I don’t know how to fix the problem.
By Amber
@AmbiePam (121139)
United States
May 28, 2023 9:58am CST
Behind my apartment complex is a neighborhood of about 800 houses. I’d say only about 30 of them are the problem. See, beside every apartment building in my complex is a dumpster for our trash; except building 3 has two dumpsters because they share with another building. Building three also has an entrance that the neighborhood behind us can reach easily. So when residents living behind us have couches or mattresses, or just too much trash to fit into their green bin set by the curb on trash day, what do they do? They come to our apartments, and dump their stuff in our dumpsters. Sometimes they leave it outside the dumpster, sometimes they put it inside of it.
Only trouble is, if the dumpster is filled too high, the garbage men will not pick it up. And for the past two weeks no one has picked up those dumpsters. Residents keep putting their trash by the dumpster, and management tries to pick it all up, and take it to the dump. However, when they bother to empty the dumpster of the couches and mattresses, within a day, it’s filled again, and yet again no one removes the garbage. So right now, if you get near building three, it stinks! The people living there are understandably angry!
Yes, it is illegal to dump your garbage in our dumpsters; you’ll get a fine if caught. We don’t have cameras near that particular building, and management is too cheap to install them. I’m not sure what they’re going to do, but it’s a selfish thing for those people to do.
Anyone else have a similar experience when they live, or lived in an apartment? Even if you never lived in an apartment, do you have any ideas to curb the problem?
28 people like this
30 responses
@yukimori (10192)
• United States
28 May 23
Since management isn't acting on it directly, I'd talk to them and encourage them to call the police non-emergency number to request additional patrols around that building. If they were reluctant I'd probably just call myself and ask them to do it more frequently to maybe deter some of the dumping.
Maybe they'd be willing to get some dummy cameras and a sign that says the area is under direct video surveillance and violations will be referred to law enforcement for prosecution? Way cheaper than the real cameras are. If I lived there myself I'd probably just tell them to buy the damn equipment and we'll donate the professional installation services since that's one of the things my husband does for a living.
7 people like this
@AmbiePam (121139)
• United States
28 May 23
I really like the idea of the dummy cameras ALONG with a sign that is “threatening “. Where to put them will be a little tricky considering the location of the building (where the dummy cameras would go) and where the dumpsters sot, but surely they could figure that out. Also, the increased patrols sounds good. I see them patrol around my building, but I never see them go to the building behind me. Thanks for the suggestions.
5 people like this
@snowy22315 (209167)
• United States
28 May 23
Sounds like some great suggestions Yuki!
5 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (135988)
• Marion, Ohio
28 May 23
The cost of cleaning up and going to the dump would cover the cost of cameras
3 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (135988)
• Marion, Ohio
28 May 23
@AmbiePam But you have to add in the gas too
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (135988)
• Marion, Ohio
28 May 23
@AmbiePam It will keep happening until something is done.
1 person likes this
@popciclecold (40214)
• United States
28 May 23
This is an existing problem in Jackson MS. They empty and throw trash away. The next day it filled again with tires and all kinds of trash. People complain, but it never is settled.
2 people like this
@AmbiePam (121139)
• United States
28 May 23
@popciclecold I've noticed in secluded places too it's like a tire dump. I mean, really?
1 person likes this
@popciclecold (40214)
• United States
28 May 23
@AmbiePam Yeah it's on the news everyday..
1 person likes this
@much2say (57760)
• Los Angeles, California
29 May 23
Here, it seems like people don't even bother to find dumpsters . . . they take their big items and dump it where people won't see them do the act (in parking lots, sidewalks on the sides of houses where residents can't see, etc). I believe there is a city number that people can call to pick up bulky items, but a lot of people don't even bother to do that. When we were living at the apartments, there was a problem with our own residents (maybe being college kids) and trash.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (121139)
• United States
29 May 23
I think our current manager is so sick of it she may very well not empty those two dumpsters again. I’ve never been able to find the corporate number for the owners of this place, and even if I could, I doubt they’d care. She’s a nice lady, and she gives an effort at the apartments, but I think she needs more help, and is currently just overwhelmed.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (121139)
• United States
31 May 23
@much2say I walked Sadie over there again today, and I noticed the furniture that had been in them was gone; replaced by someone's recliner, six mattresses, and a huge pile of rolled up carpet. She did indeed get them emptied, and the neighborhood people came right back, and filled them up again. She also picked up the regular garbage people dumped nearby because the dumpsters were full of trash. Poor woman! She finally summoned the will to take care of it again, and those freeloaders came back.
1 person likes this
@much2say (57760)
• Los Angeles, California
31 May 23
@AmbiePam Oh gosh - but she has to get them emptied - she has to! I don't understand what's happening to so many apartment complexes . . . so many folks are saying similar things about the people running them, things are not getting done the way they should be anymore. Trash is especially hard to deal with because there is so much of it everywhere, and the people who don't bother to do the right thing (who don't even live there) make it harder on everyone else 
.
.1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (91297)
• United States
28 May 23
Yes in fact if I was allowed to take a photo(part of the lease no video or photos allowed of common areas)
, I would do that to show you..Our dumpster is piled so high it is unreal..there is literally a whole house there..couches, mattresses, recliners..leaving no room for trash itself.
I really hate people I mean scum that dump their crap here in the apartment dumpsters..but that would be the scum they have moved form the motels into our apartment complex, rent free.
, I would do that to show you..Our dumpster is piled so high it is unreal..there is literally a whole house there..couches, mattresses, recliners..leaving no room for trash itself.
I really hate people I mean scum that dump their crap here in the apartment dumpsters..but that would be the scum they have moved form the motels into our apartment complex, rent free.2 people like this
@RebeccasFarm (91297)
• United States
28 May 23
@AmbiePam Yes and now the cops are here all the time..so what was the sense in moving them from up the street into here..such bs.
Sorry you have to also deal with that Ambie..
Oh and like Yuki said a sign..there is a sign here..clear as day and cameras but it makes no difference.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (91297)
• United States
28 May 23
@AmbiePam It worked for me a long time ago, many years ago..another story Ambie..maybe I'll tell it here sometime.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (153529)
• India
29 May 23
Since the last couple of years or so here there is an arrangement where a van comes and collects garbage from house to house It is such a relief. We give only the dry waste as the wet garbage is put in compost pits.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (153529)
• India
29 May 23
@AmbiePam The side roads are no longer cluttered
1 person likes this
@rebelann (117272)
• El Paso, Texas
28 May 23
Years ago people from other neighborhoods would dump their trash in the trash bins some businesses leave outside their gates and boy would that create a mess then someone put in a surveillance camera and after a couple months they stopped coming around to dump their trash. Maybe that's all that the landlord would have to do in order to catch those bozos.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (121139)
• United States
28 May 23
It’s frustrating when you know the solution to the problem, but no one will take action. And they’d have to be willing to follow up on the footage. Which honestly, this particular apartment manager might actually do if she had the footage to back up her accusations.
It is heartening to hear at least someone was able to put a stop to it where they are.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (56378)
• Canada
28 May 23
People with some items that can be reused should consider that.
Otherwise they can take building materials and large items to the dump themselves, of course there is sometimes a small fee, but it is the right thing to do.
My hubby filled his SUV up with some items that our son had from the move that the garbage collectors refused due to weight. He told me it only cost him about 30 minutes of time and about $4 so not the end of the world to do the responsible thing.
We have had furniture picked up by second hand stores as donations, which saves the landfills. I have posted items online to sell second hand or give away for free. We had a huge load for habitat for humanity for their building materials section before we downsized. They were grateful to get the different things that we had.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (121139)
• United States
28 May 23
My parents always called Habitat for Humanity too; they were very happy to get donations.
Unfortunately, it seems a small group of people are too lazy to think beyond convenience for themselves. I’d like to think most people are responsible like you.
1 person likes this
@BabeSays (8795)
• Mauritius
29 May 23
The nerve these people got. I'm sorry to hear you are going through this. For me although there's the garbage truck coming every week, the people keep burning their trash. It causes smoke and it's nasty can't breath. One time I had to go to hospital and they know it yet they don't stop. I have no idea why people love to cause trouble to other people.
1 person likes this
@BabeSays (8795)
• Mauritius
30 May 23
@AmbiePam Yes what's more unbelievable is that the person who does this is the mayor of our village. My husband requested him not to do it because it makes me sick, yet he doesn't care and kept on burning trash.
One time we even had to call the cops but since he is the mayor and has the power, the cops didn't come and didn't take any actions against him.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (59358)
•
28 May 23
I live in a small townhouse and we have a nice little community--We all have our trashcans and roll them to the street every week, no problems with that. The cans are very large. The only problem we have is sometimes people pile excess trash next to the can, and the company will not take it unless it's in the can.
My son lives in an apartment building that has one single dumpster--it's not a large building. The problem with the dumpster is for pickup purposes, it is next to an alley--and people drive by it and throw in all sorts of stuff that shouldn't be in there. Rather than take TV's or other electronics to the places and having to pay a recycle fee, they pile these things next to that dumpster and many others. Sometimes mattresses, etc. Then the apartment owner has to pay someone to haul these things off.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (121139)
• United States
28 May 23
Yes, that is how it is supposed to be. In my dad’s neighborhood everyone keeps their trash in their individual bins, and once a week they go to the curb. None of their neighbors ever leave excess or large items out. Why that neighborhood can’t be like the neighborhood behind my complex I’ll never know.
Management has paid people to come by and haul some things off. But they have been from lazy apartment people. The people living behind us are now dumping their stuff off here faster than they can keep up with, and incredibly, management seems fine with just letting those dumpsters stay that way. Your son must see it all the time too, like you mentioned. 
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (59358)
•
28 May 23
@AmbiePam
Yes, one night recently a pickup truck came down the alley and threw two old filthy mattresses on the ground by the dumpster. It never ends.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (121139)
• United States
28 May 23
Local government has already made it illegal, and we are free to turn them in. We just can’t find a way to catch them, and the local government can’t help us with that. I’m sure they’d tell us to install cameras, but the cheap owners of my apartment complex won’t do that.
@GardenGerty (169585)
• United States
29 May 23
Not sure how to fix it. Our little town has a couple of dumpsters by the city maintenance lot. You can put trash there. You are not supposed to put furniture there. Trash trucks are parked right there so they can empty the dumpsters frequently. I think people in some trailers use the dumpsters . Signage says it is only for paying customers, but it is not enforced. It is pretty well away from any residences though. I have taken stuff down when I have had too much for my own property.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (121139)
• United States
29 May 23
I really wish they would. It's such a simple solution if they'd follow through. I do have to say they'd have to shell out a little extra money for cameras that were not fixed; cameras that could follow the visual of them pulling out of the parking lot. Because of where everything is situated, we would need cameras like that. Oh, how sweet it would be to see the looks on the faces of people when they received their fines.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (54736)
• United States
30 May 23
What a horrid problem. Do they have signs up ?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382542)
• Rockingham, Australia
29 May 23
That's so inconsiderate but Yuki's ideas are good. I'm not sure what else you could do to stop this. If you find someone to complain to (management/council/local member) then maybe keep complaining. Remember the 'squeaky wheel' adage.
1 person likes this
@Butterfingers (66603)
• India
1 Jun 23
Yes I have experienced that and telling from experience that this does not have a solution 
1 person likes this
@SherafinaDuncan (166)
•
29 May 23
Maybe you can organize counseling about the dangers of littering?
1 person likes this
