Let's talk trash

[holstein13]

Here's a subject I haven't seen very often on these forums. What are the best waste management practices you've seen at campgrounds?

I've seen three:

1. Small trash cans on each loop where you take your trash
2. One or more large dumpsters at the park entrance
3. Just leave your trash at the front of your site between daybreak and 1:00 pm. (my all-time favorite method)

My favorite is number three because it's so easy and the trash just magically disappears.

I'm also curious, do you folks buy trash bags or do you recycle the plastic shopping bags you get from the grocery store?

[GaryWT]

First off if you have nothing to say about trash then say nothing.

We like the places that pick up trash or have dumpsters throughout the campground. The other option we like is when the campground supplies a trash can at every site. This way is does not matter what time they pick it up, it is always there.

We use tall kitchen bags in out trash can that we keep outside since we are rarely inside. We use grocery bags in the bathroom and under the kitchen sink for little things in the morning and at night.

[FunnyCamper]

recycle grocery bags. never buy garbage bags for RV. just never make that much trash 🙂

We had 'set out trash for pick up' at a beach cg and immediately upon putting it out EVERY single black crow and other big birds came and pecked at the garbage bag. popped holes in it so fast it was insane. and talk about brazen :), I would move the bag around and they followed it. crazy birds but I had fun messing with them LOL

[tatest]

Most of the places I stay are public parks, the trash gets carried to the dumpsters, which might be at the park entrance, or might be conveniently located.

Most of my camping trips are short enough that, with my recycling and waste management practices, I can pack it all out with me when I leave. Typically do not fill more than one 13 gallon bag per week with stuff I cannot take to recycle.

[Chuck_thehammer]

after dinner a nice walk to the entrance .. for the trash dumpster..

I use walmart bags for the trash... Free..

I was raised. .. when you leave (any place) leave it looking cleaner than when you arrived...

I have raked leaves, removed fallen branches, pulled weeds, shoveled gravel, repaired picnic tables, fill-in ruts, general clean-up. it will look better then before..

but that's me.

[dewey02]

It is more of an economic thing than not.
For most public (USFS, State Parks, etc) campgrounds, they either do pack in/pack out for free or boondocking sites, and for public lands campgrounds that charge a camping fee, they provide dumpsters. Depending on the size of the campground, the dumpsters are located near the entrance, or perhaps there are a couple of sites scattered throughout the campground.

Many of these campgrounds used to have smaller garbage cans located throughout the campground, but these were replaced due to critter problems (bears, racoons, etc) and the fact that USFS rarely has their own employees doing garbage pickup these days. With the dumpsters, they can contract to a local garbage service that picks up once or twice a week.

The only time I could see the OP's option 3 is if you are at a highly developed RV park and want all the comforts of home. I for one, would not want to be walking through a campground and see bags of trash lined up along the road.

[Veebyes]

We call taking the trash to the dumpster hiking. A big dumpster by the dump is enough to make us happy.

[2gypsies1]

djgarcia wrote:
Somebody needs to get a part time job, new hobby or volunteer at a old folks home:):):)

With the strange posts, me thinks this full-timer is bored or else is trying to rack up the number of posts he makes. 🙂

[azrving]

BUT....option 3 makes one conform to a time frame and having to remember something 🙂

[DutchmenSport]

It doesn't matter to me, as long as the trash disappears!

But dumpsters strategically placed gives you a better option of disposing larger items, like broken lawn chairs, or worn out garden hoses. This last summer we tossed out 4 large folding foot recliner style lawn chairs. We drug them around until we were at a campground that had a dumpster, then got rid of them all. I do think that was the only time we REALLY wanted a dumpster.

Mostly, to us, it doesn't matter.

[Tom_Barb]

mowermech wrote:
Most of the places we camp (USFS campgrounds) have a strict "Pack It In, Pack It Out" policy. You MUST take your trash home with you. Then, just to make it more interesting, many of the trash containers in towns near the campgrounds have signs proclaiming that "Private Dumpster, Not For Public Use!" They do not want campers filling their dumpster!
Some USFS campgrounds (usually those close to towns) have bear-proof dumpsters.
Those that are several miles from a town often do not.
There is usually a bulletin board at the entrance, with the rules plainly posted. Read it.

Yep,,, we see this a lot.

Coming out west ? Most of the national and state forests do not provide trash/garbage services.

Many have bear proof dumpsters but just 1 per camp area.

[old_guy]

I try to camp as far away from and up wind of the trash cans

[gbopp]

ken56 wrote:
Some people may not care if there is trash all over, after all, its not their property right?

How correct you are, some people are true hogs and don't care what their site looks like or how they leave it.
I"m with you, I"ll pick it up rather than live in a pig pen....

[ken56]

I think people should absolutely be concerned about their trash and the disposal of it. The last thing I want is the campground to actually look like a dump. As for putting trash out front and wait for pick up, that's fine as long as people put it out between the stated times you are supposed to, and many don't adhere to that. They will just put it out in the evening and let the critters get into it and drag it all over the CG. Then they wont lift a finger to pick it up when they know it is their trash.

Some people may not care if there is trash all over, after all, its not their property right? I happen to care. I have taken bags and picked up **** that is just laying on the ground because I care. I also think more campgrounds need to have recycle bins and make it clear that they expect you to recycle what you can.

I hate it when people use the fire ring for burning their trash too. I have seen some pretty disgusting fire pits from people dumping their grease in them and all sorts of things that should not be burned, like plastic. But of course, they will be leaving soon so to hell with the guy behind them coming into the spot. Its obviously too much to expect that people care about properly disposing their trash and leaving a site clean for the next person who uses it.

[Murphsmom]

For us, taking the garbage to the dumpster at the campground entrance is an excellent reason for walking the dog at the end of the day. We, too, use grocery bags for both the trailer garbage and for Ollie's "offerings".

[TheWB]

We don't mind the dumpsters strategically placed, but we get all excited when the site has it's own trash can. Of course in bear country is a different story, and all the ones we've been to in the Gila and Lincoln forests had either centrally located bear dumpsters or pack it in pack it out policies.