GeoffM

We often fill our recycling wheelie bin to the brim, yet the general waste wheelie bin is rarely anywhere near full. The recycling bin is 70gal but the general waste is bigger. I asked if I could have a bigger recycling bin but the answer was "no, we only do the 70gal version". But the neighbors have full size recycling bins: "no sir, we only do the 70gal version". So I should put excess recycling material in the general waste? "Yes".

Well done, Valley Vista Services, great job.

AmerLisa

Our bins (recycling and general waste) are about the same size. You can get smaller or bigger general waste, we have smaller as we are only a family of 3. And we usually fill our recycling as well, however I do wish they had separate bins, for example, glass. When we lived in King County, the area we lived in had separate bins and you had to separate your recycling before they picked it up. It seemed more efficient and then you didn't have to make a trip to the recycling place to get rid of glass!

kimilseung

We have several (I think 5) sizes of garbage, the bigger the more cost. For recycling, it is free and there is no limit on amount, you can ask for extra recycle wheelies. (Seattle)

Yorkieabroad

We just switched over to 64gallon wheelie bins for recycling last year - prior to that we had the plastic boxes to put out. Wheelie bins are much better, but like you, we fill it too quickly. We just use the old plastic boxes to put the extra in. Our trash can is the same size, and we rarely even get it 1/3 full, although that is emptied twice a week versus once a week for recycling.

Neighbours (same household size as us) somehow manage to fill 3 trash cans twice a week, but never put out recycling unless they have big boxes from the latest purchase. How they generate so much trash is beyond me.

Pulaski

Our bins are 96 gallons each. We flatten all our plastic and paper waste (we'd run out of room every two week cycle if we didn't) before it goes in the bin with glass bottles and jars, and only put it out when it's full, which is either on the two-weekly cycle, or sometimes we skip a collection. We recycle everything we possibly can.

The garbage bin also only goes out when full, though collection is weekly. As I type in mid June, the bin is almost full, and may have to be emptied in the next 2-3 weeks, ...... for the second time this year!

Metal waste, mostly food cans, whether steel or aluminum, I hold back and sell for scrap. The last time I took some, I got 12¢/lb for steel, and I think, 20¢/lb for aluminum.

Michael

In the bay area, originally we were given separate boxes for recycling glass and plastic and another for paper but none for cuttings and then they changed to a large recycling bin for all which was larger than the trash bin.

Normally most recycling companies in California allow one free annual pickup per year (must be scheduled) for appliances, furniture, and boxed waste (usually construction material is not allowed since that should be hauled away by the contractor).

GeoffM

Our collections are weekly and yes there have been times I've not bothered putting out the general waste as it's nowhere near full. I forgot that we also sell the glass bottles and aluminium cans at a recycling place, so we don't even put out all our recyclables for collection. I think I'll email and ask about having an extra bin then.

We also have a full size green bin for garden waste and as Michael says we have a free collection of bulky waste every so often.

Anyway, the reason the conversation came about was because I was past due on the bill - which they'd never sent. So I've now got to wait another week before I can put any more recyclables out.

Speedwell

I live in a flat and the complex does not offer recycling. I should mention it to them.

But as for keeping trash for more than a couple days this time of year in muggy, buggy Houston.... uh, no thanks, not a convenience to me, though it may be to the fruit flies and roaches.

Pulaski

I should have said, food scraps generally go down the garbage disposal. Perhaps a quarter of our garbage is used cat litter, and nearly as much is disposable drink cups. Much of the rest is tissues and paper towels.

kimilseung

Ours goes in the yard waste.

GeoffM

I heard that using the garbage disposal instead of putting food scraps straight in the bin is better for the environment: less methane or something.

Pulaski

We do that with vegetable waste, but not meat. Even the egg shells eventually, after nine years, started to attract raccoons.

Yorkieabroad

Our bulky stuff is hauled away for free any Monday, without notice, as long as we get it to the kerbside (trashcans are collected from the top of the driveway, or the garden if we leave the side gate open). I walk the dog late on a Sunday night, and I often see the same couple of trucks cruising the neighbourhood looking for anything decent that's been dragged to the kerb

Yorkieabroad

My B-I-L puts his meat waste in his compost pile....everything you read says not to, but obviously he knows better.............

Speedwell

They won't allow us to do that in my complex. The manager insists it is just for what you rinse off the plates after you scrape them into the bin. She does not even agree to peeling carrots in the sink and shoving the peelings down, something I grew up doing my whole life.

I now use one of those "scrap bowls" for food prep trimmings and such. Empty it into a plastic shopping bag, tie it off, run it to the Dumpster while the meal cooks.