Bi Weekly refuse collection and MAGGOTS!

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ianh100
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Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2013 4:37 pm
Location: Sherborne Dorset

Bi Weekly refuse collection and MAGGOTS!

Post by ianh100 »

Our local authority recently moved to bi weekly refuse collection and told us they could still offer a service to meet whatever we wanted (not true). We now have to pay for two separate wheelie bins, one for land fill and one for recycling (excluding glass). For some reason they can't take commercial glass.

We manage remotely but try to ensure we clean ourselves at least once a month. We arrived today to find the land fill bin quite full but absolutley crawling with maggots. We supply wheelie bin liners and bin bags hoping that everthing that goes in the bin is bagged before it goes in. We had a young family staying the first week so assume there could have been soiled nappies etc. It was very hot in the UK the week they stayed which I am sure is an issue.

We can't avoid some off our guests arriving to a bin with almost 2 weeks rubbish to be emptied on the Monday. I am sure most understand the bin may be full but would be horrified to find it with hundreds of maggots!

Is it possible to get something to go in the bin to help with this, or do we need to try and educate guests?

Thanks in advance all.
SandyBeaches
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Location: Norfolk Coast

Post by SandyBeaches »

There's a product called Bin Buddy - you can buy it in supermarkets (poss Tesco, Asda etc.) It's in a wheelie bin shaped container and you just sprinkle some in the bin (the cleaners could do it) and it kills maggots and helps with the smell too.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Challs-Internat ... B003Y4UIV0
newtimber
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Post by newtimber »

Is it possible to have 2 wheelie bins; one near the house that the guests fill up and one near the road that the council empty? Then every changeover, the cleaners move the waste into the bin near the road and clean and put a wheelie bin liner in the one near the house.
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AngloDutch
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Location: Netherlands

Post by AngloDutch »

Big problem for us here in the NL also, since our council switched to 95% recycling from this February.

We have a whole range of weapons to battle maggots, which are a constant threat since two of our three wheelie bins are only emptied every 4 weeks.

We use a bio powder (resembles that thick whiteish-yellow powder which you use to deter ants). We sprinkle this over the lid, edges and inside the bins in the summer. This powder contains citronella (not sure if this is the same in English, but the latin name of the plant is 'Cymbopogon nardus') and deters those lovely green flies form laying eggs everywhere. This is much easier than trying to kill the maggots.

If the maggots are hatched, then we either wait until the containers are emptied and wash them out, or if the infestation has occurred with weeks to go before the next pickup, then we take the bags out, wash them off and decontaminate the bin.

Last week we had them crawling amongst the recyclable plastic. We do not bag this as otherwise we would not be able to fit it all in between the 4 weekly pick ups. Problem is the plastic containers where fish and meat were in. We ask guests to wash them out but they still attract the flies.

We use a biodegradable paper sack for the food/garden waste bin, and when guests have thrown for example, raw chicken into it, we make sure that it is covered with a thick layer of grass. The good thing about the sack is that we can fold the opening but the flies are very good at getting everywhere and not all guests bother to help us keep everything as hygienic as possible....
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Nemo
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Location: Norfolk

Post by Nemo »

We've been on bi-weekly collection for years and having had maggots one hot summer, I never, ever want them again, so I feel your pain! Their smell permeated the plastic of the bin and it smelt of maggots for months afterwards. Utterly repulsive.

I hadn't come across the product Sandybeaches recommends, which looks good. I used to use Jeyes powder; all my rubbish went out bagged anyway, but if there were food remnants in there, I would sprinkle some in there and that seemed to work. I never had maggots again anyway.

http://www.jeyes.com/en-gb/our-products/jeyes-fluid/

I think you will need to try and educate your guests a little, regarding bagging up and using a powder of some sort too.
ianh100
Posts: 598
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2013 4:37 pm
Location: Sherborne Dorset

Post by ianh100 »

Thanks all, have ordered some of the bin buddy and will see how we get on.

Our property only has a small courtyard garden, about 5m square and we knowwhere else to store the wheelie bins, it is a real challenge.
JaneV
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Post by JaneV »

We had the same problem during our first summer where some guests would throw loose rubbish in the bin, including soiled nappies - despite being asked to make sure everything was bagged. Bin Buddy solved the problem and has a strong enough fragrance to override any lingering smells.
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