Slightly OT - Wheely bin compactors

[Andy Morrison]

Anyone thinking of buying one, save yoursrlf some money here

[Ron Lowe]

AAARG NO! Not another one!

The GROUND when it's outside! The FLOOR when it's inside!

:-)

[Bob Eager]

ROTGLMAO

[Tim W]

Andy Morrison wibbled on Monday 30 November 2009 15:40

[Owain]

Doesn't that depend on whether you've got floorboards? ;=)

Owain

[Bob Eager]

Or decking?

[Lobster]

bin, which is actually *larger* than standard (as permitted for a family of 5). The bin's handle separation is different to the spacing of the hooks on the squasher. Even more unfortunately I'd ripped off all the packaging before I realised so can't really expect them to take it back.

So anyone thinking of buying one - don't assume - check first!

David

[Tim W]

Lobster wibbled on Monday 30 November 2009 22:53

Wow - so you get a >240l bin?

Technically, if we had a family of 5 we could "upgrade" to 240l...

I did suggest to the resellers on the phone that they clarify on the website what bins it would fit as 240l seems not to be the defacto standard for many people (bloody wibbling councils).

Stick a note in the newsagents - sure you could recoup a fair proportion of the purchase cost selling it to someone else.

[Chris J Dixon]

to suggest that 250 litre is the standard (at the moment), but the more one discovers, the less anything about the schemes across the country seems standard.

We have three of the brutes, the paper & plastic one sometimes gets full, (1) if we have bought something with bulky packaging, and the garden waste occasionally (2). The landfill one only if I have been having a big clear out, and the stuff is not appropriate for any avenues of re-use.

I have heard of a scheme being suggested, whereby you get vouchers in proportion to the amount you have in your recycling bins. However, this seems to have a number of potential drawbacks, not least of which is that you would positively welcome excess packaging!

(1) The caravan steps happen to live nearby, so I can leap in and compact if necessary.

(2) I know all about composting, but the space and layout of my present garden makes this impractical.

[Appin]

The message from Chris J Dixon contains these words:

The rats love it! :-(

[Tim W]

Appin wibbled on Tuesday 01 December 2009 11:27

I have a couple of pallet boxes (crates) that a load of floor tiles came in. My neighbor's advice (he's into these things) was to turn one into a compost bin as the slatted sides are excellent for for the aerobics of the microbes, but line it with chicken wire for exactly the rat related reason. And fashion a lid for it...

[Andy Dingley]

If you do find yourself with a jumbo wheelie bin, like a 360 litre (I was in a house that used to be a shop and still had the bin) get a lock for it! They're a prime target for theft.

[Appin]

The message

from Andy Dingley contains these words:

Hmm -- those that are local autority owned have generally got serial numbers and can be checked against a database held by the local authority.

[Frank Erskine]

I really wonder whether such databases exist (in a useable form), even though the LAs claim that they do. Lots of (apparently) LA wheely bins seem to be used on a regular basis by such as window cleaners, odd job men and so on.

Has such a database been leaked, or lost on a train somewhere?

:-)

[Tim W]

Appin wibbled on Tuesday 01 December 2009 17:56

Probably only for "exception" data, like old folk being on the register for bin collection from withing their property or larger than normal bins...

It had occurred to me to just buy a bigger bin and stencil paint "Property of BLAH council" on the front.

The binmen wouldn't care. But if push came to shove, the LA inspector could probably prove I wasn't supposed to have it.

[Appin]

The message from Frank Erskine contains these words:

Certainly in this area the local authority go round checking bins in the more dubious housing estates of a community about 20 miles away from us.

[dennis]

As long as it fits the machine on the back of the cart.

[Andy Dingley]

Whilst that might become a future problem for the thief when getting it emptied, you've still lost your jumbo bin.