STORM2K

I know that this is a little bit of an odd topic, but I haven't started one in a while. How do you dispose of our trash? Our Township does not provide trash collection. It's our responsibility. Many people just have a hauler pick it up at their house. I'm too resourseful (cheap) to pay for that, so I have it all worked out: (Note I said "I" and not "we" - it's my job!)

Recycling: There's roll-off containers at the township building for Al cans, #1 and #2 plastics, cans, clear and colored glass. They also take newspapers, magazines, and some cardboard, but I don't bother with them.

Most paper, cardboard, wood, and some yard waste: I burn in a barrel. (It's legal here)

Most yard waste: composter - A low tech 1 cy wood box I built - I just pile it in and the pile magically keeps going down. I don't really use it for mulch, just a means of disposal. I used to put some kitchen waste in there and it worked well, but it attracted rats so I bit the bullet on that one.

Kitchen and other: I take it to the transfer station every two weeks. I usually pay $10 for about 12 trash bags.

Misc. Metal items: There's a roll-off container at the transfer station. They take this for free.

Between recycling, burning and composting, I probably reduce our waste stream by about 2/3. If I paid a hauler, I'd probably pay about $20 a week.

The other family members think that I'm a little anal about it - I'll pick an aluminum can out of the kitchen wastebasket, wash it off, and put it in the recycling bucket and then correct them. They are learning though.

I was curious, does anyone else make as big of a deal out of it?

The city contracts for trash pickup here; there's also a compost dump, aluminum recycling bins placed citywide, etc.

We just stuff everything in our HUGE trash can with wheels and roll it out every Sunday and Wednseday night for early morning pickup.

Coppertop's room, however, needs a HAZMAT team to decontaminate it...and the city doesn't offer such services.

LOL Bill.

There is a city contract for garbage pick-up here as well. Neat thing about this is they pick up tree limbs, appliances and everything. Saves alot of hassle to try and get the city to pick it up.

City picks up trash, here. I do recycle al cans tho.

Our apartment's maintenance comes and picks it up and Monday-Friday and puts it in the trash compactor lol

On weekends or holidays.. I have to walk to the compactor myself lol

Our city of Lakeland has a recycle program for alumimun cans, paper(newsprint, cardboard) and plastic soda bottles and glass. Since we do not subscribe to a daily paper we don't contribute to that part of it but the rest of things like cans, milk jugs, soda bottles, glass jars get thrown into the recycle tub. The rest of the garbage is picked up by the city on the regular pickup day.

Here in Newport News the city takes care of trash pickup...dumpsters in businesses and apartment complexes are serviced by private contractors.

Trash is picked up twice a week in my "subdivison"... on Tuesdays and Fridays; (used to be Mondays and Thursdays). We were told to have it out the night before, but one day they come during the mid morning the other not until the early to mid afternoon... so we have been putting at the end of our driveway in the morning. There are numerous houses in my community.

Florida doesn't have five cent refunds like Massachusetts and other states do on bottle and cans; however the Lion's Club has a garbage can at our postal station for cans. Michigan has 10 cent on bottle and can returns.


States celebrating special anniversaries this year:
Enactment Anniversary: Connecticut and Iowa (25 years)

Implementation Anniversary: Vermont (30 years), Maine and Michigan (25 years), Delaware, Massachusetts and New York (20 years).

Three other states have bottle bills: California, Oregon and Hawaii.

Residents of Lafayette Parish are REQUIRED to use the waste management company that the city/parish government has a contract with to pick up our trash. It is billed on your monthly utility bill along with water and sewer. Businesses can choose who they want for their trash pickup.

Recycling is optional. But they pick up glass, paper, plastic and aluminum.

Yard waste is picked up once a week.