# Garbage Pickup Confusion



## PatrickMurtha (Feb 26, 2011)

Have any of you ever had problems with garbage pickup and had to arrange for private service?

Since moving to the city of Tlaxcala two weeks ago, I have not had a pickup. I have been in touch with the real estate agent, the landlord’s son, the neighbors. Predictably, everyone tells me something different. A public truck enters our privada on Monday-Wednesday-Friday afternoons, or a private truck does on Sunday mornings or sometime unspecified on Wednesdays. Every time I have tried waiting for three hours at one of the indicated times, of course nothing has happened.

One day I did see a truck going slowly down a nearby main street in the afternoon, as residents and businesses from that street and side streets ran out with their bags. No one here can put bags out for pickup because they would be shredded by the street dogs, and this being Mexico, there are no dumpsters.

So I am waiting again this Sunday morning because the landlord’s son told me a prívate truck comes, but I am doubtful. No one else on the street seems to be prepared for or anticipating a pickup. Do people put garbage in their car trunks and drive it somewhere, I wonder? I don’t have a car.

I am liking Tlaxcala quite a bit BUT the information infrastructure here is terrible. For example, the bus (really combi) routes and schedules are not online and seemingly nowhere to be found.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

In San Cristobal the garbage truck in the historical center where I live come by at 6am, twice a week and we have to put out the bags when the bell rings. We cannot leave anything out because of the marauding dogs hich by the way are not friendly if you try to stop them.
In Ajijic the truck on our privada come by twice a week and there is no telling at what time , The garbage stays on the street all day. Thankfully they are few marauding dogs here.. The best thing to do is ask your neighbors what todo. Is there a president of barrio or colonia where you live? Ask him or her .
In Chiapas we even have a person designated on the street to be the neighborhood contact and watch dog. Talk to the neighbors, many do not have a car and know what to do. In San Cristobal we also have Guatemaltec kids who for a tip will take your garbage away.
Each area is differnt so make friends with the neighbors.


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## PatrickMurtha (Feb 26, 2011)

Interesting comments! I think that because my privada is very new and only 1/4 built out, no one is really taking responsibility for it. The street name is not even marked on Google Maps yet.

20 minutes ago I heard a horn tooting in the parallel street, which is completely built, and ran out and confirmed by looking between houses that it was a garbage truck. I scooted up my street to meet it, but by the time I got there I could see that it was already headed back out to the main road, and I wasn’t able to catch it.

i suppose I’ll have to go back to all the people I asked before and ask again.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

When we first moved, we had to go and take the garbage to the main street, you may have to have the help of someone on the next street.. maybe someone wiill help you for a few pesos.


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## PatrickMurtha (Feb 26, 2011)

citlali said:


> When we first moved, we had to go and take the garbage to the main street, you may have to have the help of someone on the next street.. maybe someone wiill help you for a few pesos.


Quite possible! I will look into those possibilities. I have no problem at all paying as long as I achieve the goal of getting rid of the garbage. 🙂


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

There must be kids on the street where they pick up who would love to get a tip to come and get the garbage


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## MangoTango (Feb 8, 2020)

Our garbage is collected every M-W-F by a firm hired by the administration. They come at different hours in the morning. They come even on Christmas morning. We are the last house in their loop through the community and we have a nice bright street lamp near us and it is kind of secluded. So - they sit there for sometimes up to 15 minutes opening up the collected garbage bags looking for goodies. I watched them one morning (I was watering plants) and they could not see me. They were most interested in paper items (bank statements etc). We shred everything we throw out. We even remove the labels off boxes and such.

Do you have an administration in your privada ? Maybe security you could consult ? I find that one man's garbage is another's treasure. It is interesting to watch what happens when I place some things out for pickup. Often stuff doesn't even last long enough to be picked up by the garbage truck. Like recently I threw away some concertina wire. It was gone in a matter of hours. Empty 5 gallon paint pails are a real treasure.


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## PatrickMurtha (Feb 26, 2011)

I continued to wait this morning even though I thought the truck I had seen was THE truck. But it turns out I was wrong, because another truck did appear a few hours later and collected from my house and the house next door. I was very relieved!

Every miscellaneous item I would put out in urban Querétaro would disappear within minutes.

That is a good point about shredding paper.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

PatrickMurtha said:


> I continued to wait this morning even though I thought the truck I had seen was THE truck. But it turns out I was wrong, because another truck did appear a few hours later and collected from my house and the house next door. I was very relieved!
> 
> Every miscellaneous item I would put out in urban Querétaro would disappear within minutes.
> 
> That is a good point about shredding paper.


I put everything in the fireplace and burn it no need to shred..


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

citlali said:


> I put everything in the fireplace and burn it no need to shred..


I do similarly. I have a fire pit in the middle of one patio. I accumulate paper and every once in awhile, I use it to start a campfire.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

TundraGreen said:


> I do similarly. I have a fire pit in the middle of one patio. I accumulate paper and every once in awhile, I use it to start a campfire.





TundraGreen said:


> I do similarly. I have a fire pit in the middle of one patio. I accumulate paper and every once in awhile, I use it to start a campfire.


And then do you use the campfire to roast some marshmallows?


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## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

Isla's in a marshmellow mood, for a change....


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

eastwind said:


> Isla's in a marshmellow mood, for a change....


Cute.


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## Elliottbeaudoin (10 mo ago)

The final destination of rubbish varies greatly between areas, states, and even localities. By far the most popular destination for solid waste is the landfill. Although some places, such as San Francisco and Seattle, are able to recycle more than they send to landfills, the rest of the United States still sends its garbage to the dump. Waste in the United States is also sent to recycling center's, composters, and waste-to-energy plants in addition to landfills.


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