Deck the Halls! Not the Bin Room
Festive Waste Tips for Apartment Dwellers
The holiday season is a great time for celebrations, but it also means more rubbish. Extra food, gift packaging, and holiday leftovers can quickly overwhelm bin rooms in apartment buildings. A little care goes a long way in keeping shared spaces clean and odour-free.
Here are some simple tips to help everyone enjoy a fresh, tidy building over the holidays.
1. Seafood and Prawn Waste - the No 1 offender!
Nothing creates bin-room complaints faster than prawn shells or seafood scraps in hot weather.
To avoid strong smells:
Double-bag the waste in thick bags before putting it in the bin.
Freeze seafood scraps until bin day if possible, this stops the smell spreading.
Never throw loose seafood waste bags down a chute; it can burst and create nasty blockages.
2. Managing Excess Food Waste
Festive meals often mean leftover food.
To prevent bin overflow or blocked chutes:
Use your green food-waste bin if your council provides one.
Avoid stuffing large amounts of food waste down a chute bag it securely and take it to the bin room instead.
Consider sharing leftovers, composting where you can, or planning meals carefully to avoid waste altogether.
3. Wrapping Paper, Boxes and Packaging
Christmas gifts come with plenty of packaging.
To help keep recycling areas under control:
Flatten cardboard boxes before placing them in the recycling bin.
Put wrapping paper in the recycling bin only if it’s plain paper plastic-coated, glittery or foil paper should go in general waste.
Avoid dumping soft plastics in recycling; they tangle machinery. Check for local soft-plastic drop-off options if available.
4. General Bin Room Etiquette
Small actions make a big difference when everyone is using the bins more than usual:
Don’t leave rubbish bags beside bins if the bin is full, try another or wait until the next collection. This attracts pests.
Tie bags properly so waste doesn’t leak.
Keep the area tidy and close the bin lids after use to help control smells.
5. Know Your Collection Days
Public holiday schedules can change. Take a moment to check your council’s website so you know when bins will actually be emptied. A quick check can prevent overflowing bin rooms during the busiest time of year.
With a bit of extra care, everyone can enjoy a cleaner, fresher building during the festive season. Small habits make a big difference especially when your neighbours are celebrating right alongside you.
Frank Borros is the CEO of National Facilities Management
National Facilities Management is a family-owned facilities management company with the capacity to service any client nationally. They believe in long term client relationships and have a strong governance structure with a highly ethical and customer service culture.
Disclaimer:
This article is intended for general educational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Readers should seek independent legal and professional guidance relevant to their specific circumstances and jurisdiction
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