How to store trash between collections in the rainy season

Limbe is one of the wettest places in Cameroon, and for months the rain barely stops. That makes storing rubbish between collections harder: wet bags tear, bins fill with water, smells get worse and flies, rats and dogs are drawn to anything left open.

These eight habits keep your waste under control until our crew comes.

1. Use a bin with a tight lid

A bag on the ground will be soaked, torn and scattered by morning. A plastic or metal bin with a lid that closes properly keeps rain out and animals away. If the lid is loose, put a stone or brick on top.

2. Drill drainage holes, or raise the bin

Even with a lid, water finds its way in. A few small holes in the bottom of the bin let it drain. Better still, stand the bin on two bricks or a block, so it is not sitting in a puddle.

3. Double-bag wet and food waste

Food waste is heavy and wet, and it is the first thing to leak. Put it in two bags, or wrap it in newspaper before bagging. Squeeze the air out and tie the bag firmly.

4. Drain food scraps first

Before throwing out leftovers, sauces or soaked rice, pour away the liquid. Less water in the bag means less weight, less smell and less chance of it bursting when lifted.

5. Keep recyclables dry and separate

Wet paper and cardboard turn to mush and are no longer useful. Store them flattened and indoors, or under a shelter, until collection day. Our guide to sorting household waste explains how to keep them apart.

6. Choose a sheltered spot

Keep your bin under a roof edge, against a wall or under a small shelter, out of the path of running water, and well away from your water tank or well and from the drain. Rubbish that gets into drains is one of the main reasons they block and overflow in heavy rain.

7. Clean the bin regularly

Every week or two, rinse the empty bin with water and a little soap or bleach and let it dry upside down. A few drops of disinfectant at the bottom keep flies away.

8. Put bags out at the right time

Bags left on the roadside for days get wet and torn open. Put your waste out on collection day, or the evening before, at the spot our crew knows. If you will not be home, make sure the bin is accessible but still closed.

Never burn wet rubbish, and never use the drains

When collection is irregular, it is tempting to burn rubbish or push it into a gutter during the rain. Burning wet waste fills the neighbourhood with thick smoke, and waste in drains causes flooding further down the street. Regular collection is the safer answer.

With DORTIGO, your waste is collected every week on your neighbourhood's days, rain or shine. See our plans or subscribe in two minutes.