Six solutions for when you have too much rubbish for your bin

by Craig Pryce January 15, 2021

Too much rubbish is a more common problem that you might think; we are living in a time where we, as a society, unfortunately rely on lots of single-use products and packaging.

This sometimes leads to our rubbish bins and recycling bins being filled with waste long before collection day.

So, what do you do when you have too much rubbish for your wheelie bin?

This blog post will outline all of your options so that your extra waste will get shifted one way or another.

1. Recycle all you can

This may not apply to you but, if you’ve just thrown your waste in whichever bin is nearest, then you can solve the issue by donning some gloves and going through the contents of your overflowing bin to sort it properly. You’ll soon reduce the contents.

These days, most plastics are recyclable, so they’ll be able to move to your recycling bin from your general waste bin.

If you’ve thrown glass away when your local council doesn’t collect it kerbside, then you can take that out of your bin and take it to your local bottle bank.

2. Donate your waste

Take a look at your waste and decide if there is anything you are throwing out that could instead be donated to a charity shop.

If so, remove it from the bin or bin bag and set it to one side. There may be nothing to donate but there could be several items — after all, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

Clothing is one thing that often gets binned but can easily be donated — charities can even get money for rags, so don’t feel embarrassed about sending them a bag of old, worn-out clothes.

Keep this in mind in the future too and put items to one side instead of automatically throwing them away.

3. Compost your waste

If it’s your food waste bin that’s overflowing, why not compost the waste instead? All you need is a compost bin and you can easily create compost to nourish your garden throughout the year.

4. Check with your local council or waste management company

If it is household waste you have, check with your local council to find out if they will collect additional waste kerbside or not.

For example, some local authorities refuse to collect additional general waste and will only empty your general waste bin if the lid is closed; however, the same councils might collect additional recycling if it’s placed in clear or green plastic sacks next to your recycling bin on collection day.

Other councils will have entirely different rules, so check before you act.

If it is a business bin that is overflowing, contact your waste management company and they’ll let you know what to do. They will collect the extra waste but there will probably be a fee involved.

A yellow wheelie bin full of waste

5. Take your waste to the recycling centre

If you have checked and your local council won’t collect additional household waste, then it is up to you to dispose of it — this means a trip to your local recycling centre.

If it is normal household waste — recycling or general waste — then it will be free to dispose of.

6. Reduce your waste

While this tip isn’t of use immediately, it will be useful going forward; take steps to create less waste and you will avoid this problem from reoccurring.

On top of that, you’ll be doing the planet a favour and, if it is commercial waste, your waste management costs will be reduced, too.

Summary

In summary, if you’ve too much rubbish for your wheelie bin, then make sure you’re only throwing out actual rubbish.

If some of the waste could be placed in another bin, donated or reused, then sort through your waste accordingly.

Otherwise, check with your local council or waste management company or take your excess waste to a recycling centre.

If you need to purchase a wheelie bin or a batch of wheelie bins, you can browse our collection here.

Craig Pryce

With over 17 years of experience in the waste and recycling industry, Craig is passionate about making recycling easier and reducing the negative impact of litter. He has been the managing director of Wheelie Bin Solutions (WBS) since January 2016, and prides the company on his expert knowledge, top-quality products, and customer service. His proudest moment was when WBS supported the 2012 Olympic Games, working in partnership with Contenur UK to supply over 9000 bin containers to all Olympic venues. Craig is always keen to share his knowledge, so whether you need advice about the benefits of a wheelie bin lock, or ideas for alternative uses for your wheelie bin, Craig will ensure your recycling and waste disposal habits are gold medal worthy.