Saturday, May 18, 2013

The trash can incident.

One of my garbage cans broke. I found it split down the side. I am blaming it on raccoons since I think they try to knock the cans over and hop on them to get to the feast (at least from a raccoon perspective) inside. The net of this incident was that I needed to buy a new can.

I didn't think that buying a can would be an issue but was more concerned with how to throw out a garbage can. People were recommending to leave a note on it, to put it in the back of the car and find a dumpster to dump it in or to just tip our garbage men to take it away. The problem is that we are the first stop for our garbage men in the morning and that means that they often are at our house before 5am so talking to them (or tipping them) would be a challenge. Our garbage men are good and take almost everything in the almost 20 years we've lived in this house.

While thinking of my approach on broken can disposal, I went to the local Lowe's where they had quite a selection of new cans. I chose a nice wheeled can that had a rather solid cover (to frustrate those pesky critters to the point where they'll go somewhere else for midnight snacks). I got two of the larger cans to minimize the schlepping. I've had an issue in the past where we've "lost" the top of the cans so I got some spray paint and painted our address on the cans.

The other morning I needed to go to work early so was leaving the house about quarter to five and heard the garbage truck. I grabbed the broken can and walked down to the street to give it to them. I said good morning and they said that there was a problem with the new cans. They were too big per the guys. They said that the town passed a law a while back that said the maximum size can be 32 gallons. Our old cans were bigger than that but they said they were grandfathered in so they kept taking the garbage. They said that they wouldn't take the garbage in the new 45 gallon cans. I mentioned that facts like this would have been nice to know BEFORE I brought new cans and asked why would the store sell cans that couldn't be used? They, of course, couldn't answer that. They did take the broken can.

I mentioned before that these guys have been great over the years. I checked the town code and it does say 32 gallons or 50 lbs. max. I can't return the cans because my address is spray painted in them. I can understand the rationale if some people loaded up these cans to the brim they could be extremely heavy and that isn't really fair to the guys who have to lift them.  I'm not blaming the guys. I'm blaming mysef a little but I'm more upset at the store for not simply putting a sign up with the regulations.

Now I have 2 new cans that I can't use, have to buy 2 new ones and do this all again. $80 down the drain. An expensive lesson. I'm sure I won't be the only one learning this lesson though.

Do you throw out new unusable garbage cans?

7 comments:

Unknown said...

I have a can in back that needs to be disposed of and i haven't known how to do it!

TriMOEngr said...

Our trash company provides the roll carts (ie. trash cans) that we are required to put all of our trash in. They do this because they use a mechanical arm to dump them (ie. no guys lifting). They have to be wheels back to the curb (right position for arm to pick up) and at least 3' from the adjacent cart (we have one for single stream recycling and one for non-recyclable trash). Recycling truck comes in wee hours, trash in the afternoon. It is a pretty sweet setup. Bummer about your expensive lesson. In general, I think would have use for trash cans somewhere in my house though.

Ransick said...

Maybe find another use for them? Store sleeping bags or winter clothes in them? Make one into a composter? Or just check them.

Kate Geisen said...

I'm with Mike.

Jford said...

drill holes in the bottom of them and grow potatoes! You will never have to buy potatoes again! We use a 5 gallon bucket!!!

Big Daddy Diesel said...

I agree with Mike, use it as storage

Or make it into an ice bath for after training

Unknown said...

Perhaps they could be converted into rain barrels?

Frustrating though. I would agree that the store should put up a sign.