We have travelled extensively in the UK as Sitters. Although most Owners provide a good information pack some neglect to mention waste bin usage. Bins in the UK are coloured for usage (eg grey for general household waste, blue for specific material recycling) but these colour codes may vary by local authority area.
My point is that it is helpful for owners to list what may be disposed of in each bin and where they are stored and placed for collection, along with collection times and dates. I expect this information is even more important for international travellers.
I would suggest that as well as giving this information in the house manual, that owners please labels all bins to show the waste category.
We have been in awe of the recycling in the UK but as you say the many different coloured bins vary and can be confusing. Then you also have to remember what bins go out on what days, often on alternating weeis. We found most UK bins were labelled by the local authority or owners had magnets on their fridges showing what went in what bin and day of collection. There was one time we had to search the local council website because there were 3 different wheelie bins plus a plastic crate that had to be placed on top of one of the bins and we wanted to make sure we didnāt muck things up. So, yes, please owners, help out your sitters to help save the planet.
I think that is definitely important information to provide.
I have been sitting in the UK since mid-March and in my experience, most hosts provide this information in their notes.
Many have also seem to have the council-provided guide hung up somewhere that shows what goes out when and which bins are for which itemsāthey specifically mention they have this and tell us where to find it.
I have also noticed that in many placesānot sure if it was all of themāthe bins are labeled with what items are meant to go in them .
There have been a couple of times I had to look up the information on the local website but that was fairly easy and quickā¦just needed to provide the address.
Yep, the recycling schemes used by different local authorities in the UK are so counter-intuitive that they could be used to spot early signs of dementia or of a vulnerable person not having enough support.
When I sit in the UK, I look for a leaflet in the house; check the welcome guide; study what the neighbours are putting out; and/or look on the local authority website. Usually all of those methodsā¦ The welcome guide should say what goes in each bin/bag/box but alas it probably wonāt identify which containers get put out on a particular week since some containers are on a two-weekly rotation.
Hear hear! Iām from the UK and struggle to stay on top of my own bin collection schedule, never mind anyone elseās. Luckily, monitoring it is my neighbourās favourite hobby, so I can just do what he does.
On sits, if VERY clear instunctions arenāt given, getting the right bin out on the right day (and as you say, not all local councils use the same colour-schemes) can be the biggest headache, for the trashically-challenged. Like me. I know a lot of HOs fret about it too; I had one message me three times to make sure I remembered to put the food waste bin out.
So yes please British HOs, please spell it out! Oh, and if you say āGold and magenta stripey bins on Thursdayā, please make it clear whether you mean, put them out on Thursday night for collection at oh-God-hundred on Friday - or put them out on Wednesday night for collection at O.G.H on Thursday.
Yup, itās a minefield. Iām getting a facial tic just thinking about it. I need to lie down.
As well as varying from one local authority area to another, in some areas you still need to take certain things, eg. glass, to communal recycling bins, which can often be found in the car parks at larger supermarkets. Also at larger supermarkets you can often recycle softer plastic, eg. bags, and the film that covers a harder plastic tray, again in a communal recycling area.
A slight side-step, but one of the most innovative things I have seen recently is the use of seaweed to create a plasticky, waterproof membrane that can be used as a lining for a cardboard box for takeaway food, making the whole thing completely bio-degradable. Itās been developed by a small seaweed farm called CĆ¢r-y-MĆ“r in Pembrokeshire - I reckon they deserve a design award!
Bins! About the the only thing that stresses me out on sits. We are currently in Germany and wow itās complicated. Iām like a stalker watching who puts out what and wen, wheels out, wheels in, how many nanometers from the curb etc etc 100% I like clear instructions.
Some systems require a university degree!
Once stayed in Devon and their garage was full of recycling bags and boxes. There must have been about 12. Couldnāt leave them outside as they werenāt waterproof.
No room for a car!
I also remember using seagull/fox proof recycling bags on a couple of sits.
Iām an American whoās sat in London, Stratford-upon-Avon (twice), outside of Cambridge and in Glasgow. No issues with recycling, compost or bottles that needed to be taken to community bins. All of my hosts did solid handoffs and shared robust welcome guides. Plus, if I had needed to, I wouldāve asked neighbors.
I live next to our binfluencer. Heās a godsend on Monday evenings. But heās getting quite old now and has a few health problems. The street is on tenterhooks to discover who his heir will be. Iāve suggested interviews: after all, itās a very serious role..
Weāve had some issues distinguishing what goes out and when, but thankfully our hosts have been good about leaving detailed instructions. The UK wins the prize for bin colors, distinction of recyclable items, and the scheduling of same!!!
Also for a U.K. sit we have had a thorough welcome guide that explained the recycling and also told us which neighbours were the streets binfluencers.
āIf you are not sure which bins to put out , so and so at house x will put the correct bins out on Wednesday eve . We usually keep an eye on their house to know what colour bin goes out ! ā
Its always very helpful when hosts leave precise notes on which colour bins/crates/bags go out on which day/eve before for our particular dates. Iām a Brit and we housesit all over UK (and internationally)and Iām always astonished that pretty much every council has different rules/regs for rubbish collection!
Fortunately many hosts do say that they too are often confused so suggest that if in doubt we should just follow the neighbours lead i.e the local ābinfluencerā! Love that word!!
I no longer use the host as a source for recycling/trash and go to the website of the recycling/trash organization for that location. I am sure that many wonāt agree but going to the source (or dump) is how I roll. Recycling is tricky with new policies and standards changing in my experience.
100% I like clear instructions.
this!! 
And Switzerland 
loves a few more bin rules 
recycling and also told us which neighbours were the streets binfluencers.