Notice: Securing Your Trash Cans in High Winds

Due to high winds and inclement weather, loose trash and recycling and even bins can go flying down the street if they are not properly weighted down. Having to retrieve your trash can from the street or a neighbor’s yard can be annoying, and if your loose recycling gets away from you it can be even more frustrating. There are, however, a few ways to keep your trash cans situated at the curb when it’s trash day.

While you should always check with your HOA to ensure compliance where you live, here are a few tips to help secure your trash and recycling in windy weather:

-Always bag your trash and secure it well! This is not only a Township requirement; securely tying your trash bags also prevents loose trash and debris from escaping.

-When loading your bin up, load your heaviest bag at the bottom of your trash can first, then work up to the lightest one. Wedge smaller or lighter bags together in the can to compact them if you don’t have a heavy bag to put at the bottom. While a cinder block or brick in the bottom of the bin can help to weigh it down, we don’t recommend setting a can with a loose weight in the bottom at the curb. If the trash has to be collected by hand, an unexpected weight at the bottom of the bin can pose a safety hazard to the person emptying it, and if the trash is collected by the mechanical arm on the trash trucks you won’t be getting your brick or bin weight back!

-If it’s windy out, don’t overload your cans to the point where you can’t close the lid completely. On a calm night it may not be a problem, but the wind can catch hold of the lid, blow it open, and sometimes even tip the can if you overfill it, which with an insecure bag or loose recycling can make quite a mess. Raccoons, possums, and other wild animals also love open lids on cans, so don’t give them a chance to go through your trash!

-Where possible, bring your cans back in as soon as they’ve been emptied. It’s not always easy or possible to bring your trash cans back to your house before you go to work, but on a windy day it’ll save you the hassle of chasing your can down if the can has already been emptied.

-If you have a bin with a lid, make sure the lid fits securely and locks. If your lid doesn’t lock, carefully securing a heavy object to the inside of the lid can keep it held down while allowing the lid to move when the bin is being emptied. You can use painter’s tape as a one-time fix for a particularly windy day or use bungee cords or straps to secure your lid on windy days. If you live in an HOA, a lid lock may be a more visually appealing fix.

-Since recycling must be loose in a recycling bin, getting a recycling bin with a lid is very convenient, especially one that clicks closed or can be secured with a lock. Many bins are relatively inexpensive and investing in a sturdy high quality bin sure beats chasing soda cans and water bottles down the street! If you do have an open-top recycling bin and it’s a particularly windy day, consider waiting for the next recycling week where possible, and to save space until then make sure to check Republic’s list of what can and cannot be recycled.

-If your wheeled can is on a slope or has a tendency to roll, putting a brick or small rock in front of one or both wheels can help to keep it where it’s supposed to be. A doorstop can work very well for this too!

-Use windbreaks wherever possible. A retaining wall, tree, or a nearby structure can help keep your can from toppling over or blowing away in high winds. If you have a bulk item out for collection, position the can near the bulk item to help create a windbreak. If you have multiple trash cans or if your neighbors don’t mind your cans being close to theirs, group them together so that they can act as windbreaks for each other. You should consider labeling your cans with your address to identify where they belong.

-Be neighborly! If you see a labeled can in your yard or in the street by your home, bring it back to its labeled address. Label your cans with your address so that others can do the same for you!