We are going down the dumps

[The emperor has no clothes]

Well, not we. I went to the dump today. I go 4 or 5 times a year with a pickup load. (So, I guess I'm not a professional hoarder yet) Today I also did my yearly good deed. I loaded up half a load of palm tree limbs my neighbor had on their trailer. Is it considered theft if you throw it away ? As I was leaving the dump, it struck me how different states have such different rules. In Alaska all dumps are provided by the local governments. Here in Arizona (or at least in Havasu) they are private companies. There you could take everything for no charge. Tires, motor oil, metals, etc. Here they charge you by weight and product. Recently the started making you wear flourecent vest and hard hats. Today the lady told me they are going to charge $5 if uncovered. Regardless of what it is. An old washer and a few tires uncovered will probably run me $30. I might become a professional hoarder quicker than I thought.


 On a good note. The road to the dump is the best motorcycle road within 35 miles. It's only a couple miles long though. I wonder what they'd charge me for the bike and covered trailer ?

[sheets]

I'm six miles from the local transfer station (disposal into truck mounted containers). I've been picking up (purposeful: fast food & alcohol containers) litter - and wind blown trash - from the roadside on a monthly basis (summer months twice per month) for 27 years. I only wish folks would tarp their load headed for the "dump". Site is contracted from the County. $8.50 for a 50 gallon can/barrel. Aside from that they calculate by the C.U. yard regardless of type of material. I haul (50 miles) my recyclable materials weekly - $2 bucks unlimited quantity ; typically a 30 gallon bag -  to the the coast (on my way to routine shopping) so I go to the local transfer station once every 4 to 6 weeks (20 gallon can). I've been hauling my own forever, so I don't know the cost of weekly service.
A necessary service, otherwise people pitch their crap - including appliances, over the shoulder of the road. Around these parts there are salmon and steelhead rivers below the road.      

[Gavin_Sons]

Our local dump is privately owned and has a locally owned division that county residents can take their trash up to 200 pounds for free. Any more than that they charge. This limits it to trash cans and trash bags. I take off a truck load a couple times a year. Where does all of this crap come from?

[Jess from VA]

Our dump is reasonably priced (if you're not using a semi).

But I'm a cheap bastard, and bust, break, cut, chop up my junk into smaller pieces and stick it in my big trash dumper a bit at a time.  My private trash pickup service is a bit spendy, and I live alone, so my ordinary trash pickup is pretty small, and this way I get more use out of it. 

I had a 600lb concrete fountain (what was I thinking?), and it only took about 5 months (and some periodic work with a hammer) for it to disappear. 

[..]

I had a 600lb concrete fountain (what was I thinking?), and it only took about 5 months (and some periodic work with a hammer) for it to disappear. 

I too disposed of some concrete over a long period of time.

A slab in my backyard about 4 ft x 6 ft and 6 inches thick. Good exercise.

[0leman]

Our dump is county owned.  We have weekly curbside pickup of trash and recyclables, cost little over $21 a month.  Can dump glass and carboard for free at the dump.  Loads are to be covered or constrain in some fashion.  The road going to the dump is not littered with trash, thankfully.

Only time go to the dump is for removing large amounts of tree limbs (have over 10 trees that need pruning every so often) and other wood type stuff.  The dump charges by the pound, weighed going in and out.   I have a short bed Ram pickup, most I have paid is $22 for a load of spruce limbs, they are heavier that the hard wood trees.   AND yes had the limbs staked higher than the cab. 

[RP#62]

Must vary by municipality.  In Gilbert, we can go once a month for free.  I think there's a 1000 lb limit.  Just have to bring a copy of our utility bill to show that we're Gilbert residents.  If I were to go over to the dump that services Chandler or Tempe, I'd have to pay.

-RP

[Reb]

In Greene County TN. Our yearly wheel tax charge applied when registering any on highway vehicle pays for local dump station around the county. Usually the spots have 2 large compactors for household trash and recycling bins for plastic, cardboard, glass, batteries, motor oils, appliances, furniture, and tires. I believe you are allowed to dispose of 2 tires a Year.

I really prefer this method, as one dump stop is on my way to work. Very convenient if you have a pickem-up truck.


Even with the convenience of trash disposal, we volunteer yearly at work to pick up trash along the Nolichucky River. It’s disheartening to see the pickup loads of trash we pull out of the riversides in just a few hours time.

[Gavin_Sons]

In Greene County TN. Our yearly wheel tax charge applied when registering any on highway vehicle pays for local dump station around the county. Usually the spots have 2 large compactors for household trash and recycling bins for plastic, cardboard, glass, batteries, motor oils, appliances, furniture, and tires. I believe you are allowed to dispose of 2 tires a Year.

I really prefer this method, as one dump stop is on my way to work. Very convenient if you have a pickem-up truck.


Even with the convenience of trash disposal, we volunteer yearly at work to pick up trash along the Nolichucky River. It’s disheartening to see the pickup loads of trash we pull out of the riversides in just a few hours time.

people are assholes with no respect toward nature. Just think if you did not volunteer to do this how much trash would build up.

[Patrick]

Here in NYS a private company picks mine up for $8.00 every trip and recycle for $4.00/mo. [ $1/week].
In Fla. where we live we have our own dump, errr, recycle center. Its free. Several of us volunteer to keep it as a money maker for our park. We can get rid of anything.

[cookiedough]

we have weekly garbage pick up tuesday morning costing like 3 bucks for a sticker to slap on our own garbage bags.  Twice a year, spring and fall,  the village for free comes and picks up our junk on curbside, but no tires, brush, appliances, etc. 

You should see all the dumpster divers in old chevy S-10's etc. piled high full of crap that come around the night before.  I had a near 30 year old basic 3.5hp rally 20" push mower seen it's days deck shot but engine ran, well sort of,  and the guy piled it on his truck about 4 feet over the sides full of junk.  I guess the blade and what was left of the wheels is worth a few bucks?

[sheets]

The sixteen years I kept records;
1.5 miles / both sides of road = 3 mile section.
375 bags (30 gallon size).
660 miles walked picking up crap.

45% - fast food wrappers / containers (vendors 50 miles away).
45% - alcohol bottles / cans
9.9% - random crap headed for the disposal site.
0.1% - disposable diapers tossed out the window.

I no longer do it as a formal adoption (Adopt-A-Highway), but I continue to do it. The numbers don't change.

[Jess from VA]

Well thanks for your service.   

The mentality of tossing your garbage from your vehicle into nature simply escapes me.

No respect for anything, no respect for self. 

I have one or more people back behind me in the subdivision who just toss out their fast food trash, coffee cups, banana peels (or anything) going around my corner for years.  Not daily, but weekly.  I have tried to catch them at it (it must be late at night).  I have some very special plans for them.

The 30.06 is out (unfortunately), but they will know why it happened. 

[cookiedough]

I toss coffee grounds and smaller other food scraps along the farmers field in my backyard, nothing major though, but never trash.  Lucky for me I can still burn in burning barrel in my town other towns nearby more 'environmentally friendly'  are starting to consider banning burning barrels  in their towns. 

I burn at least once per week vs. spending 3 bucks per week for a garbage bag sticker when they pickup garbage every Tuesday curbside. 

[NewValker]

Couple winters ago, I had just started my plow route when I see a white explorer chuck a bunch of mcdonalds trash out their window.
I read the plate, since for some reason, I can remember number plates especially if they’re odd. This one was easy to remember, and a couple hours later I come upon the same plate parked on the road at a party. Now, the town has a no parking law all winter. If a car is impeading plow operations, we call for a cruiser to make contact with the owner and move it.
BUT, it can just be tagged & towed. I called the dispatcher, told her about the trash and parking issue, and she ordered tag & tow immediately.

Karma....

Craig

[The emperor has no clothes]

Couple winters ago, I had just started my plow route when I see a white explorer chuck a bunch of mcdonalds trash out their window.
I read the plate, since for some reason, I can remember number plates especially if they’re odd. This one was easy to remember, and a couple hours later I come upon the same plate parked on the road at a party. Now, the town has a no parking law all winter. If a car is impeading plow operations, we call for a cruiser to make contact with the owner and move it.
BUT, it can just be tagged & towed. I called the dispatcher, told her about the trash and parking issue, and she ordered tag & tow immediately.

Karma....

Craig

reminds me of the upcoming boating season here. We get a lot of Californians with their boats on the weekends. Never fails, it seems like half of them feel it is perfectly fine to throw their beer packaging, empty ice bags, etc. on the ground in our parking lot. Walking 50' to the trash cans is just too much for them. 

[John Schmidt]

Couple winters ago, I had just started my plow route when I see a white explorer chuck a bunch of mcdonalds trash out their window.
I read the plate, since for some reason, I can remember number plates especially if they’re odd. This one was easy to remember, and a couple hours later I come upon the same plate parked on the road at a party. Now, the town has a no parking law all winter. If a car is impeading plow operations, we call for a cruiser to make contact with the owner and move it.
BUT, it can just be tagged & towed. I called the dispatcher, told her about the trash and parking issue, and she ordered tag & tow immediately.

Karma....

Craig

Your story reminded me of something I observed back in the late 50's while stationed at Pease AFB, Portsmouth, NH. We had a major snowfall and the plows were out in force up & down the flightline. The standing order was during such operations there were no civvie vehicles allowed on the flighline. This day I was working in the cockpit of a B-47 and watching two plows working side by side sorta in tandem....one slightly behind the other. That allowed the snow thrown by the lead plow to then be tossed further by the following plow. Then I noticed someone driving a little Renault Dauphine down the flightline going in the same direction as the plows. I watched as the plows split a little then pulled up even, then one guy picked up his blade and flipped it over so for about 30 yds. the snow was blowing a rather large ridge of snow between the two plows....the plows were blowing toward each other. Moments later they passed the little car, one on each side, and totally buried it. One plow flipped his blade back where it was and they continued on. The Renault never reappeared from under the huge pile of snow but after a few minutes I see some movement....the guys head popped out from the top of the pile. Seems he had a sliding roof vent and climbed out that way. It apparently got reported and the Wing CO later drove out to see what had happened. Turned out to be some young officer was heading home after spending the night in a hanger with another young female officer, I can only assume chatting and drinking coffee. 

The car owner was ordered to dig out the mess and remove his car, after which he lost his flightline privileges for the rest of the winter.

[f6john]

I have weekly trash pickup by a private company. The neighbors told me they will take anything that you can put in the container. I’ve been cutting up a lot of sheet rock lately and it helps me keep things cleaned up. I have a landfill about 30 miles from me, no landfill in my county, and I have used it twice this year. Their minimum is close to $30.00 so you need a pretty good size load. One trip was all the tile and cement board I had ripped up which covered the minimum easily. I hope I don’t have to make many trips like that because my trailer doesn’t dump. At least I did that during cold weather, would hate to unload 1 1/2 tons of scrap tile in 90 degree weather.