See title. I realized that trash collection systems sometimes differ between streets… so this is just about where you live, whether it is one specific street/building or an entire country. No need to mention exactly where if you don’t feel comfortable.

For where I currently live. Government makes colored trash bags (plastics/metals, papers, organic, general waste, etc) that people can buy at local supermarkets, and these bags are required for trash collection. On collection day we just… place the bags outside of the houses/apartments. Some places buy their own trash bins too, but they are rare.

The place I live in seem to take recycling very seriously. I’ve heard from colleagues that putting the wrong things in a bag sometimes result in the “trash police” sending a fine to where you live. Allegedly the police do that by looking at where your last letter/Amazon/random delivery address (in your paper recycling bag) was sent to…

My understanding is that it is a surprisingly effective recycling system… but with the downside that 1) the city doesn’t look particularly great on/after trash collection day, and 2) sometimes the local wildlife will rip open the trash bags

Edit: some more details regarding where I live if anyone is interested. Most people only use four colored bags that are collected per week: blue (plastic, metal, something else…), yellow (paper-based recyclables), white (“residual”, essentially non-recyclable items), and orange (kitchen waste). There are also bags for garden waste and heavy waste, but they are not picked up from residential addresses. Glass is either returned to the supermarket (beer bottles) or disposed of at specific dropoff bins. Things like batteries/electronics are specific, I just take them back to the store. There are also pink bags, but they are only used by businesses

  • Pipster@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    5·
    3 days ago

    My council (in the UK the rules vary between coincils) just has two bins. We have a black lidded wheelie bin for general household rubbish that is collected every week and a red lidded bin for most recycleables (glass, plastic, paper cardboard) collected every two weeks but it has restrictions on things like plastic film. If you are found to break the rules (open lids, wrong items in bin) they may refuse collection and leave a note saying why it won’t be collected. For example the black lidded general waste bin stipulates that all your rubbish must be inside refuse sacks, if you just have loose rubbish they won’t collect it.

    You just make sure the bin is accessible/near the road on collection day and it gets picked up. Bins get lifted and tipped into the bin lorry then they put the bins back.

    You can also leave a plastic bag on the floor next to the bin for disposal of ‘small electricals’ (chargers, dead electronics etc.).

    Bins are provided by the council and collection is paid by your council tax. Both bins are 140 litres but you can ask for a 240l if you have a bigger family producing more waste.

    You can pay an extra charge (I think about £80 per year) for a ‘green bin’ and associated collection which is for disposal of plant waste (i.e. if you have a decent sized garden and maintain it).

    And finally if you have too much rubbish or items that can’t be easily disposed of (oil, large electronic items, diy waste) you can fill your car and take it to the local ‘tip’ (normally named something like waste management centres etc.) where you can get rid of it all.

    • MurrayL@lemmy.worldEnglish
      6·
      3 days ago

      Also UK and similar, except our council has five categories:

      • General refuse
      • Paper and cardboard
      • Other/mixed recycling (plastic, metal, glass)
      • Compostable food waste
      • Garden waste (optional, at additional cost)

      Food waste is collected every time, but the others alternate each week between either general refuse + paper or just mixed recycling.

      If you pay for garden waste collection, it gets picked up once every two weeks during ‘gardening season’, or once a month during the winter.

      We also don’t get wheelie bins - you have to provide your own general refuse container. Many people don’t bother and just leave loose bin bags out, which sometimes results in foxes scattering rubbish all over the street. Recycling goes in plastic crates and food waste in a caddy, which are provided by the council.

      • Pipster@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
        1·
        2 days ago

        I used to live with a system more like that. There was a food waste bin, a glass recycling caddy thing and some other stuff. I’d love to know if the more complicated categorisations results in more or fewer people recycling and sorting things correctly vs the all in one bin approach. Not having a provided wheelie bin is utterly wild to me though.