Trash Help. How much trash/person/day?

drez · Post by **drez** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 3:01 pm

Question for you experts out there...
i'd like to know the calculation for trash per person per day on the playa in a camp of about 50 people. both in volume and weight.

we are thinking of renting a uhaul trailer to carry our trash out and we need to do the math to understand how big it has to be.

thanks!

dragonpilot · Post by **dragonpilot** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 3:09 pm

Yeah, yer gonna need a trailer.

I travel with 9 people. We generate about 1.5 13 gallon kitchen trash bags per day. The 1 gallon and 2 gallon water containers are not included in this, so that amounts to an additional 95 big plastic bottles (which can be smashed fairly flat).

Just_Joe · Post by **Just_Joe** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 3:18 pm

Wouldn't the food/beer/water bottle trash fit in the space that held the food/beer/water bottles on the way in??
(I have an open truck bed so odor is not an issue)

skinnay · Post by **skinnay** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 3:26 pm

dragonpilot wrote:Yeah, yer gonna need a trailer.

I travel with 9 people. We generate about 1.5 13 gallon kitchen trash bags per day. The 1 gallon and 2 gallon water containers are not included in this, so that amounts to an additional 95 big plastic bottles (which can be smashed fairly flat).

Can bottles still be recycled if smashed flat?

phil · Post by **phil** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 6:06 pm

> Wouldn't the food/beer/water bottle trash fit in the space that held
> the food/beer/water bottles on the way in??

You'd think so, but it _never_ works out that way.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 6:20 pm

I have about one plastic (store) bag of trash for the week..Remove your head from your ass.. Read your guide and learn how..

I also fill four to five bags with moop that I carry out with me..

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 7:23 pm

It's still plastic and can be melted down as usual. So, yes, smashed bottles are still recyclable, although I look at that and think what a pain, get suitcases.

The other option is to have everyone take a bag or more, distributed fairly. I know, you're familiar with that option, but, alas, the whole "pack it in pack it out" meme is not second nature to everyone.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 7:59 pm

[quote="theCryptofishist"]It's still plastic and can be melted down as usual. So, yes, smashed bottles are still recyclable, although I look at that and think what a pain, get suitcases.

I was looking at some 2.5gal collapsable water jugs in a sports store.. I got a 5gal one for me..

Just_Joe · Post by **Just_Joe** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 8:29 pm

phil wrote:> Wouldn't the food/beer/water bottle trash fit in the space that held
> the food/beer/water bottles on the way in??

You'd think so, but it _never_ works out that way.

Probably easier in a smaller camp. We'll be shucking outer packaging and as with any longer term boondock trips, buying stuff with an eye towards smashability.

Thecatman · Post by **Thecatman** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 8:57 pm

Any trash you yourselves haul out will also be hauled in by the same so I would
think you really would'nt need extra space to haul it out, except for maybe seperating the smell.
If you insist on renting a trailer just to haul your trash out, get the biggest Uhaul has
which I think is 6x12. Might be an overkill but....if it is, you'll have it.

C.f.M. · Post by **C.f.M.** » Wed Aug 11, 2010 7:05 am

Be sure everybody knows to remove all the packaging they can from their shit. Cardboard boxes, labels, strings, tags, etc.

Have a paper trash bag for burnable stuff.

Flatten cans, bottles, etc.

Like somebody else said...read the guides, follow the "rules," and trash will be much easier.

Be sure to save bags for the day you leave camp, because I just KNOW every camp member will participate in one last MOOP sweep of your area.