Recycling: Help Thy Neighbor?

We've got a bit of a problem. We share our recycling receptacles with our upstairs neighbors and lately we've been noticing that they're a little confused. They've got their papers and their glass and their cans all mixed together (and we don't have single-stream recycling here). What should we do?

We don't really want to spend our time digging through their recycling and straightening the mess out ourselves. We also feel a little odd lecturing them about their poor recycling habits. But, we feel like we should do something. There's a reason they ask us to keep the paper products separate from the glass, plastic, and aluminum. In San Francisco, residents will soon be paying fines for this sort of thing.

Has anyone out there ever dealt with this problem? What did you do?

(Image: Flickr member Timothy Valentine licensed for use under Creative Commons)

Comments (2)

I had this problem with a neighbor a few years go. I made cute laminated labels for the bins. It may be a little passive-aggressive, but it worked.

posted by Sunday Von on July 2nd 2009 at 8:41pm
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It's a big problem, but at least they are getting it to the recycling bin. That's a step. I live in an apartment building and on some occasions when throwing out my trash have found plastic milk and soda bottles there. I walk them over 10Ft to the proper bin, but I catch it all the time. Plus I have no idea who is doing it. :( poor mother earth.

posted by Tati23 on July 5th 2009 at 6:54pm
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