[CarolAnn856]

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

They issue them to residents. They are all identical, as are our recycling bins. If you sell your house and move, you leave the bins for the new owner. This is not what I grew up with in another state but is the norm where I live now.

 

[nile455]

It's always awesome to see who's who in these forums! If someone has to ask... "Is it wrong to put trash in your neighbor's trash can?" you know the answer! Would you mind that same neighbor coming into your yard without permission & plucking some of your flowers or veggies from your garden? Really??

You really think ripping up someone's flowers is the same as putting a tiny bag of trash in their trash can as it waits to be picked up?

 

[pearlieq]

You really think ripping up someone's flowers is the same as putting a tiny bag of trash in their trash can as it waits to be picked up?

Actually, yeah, that's about equivalent, in terms of transgressions. If a neighbor came into your yard and picked one of your flowers, it probably wouldn't kill your plant. Heck, you might not even notice. But they still would have been entering your property without your permission and helping themselves to something that wasn't theirs.

If I were your neighbor I probably wouldn't have returned your trash, but I wouldn't be too thrilled about it either. If you were otherwise a friendly and good neighbor I would probably let it slide as long as it didn't get out of hand. If that's all of knew of you, I wouldn't be too impressed.

 

[nile455]

Actually, yeah, that's about equivalent, in terms of transgressions.

Lol. No, they are not equal. Maybe you should think about these two things a little more.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

My mind is completely blown right now. Who knew trash could bother someone so much. Wow. I’m literally reading some of these comments with my mouth hanging open. Lol

 

[nile455]

My mind is completely blown right now. Who knew trash could bother someone so much. Wow. I’m literally reading some of these comments with my mouth hanging open. Lol

You keep your trash away from my trash!!!

 

[Pacolovestacos]

You keep your trash away from my trash!!!

Again, not all trash is created equal. I guess you won't mind if I throw a half full Pepsi can in your trash or perhaps dispose of my puppy's bowel movements. Please provide your address so I can dispose of my waste.

 

[nile455]

Again, not all trash is created equal. I guess you won't mind if I throw a half full Pepsi can in your trash or perhaps dispose of my puppy's bowel movements.

Oh I agree that not all trash is equal, and I've made it clear (if you read my earlier posts in this thread) that my trash was not dog poop or leaking soda bottles or anything messy like that.

 

[Pacolovestacos]

Oh I agree that not all trash is equal, and I've made it clear (if you read my earlier posts in this thread) that my trash was not dog poop or leaking soda bottles or anything messy like that.

Better to just have a policy of "don't use my trashcan" than "you may use it for this type of trash but not this kind."

 

[NHdisneylover]

I think somewhere along the lines we have crossed lines severely.

When I deposited my trash, there was very, very little of it. It was properly sealed. It was "produced" in a remote location, far from a communal or personal bin. My father was with us - God knows why - and he's sensitive to these aromas. As I made a judgement call, based on my religious teachings. I used a remote household's bin. It took up zero room. It was not going to leak. There was no way the household would notice or have any issue with it - unless they were particularly mean. I am not in the practice of depositing large amounts of rubbish in nearby bins when mine are so readily available.

So the odor was bad enough, even tied in the bag, that your father could not bear to be around it, but it is fine to put that into someone's space and make their bin all stinky? Geeze.
Quite honestly, if your father's asthma is set off by smelling dog poop--to the point that you must get baggged poop out of the vicinity and do so by placing it in someone else's trash bin without permission, he should not be going with you to walk a dog. My son and I both have asthma---like most asthmatics, we actively try to avoid situations which are likely to cause an attack. Some things, like a forrest fire in the area we live/work adding particulates to the air, etc cannot be avoided---but somehtign like going with someone to walk their pet if the walk or pet is likely to set off an attack? Yeah, that is easy to manage.

 

[NHdisneylover]

So I am curious. Those that this would bother so much, would you know? Do you watch your cans? And if someone put a little bag in your can what would you do?

In all the many years we had bins for just our house, no, I never "watched" my trash can. But I keep windows open and often notice if someone is going by or stopping near my yard at a time I do not expect it---so there would've been a good chance I would see it happen. If someone stops in your front yard and you are not expecting someone one, it tends ot be noticed even without trying to "watch" for anything.

And we nearly always rolled the cans out before dinner the night before----when getting home for the evening and still having shoes on, etc----and then took out dinner trash later that night if the weather stayed nice (not pouring rain) or in the morning if the trash hadn't already ben picked up. So we'd possibly notice then that somethign had been added---and if it kept us from being able to close the bins properly, or it stunk, I doubt I'd miss it being there when i opned the bin.

The standard where we live is one 80 liter container for trash per household---this is picked up every second week and you pay for each pick up on top of the basic service fee , many households only set it out once a month. 150 liter recycling, picked up every other week at no added charge beyond the basic service fee but if you have extra which does not fit you have to buy special prepay bags to leave next to it, 80 liters for compost which is picked up weekly from May to October and and every other week otherwise and 40 liters for glass picked up once a month, but you can get more of those bins and no extra cost.

So, yes, in an 80 liter bin that I pay for every pick upand cannot get picked up more than every second week, I NOTICED when people added to it.

Now we live in a condo. Our 21 unit building has a locking "trash hut" and we pay extra for the trash people to come in and unlock it and take the bins out to empty---this is cheaper than paying for the extra trash "we" generate otherwise when neighborss not living here think they can just pitch into out bins.

 

[disneymom3]

Shrugs.

I saved my dad from an asthma attack, and I am rude.

As I said, I go by my religion too, strongly.

But we'll probably never see eye - eye. Not a bad thing sometimes.

Peace.

So it was bad enough to trigger an asthma attack in your dad but the people whose can you used would be the rude ones if it bothered them. Yeah, ok. I have a dog and would NOT want someone else throwing their dog's poop in my trash. Someone who doesn't even have a dog? I can tell you, that would have made me really angry.

As for if I would know if a neighbor used our trash can, apparently none of you have dogs who have a heart attack when someone stops at the end of your driveway. I would look out to see what is causing her to lose her mind.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Here would be my problem with the poop and sugary drinks ect....

Do they take up much room? Nope.
Would I likely notice? Nope.

But unless it is the dead of winter, even tied in a bag, that stuff attracts flies, other bugs, and nasty bacteria. We have cats and dogs and yes we do throw their waste away, but we have a certain way we prefer to do it.

Domo, I get it. I don’t think you maliciously left the bag in someone else’s can. I’m sure you weren’t ringing your hands like “mwahahahahaha! Now THEY get the stink!” But in your first post about it you basically said you did it so you car wouldn’t stink. Fine, no one likes a smelly car. But when others said they wouldn’t appreciate it, it's not really fair to basically start calling people a bunch a meanies.

People have different opinions about MANY different things. One persons petty is another persons pet peeve.

 

[Pacolovestacos]

Not sure if this has been brought up but isn't it illegal to throw your trash in someone's bin if they are paying for private collection? I believe that would be considered "theft of service."

 

[tarheel618]

Wasn't there a thread similar to this a few years back only it was from the point of view of the neighbor. I seem to remember someone taking the trash and throwing it on the neighbors porch???

 

[Domo]

But what if the owner of this trash can had the rare poo-smell-induced-asthma as your dad? What if they had to add more trash to their can and when they opened up the lid BAM! The same asthma attack you protected your dad from is now their issue?

How would your dad notice the smell (so badly it would trigger his asthma), but the owner of the can is not to have an issue with such a stench?

Amazingly, their bin is well out on the kurb and no-where near their house

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Amazingly, their bin is well out on the kurb and no-where near their house

They still have to open and close it. What if the bag somehow gets ripped? Now they're responsible for cleaning out their can.

***I understand not everyone washes out their cans but we do.