We’ve all been there. It’s trash day, and a layer of snow is covering your bins. The thought of cleaning it off and dragging it to the road seems daunting. Or your load of recycling to drop off at the center is piling up by your back door.
Unfortunately, even when the weather outside is frightful, the creation of solid waste in your home continues. Here are a few things to keep in mind during the winter to not only manage your trash and recycling in the winter, but to keep you, your waste haulers, and others safe while doing so.
Trash
Your waste haulers are still out during the cold weather, collecting your trash and recycling. Figuring out the details of how to handle your waste can be tricky this time of year. We’ve got some tips for you:
- Don’t use white bags! Your trash collectors might not be able to see it in a snow pile.
- Put your trash out the morning of pickup day, not the night before. You don’t want it to get buried in an overnight snowfall.
- When you are shoveling your sidewalk, take time to also shovel out a space for your curbside bin. That way you know you don’t have to try to navigate a snowbank on pickup day, or scramble to find an alternate location.
- When you clean off your car, also clean off your trash bin. You are already using the snowbrush…clean off your bin too so that you can open it up to put in your trash.
- Move your bin from time to time so it does not get stuck in one spot and you’re unable to move it from its spot to your curb on pickup day.
- Remove snow and ice from your bin’s wheels before attempting to move.
- Try to find the most stable ground to place your curbside bin. Snowbanks and piles may be all you see, but a heavy winter gust can knock over a bin on unstable ground.
- Put away your bin as soon as possible after your trash collection pickup.
- Do a double check to make sure that your trash is accessible by your carrier. If they can’t get to it, they may just leave it there for the week.
- Avoid putting bags directly on the ground, if you can. The bags can sometimes freeze to the ground and then break when being picked up.
Most importantly, be patient with your drivers. Their schedules may change due to adverse weather. They may arrive early or late. They may have trouble accessing your garbage. A little kindness goes a long way to support the people who are braving the cold to haul our waste.
Recycling
Whether you are curbside recycling or using our drop-off site, the wet and cold snow can make an impact on your process. Here are some tips on how to make sure your recyclable materials are in the best condition possible during the winter:
- Store your recycling inside as much as possible to keep it dry.
- After rinsing out your recyclables, make sure they dry completely before putting them in your bin to prevent ice buildup.
- While the urge to roll the recycling bin out to the curb the night before is tempting, waiting until the morning of pickup keeps the bins protected from harsh winter weather longer.
- Put heavier items on top. A large piece of cardboard or heavier jugs can help keep smaller items from blowing away during harsh winter winds.
- If you use an uncovered bin, turn it upside and dry it out after pickup if it was exposed to snow or rain to prevent moisture from building up in your recyclable materials.
- If bringing your recycling to a drop-off site, try carrying it to and from your car in something with a lid so there is minimal exposure to the elements.
For more trash and recycling tips, follow the Lenawee County Solid Waste Department at https://www.facebook.com/LenaweeRecycle/.