Great Tips to Keep the Critters at Bay
We’ve all had it happen, you put your bags out to the curb and just before the waste collection truck gets there, the squirrels do. Now the bags are ripped open, and the trash is spread across the boulevard. What to do? Here are a few helpful tricks to keep our furry friends from messing up the front lawn and a few others to keep our dedicated waste service professionals safe, and even make their jobs a bit easier.

Use Your Food Waste Program as Designed
First things first, use your food waste program to its fullest. If you do not currently have a food waste program Acorn Waste Service offers a comprehensive program catered not only to door-to-door pickup, but also high-rise buildings. Your green bin provides protection from the squirrels and raccoons while also diverting organic waste from the landfill and helps you to do your part to provide a greener future for all of us. For best results when filling your compostable bags, try to ensure that your food waste is dry before throwing it into the bin, and drain all non-fatty liquids into the sink. Liquids should never be thrown out with your regular garbage.
Keep Things Dry and Tight
For anyone not on a dedicated food waste program, there are a few ways to reduce the amount of curious meddling from our animal friends. Place your food scraps in a sturdy plastic bag and tie it securely before placing it into your curbside bag. Double sealing the waste will keep their sensitive noses in the dark, reducing the likelihood of them tearing up your bags. Try to evenly distribute the food scrap bags within your trash bags to further reduce the meddling. Just keep things dry and light.
Avoid Harming People
Here are some common things that do not work well and can be hazardous to your waste collection professionals. Never use home-made or store-bought chemicals as an animal deterrent. The use of chemical sprays or cayenne pepper may seem like an easy way to keep the wildlife out, but there is a cost paid by the friendly professionals who collect the waste. In addition, sprays and powders can easily get into their eyes and mouths causing irritation, choking or worse. Please keep your waste collection professionals safe.
Working Together to Keep the Wildlife Out
Lastly, a sturdy bin with a lid that can close securely can deter even the most persistent critter. Make sure that the bags are still tied inside the bin and keep things light for your collection professional. Loose garbage should never be thrown out, even in a bin. This will deter the local wildlife while keeping your bin fresh and clean. Remember that we are the solution to waste collection and when we work as a team, we can accomplish great things, even keeping those rascally varmints at bay.
