What To Do If You Miss Trash Day? Short & Long term Solutions

Managing waste is important as it not only reduces the environmental impact of waste but also saves costs and expenses for disposal. Even if you experience a missed trash collection, the ultimate goal of waste management is to minimize the harmful effects of trash on the environment and human health by reusing available resources again and again.

Traditionally, a number of waste management practices are being followed, such as solid waste collection, yard waste disposal, bulk disposal, and hazardous chemical (HHW) disposal. However, the most significant and essential method is recycling. Recycling promotes a circular economy that reuses natural resources repeatedly, reducing the need for resource extraction and minimizing contamination.

To effectively reduce waste and its environmental impacts, it is recommended that you should actively participate in events organized in your area for special waste disposal. It is important for you to remember to take responsibility and contribute to the sustainability of your area for future generations.

No doubt, missing trash collection day is a big problem, as it becomes difficult to manage your trash. These simple solutions for dealing with missed trash collection, like safely storing your trash, using deodorizers, and finding local drop-off spots, will help you manage waste, keep odors at bay, and avoid pests until your next pickup.

Immediate steps to take

If you happen to miss your trash collection day for any reason, whether it’s your fault for not putting your cart out on time or the trash truck’s fault for missing your cart during collection, there are specific steps you should follow immediately.

Accessing amount of waste

In order to enhance waste management strategies, it is important to assess the amount of waste. Assessing the waste means to identify the type, quantity and volume of waste produced over a specific time frame.

Identify whether the waste originates from households, businesses, or the community. By assessing the amount and type of waste, you can more effectively plan recycling programs, implement waste reduction initiatives, and enhance overall sustainability efforts.

Checking local regulations and policies

It’s super important to follow the city’s rules on trash disposal to make sure your trash gets picked up on time. If you do not follow these rules, your trash cart might not get serviced. Here are some key regulations you should check before putting your cart out for collection:

First off, make sure your cart is in good shape and not leaking or broken. A damaged cart could cause a mess in the street and for the collection truck, so fix it up first.

Next, get your container out by 6AM because the sanitation crew could swing by as early as 6:30AM to collect your trash. Also, make sure to leave about 3 feet of space between your cart and others so the truck can easily grab your trash. The pickup time varies from location to location.

Avoid putting your cart under tree branches or wires, and don’t stuff it too full. Remember to close the lid when you put it out and steer clear of sticky items in the cart as they might prevent the drivers from collecting your trash. Keeping these rules in mind will help ensure smooth trash collection.

Short-Term Solutions

Missing a trash collection day can be a major inconvenience for your weekly waste disposal, but there are some short-term fixes to address the issue. Instead of worrying, consider these practical solutions that can help you manage and dispose of your trash effectively.

Storing Trash Securely Until the Next Collection

If your trash collection crew missed your pickup due to reasons like a lack of time or a holiday falling near your collection day, and if the amount of trash is manageable until the next scheduled pickup, you’ll need to ensure it’s stored safely.

Reducing Odors and Pests

If your next trash collection day is more than a week away, ensure that your trash does not produce odors or attract pests. Avoid placing sticky items in your trash cart or garbage bag, as these can create unpleasant odors and potentially cause health issues for nearby residents.

If your trash contains food scraps, then it will be necessary to keep your trash away from pests and animals. To reduce this threat, use a proper heavy – duty garbage bag and air tight bags. Also, ensure that your garbage bag is not damaged.

Proper Bagging and Sealing

It is recommended that you place all your trash material into heavy – duty garbage bags because it will act as an excellent barrier between trash and pests. If you are not having a heavy duty garbage bag then put your trash into normal bags and double it to reduce odors and smell.

Using Deodorizers

When you save your trash for the next trash collection day, it is important to take care that it would not smell bad or that insects would not come into contact with it. To overcome this, you can adopt many options like Odor Eliminators. Similarly, you can also put Deodorizing disks or sachets into your trash cart to reduce odor.

Using insect repellent

Insects are another threat that can cause health problems and environmental issues when they come into contact with trash that you are saving for your next collection day. So, place your trash into a closed lidded container and if you are saving it in trash bags then make sure that your trash bag is not leaking and damaged.

Use of insect repellent becomes necessary in this situation. You can buy these insect repellent spray from nearby grocery stores and you can also order them online.

Alternative Disposal Options

You are having with some alternative disposal options;

Nearby Drop-Off Locations/ local waste disposal sites

If you are wondering how to dispose of your trash, you can bring it to a nearby drop off station. Every city and county has a number of drop off stations that facilitate residents to leave their trash there. To avail this opportunity visit the city official website and find a drop off station location near to you. Then, take your trash to that place between 7AM to 5PM from monday to saturday. They will charge some fee that you have to pay in cash only. These disposal sites are closed on Sunday, so do not come for any service on holiday.

Community Clean-Up Events

Local businesses and communities also arrange community clean up events such as keep america beautiful and many other, you can also participate in these events to get rid of your trash. Community will announce date and time of event of city official website, bring all acceptable material to assigned location to dispose them of in community clean up, event.

Where to Throw Away Garbage for Free

There are certain ways that will help you to dispose your trash free of cost such as;

Place your trash in street garbage containers.

If you’re living in such an area where there are public trash cans placed along the street, you might be able to drop your trash in those cans. Most of these public trash bins are emptied on a regular basis. You can use these street garbage trash containers to get rid of your trash if it is available in less quantity.

Before dumping, check your city’s local rules to make sure that you can throw your waste into these public cans because if they don’t allow this you can be fined for illegal dumping. Moreover don’t place your trash beside the public trash bins or overfill them. Your trash might spill out and litter along the street and can put others in distress.

Supermarket or Retail Store Bins

You can also use a community and local business dumpster to dispose of your trash. Such as if you are living near a supermarket where small local businesses such as retail stores have their own trash bins that get collected on daily bases. To avail this opportunity you will have to get permission first. Make sure that it is safe to place your trash in a business cart or not. Avoid overfilling these carts.

Parks and Recreational Area Bins (if allowed)

First of all identify park and recreational areas around you. Every park and recreational area has certain rules and regulations for waste disposal that varies from city to city. Check the location of the part and identify that in which county it is located. Then the next step is visiting the county official website to know about the rules and guidelines of trash disposal in part and recreational bins.

Sometimes it happens that you could not find any information related to it, then the alternative way is to call the county waste management authority to get first hand information. If they allow you to use park and recreational bins then bring your trash and place it into bins properly.

Schedule a special pick up

You can schedule a special pick up if you miss your trash day. The Waste management department will pick your trash again if you complain about it, but additional charges will be added. Process of scheduling a special pickup is quite simple and easy to dispose of your trash.

Connecting your waste management company

Missing trash day is quite a hassle, but if you face this situation the most convenient way to solve your problem is calling the waste management department of your city to send out another driver to pick your trash.

If you forget to place your trash bin outside on your collection day, then ask the waste management department to re-pick up your trash. Although they will charge an extra fee, it is the most quick and easy solution.

Similarly if the collection crew misses your trash cart during collection by mistake then call 311 or city waste management department on their official number for complaint. Once you complain, they will send another driver to pick your trash bin on the next business day.

Scheduling and preparing for pickup

If you experience missed collection call your waste management department to schedule another collection route to pick up your trash. You can call them between 7AM to 7PM on weekdays and if you are calling on holiday then customer service will be available between 8AM to 5PM.

Once the waste management department informs you of your collection day, place your cart outside by 7AM on the designated day. Re collection will be scheduled within three upcoming working days. Do not place any irrelevant material into your cart otherwise your in will not be serviced.

Using Private Waste Disposal Services

Using private disposal services is one of the most convenient and quick way to get rid of your trash.

Hiring a Junk Removal Service

There are alternative solutions available to deal with missed collection days. One significant option is to arrange for a pickup from a private company to collect your trash. You have to follow certain rules and regulations to ensure your trash is picked up by private junk removal services.

Comparison of Costs and Services

Although hiring a junk removal service can indeed be pricey, as local companies may demand a heavy amount to collect your trash. However, in the event of a missed trash day, reaching out to a private company for trash pickup is the most convenient and effective way to dispose of your garbage quickly.

The cost of private junk removal varies company to company, with rates ranging from around $60 to $150 for single item pickups, which can be quite higher compared to public waste services.

Another option is to inquire about receiving a refund for the missed service and then using that refund to pay for the private company to pick up your trash. To do this, you’ll need to contact your waste management department to verify if a refund is possible.

Renting dumpster

If you miss your trash day and come to know that your neighbors across the street have not had their bins collected yet. For this alternative, you have to approach your neighbor and ask for permission to temporarily use their place to set your bin next to their container for collection.

You simply approach your neighbors and explain the situation that you are facing, then assure your neighbor that it is only temporarily that you are placing your cart next to their cart. Similarly make him sure that you will collect your bin as soon as possible when your trash gets collected.

If your neighbor understands your problem and shows willingness to help you, show them gratitude to accommodate your bin. Place your bin with your neighbor cart by following certain rules and regulations properly.

But if your neighbors refuse to help you because of any reason, do respect their decision and consider other neighbors who could help you. But if you don’t find anyone then adopt another alternative option to dispose of your trash.

Long-Term Solutions

Find trash pickup day and Time in your area

To stay updated with your city’s or county’s trash pickup schedule, you can visit MyGarbageCollection.com. Alternatively, you can:

Check your city or town’s website for the trash pickup schedule.
Call or email your town office to find out your trash collection day.
Visit your local collection office to see if they have a timetable available for trash pickup.

Check Out Trash schedule of all the states below:

Setting Up Reminders for Trash Day

If you often forget your trash pickup day and time, there’s an easy solution. Simply note the schedule on a whiteboard or chart paper and hang it in a visible spot, such as the kitchen or dining room wall. This way, everyone in the household can easily see it and remember when to put the trash out for collection.

Using Calendar/ calendar Apps

You can also mark on the calendar that shows the time and day of collection and that calendar should also be hung on the wall so everyone can see and know about it. Beside all these efforts, it is suggested that you try to make collection a part of your everyday routine. For instance putting the cart at curbside on every Wednesday before going to work if your trash collection day falls on Wednesday in week.

Setting Alarms

You can also set reminders on your cell phone to set out trash on collection scheduled days. Similarly you can set an alarm on your cell phone to place your cart outside for collection. City waste management department will also give you a subscription in return for a little fee that will remind you about your trash collection day through an email. Email will be sent to you a day prior to your trash collection scheduled day.

Join community Alert System

Community alert system is one of the convenient ways to remember your trash collection day. For instance you can subscribe to Dial My calls by calling 1-800-928-2086. They will automate your text messages and voice notes to notify you about your trash collection day.

Improve noticeability of your trash container & delegate accountability

To ensure your trash is collected, place your trash at a visible location. Placing your cart under or behind any obstacle, or not positioning it properly, increases the chances of missed collection. It’s important to put your cart in a place that serves as a reminder to take it out when you leave for work the next day, such as near the entryway of your house, prominently visible on your property.

Another important step is assigning responsibilities to your family members to place the cart outside. Don’t leave it to chance; assign this responsibility to a specific person who will ensure the cart is placed outside in the morning on collection day. You can also create a duty list and post it on your notice board so everyone knows their designated day for this task.

Conclusion

In conclusion, managing your trash effectively is important for keeping our environment clean. If you miss your trash collection day, don’t worry. With the tips in this article, like storing your trash securely and using deodorizers, you can handle it without any issues. To stay updated on your trash pickup schedule, check out MyGarbageCollection.com. It’s a handy resource that makes it easy to know when to put your bins out.