LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – One of the more frequent questions answered by the Lake County Recycling Hotline is regarding what a person should do when a neighbor leaves their trash, recycling, and greenwaste bins out at the street after collection day.

The hotline first and foremost suggests that neighbors speak with one another, but not every neighbor is on friendly terms and some people find it difficult to bring up the matter with their neighbors.

To help get the message out, the Lake County Public Services Department asks that all residents be a good neighbor, and remove their recycling, trash, and greenwaste bins from the curb by the end of collection day.

Why is leaving bins on the curb a problem?

Leaving your bins on the curb is unsightly, may encourage others to dump unwanted or illegal materials in your bins (and you're responsible for the contents).

Additionally, leaving bins out may encourage vandalism, theft, or damage to bins and can be a safety issue by blocking pedestrian and bike paths, impeding traffic, and hindering line of sight to driveways and intersections.

It also may cause your neighbors to complain about your actions.

What can you do?

If you plan to be out of town after you have taken the bins to the curb, ask your neighbor to bring in your bins – then offer to return the favor when they are away.

If you have mobility issues due to illness or injury, you can contact your hauler about special walk-up service for an additional fee.

If you are a part-time resident of Lake County, contact the hauler for your area to purchase single-use bags. Place these specially-marked and purchased bags at the curb on collection day or ask a neighbor to take it out with their bins. Recycling can be taken any day of the week to numerous facilities around the county.

What can you do if your neighbor leaves their bins out?

The county has neither regulation against leaving bins out nor staff to resolve this kind of neighborhood issue and therefore encourages residents to discuss their concerns directly with their neighbor to develop positive solutions that work for the entire neighborhood.

However, if a resident feels uncomfortable speaking to their neighbor, the Lake County Public Services Department also has developed, “Be a Good Neighbor, Bring in Your Bins” flyers that can be downloaded from www.recycling.co.lake.ca.us and printed in color or black and white and taped to their bin.

To contact the hauler for your area about special walk-up service or single-use garbage bag collection, contact Lake County Waste Solutions, 707-234-6400 or 1-888-718-4888; South Lake Refuse & Recycling, 707-994-8613; or Lakeport Disposal Inc., 707-263-6080.

For information on more recycling and disposal programs such as the monthly HazMobile events or Bulky Item Pick-Up, please call the Recycling Hotline at 263-1980 or visit www.recycling.co.lake.ca.us.