How in the world is this question supposed to be representative of what it is truly like to live with an obnoxious neighbor? So, let me get this straight-- the only reason these neighbors are considered obnoxious is because YOU don't like being "harassed" for legitimate, documented infractions? Okay, sure, maybe they do go a bit far. But tell me this: are the complainers doing anything obnoxious besides complaining? Do they play their TV loud? Does THEIR dog bark at you? If the only obnoxious thing about them is that they complain too much, maybe you are the obnoxious neighbor. My downstairs neighbors are just like this. They watch TV very loudly, they let their kids run and jump around at all hours (making the walls in my apartment literally shake), leave their shoes in the hallway so we trip over them, and sometimes even leave the main door to the building open because they're apparently unable to close a door properly. When I go to them and let them know in as friendly a way as possible that they need to turn their TV down, or move their shoes, or close the door so we all don't get raped and murdered in the middle of the night, they go to the landlord and complain about me! My landlord just nods his head and smiles. At least he's intelligent and can see that anyone who complains about being complained about, is the truly obnoxious one.
Also-- NYT, is this question the best you can do in relation to obnoxious neighbors? A Gramercy Park co-op? Poor babies.
One thing we dont know is how big this building is: larger NYC residential buildings have MUCH more trash and need to be more "operational" about it or it gets out of hand. On the other hand, if the board member is basically a crazy person with no boundaries I would move out: just me, but moving is easier than changing the board's rules.
@K Henderson I reckon it would be fun to write letters back, thanking them for their feedback and doing nothing hahaha. I would smile, nod, agree and do nothing
This sounds like that co-worker many of us have had to suffer, the one sends who send e-mails constantly, for all matters, big and small, rather than walking over to someone's desk and talking to them.
2
It's difficult for those who live outside of major cities to understand the experience. So, I'll attempt to put some education out there. Roaches are a sign of a successful city, it means that there's a large demand to live in a particular city , but consequently there are plenty of food scraps left for the roaches. Roaches spread around a variety of harmful bacteria including strep and salmonella. It's imperative that they be kept outside of the building, but inevitably some wander in during deliveries when the service entrance needs to be kept open. This is why building are so strict about not leaving food around. An uncleaned peanut butter jar is an open invitation for roaches. Also, once in a blue moon there's a visiting dog across the hall who barks at me when I open my door. After a long day at work it makes me feel unwelcome in my own home when I'm looking for a quiet hour before bed. For those who would argue that dogs bark.. Most co-ops require the dog to be interviewed and barking would disqualify them. I believe dogs that are approved come from certain breeds that tend to be quieter. It's the owners responsibility to train them adequately. There are over 100 units in my building and the easy but important rules are necessary to share a space and keep everyone safe and comfortable.
10
@Marc As you say "once in a blue moon the dog across the hall barks as you open your door"...So is this really such a source of irritation that you remember and comment on it? Once you close your door, does the barking stop? So what is the big deal? I do agree with you on the recycled jar of peanut butter - all recycling items should be thoroughly cleaned before disposal. The bug (and rodent) thing is real!
Yes, dogs should not bark and peanut butter jar should be thoroughly cleaned, but continually involving the managing agent over trivial issues increases management costs for all owners.
17
There is a simple solution. Correct your behavior. Follow the rules of your building and the laws and the problem goes away because there is nothing for anyone to complain about. You have to clean containers if you own or if you rent, apartment building or single dwelling. You have to break down boxes.
There isn't any "forgetting" to do these things, it is pure laziness. Building staff and city workers are not your personal servants and expecting them to clean up your lazy messes treats them as if they are as well as showing a lack of respect to those living around you.
26
The tragedy of the commons. A dog's bark can be very annoying to neighbors as it can pierce the the veil of quiet enjoyment of other tenants in the building. Is this barking happening just with delivery men, or does it happen with anyone entering the hallway? Dogs barking for extended periods is a problem I have encountered in a few NYC apartments and there seems to be no law that effectively addresses the issue. I hope the letter writer keeps that in mind.
12
What happens to recyclables now that China will no longer import these items? There was a NYT article about plastics and other materials going to landfills with the other trash or being stored in warehouses indefinitely due to the Chinese ban. America should re-examine its packaging products and practices so the final step does not involve virtue signaling over “recycling” while actually dumping these items in landfills or in foreign countries that haven’t yet banned their import.
5
@Lynn in DC glass and metal are still profitable to recycle, even here in the US.
3
Or you could talk to her. You live on the same floor. Make friends and see, maybe she just wants some attention. After all, she wasn't the one who didn't clean out her peanut butter jar.
19
Hey, know what? Unwashed recycling is garbage, not recycling. My slob neighbors leave unwashed food containers on recycling shelves all the time. Unwashed containers are not legal recycling, plus they attract vermin.
My neighbors also throw their large delivery boxes in the trash room, taking up all the space and preventing others from using the trash room.
And don't get me started on entitled, irresponsible "dog lovers" who do zero training (or proper walking, for that matter)...but who act persecuted if anyone doesn't find their shrieking, neurotic, unexercised "child" adorable. I have a feeling it's not really just a dog "barking at a delivery man," as stated in the letter. I'm used to the way the crazy dog people make anyone who dares to ask them to take responsibility into a "hater."
I'd welcome the "persnickety" neighbors to my building with open arms. I'm always astonished at how some apartment dwellers conveniently manage to block out the existence of neighbors who are affected by their flouting of rules and common courtesy...and also their disregard for building employees who have to deal with their pretend cluelessness.
P.S. And by the way, your open wet umbrella is blocking half the hallway. And your wet boots also belong on the other side of your door. Letter. Letter.
64
@S.F. Almost guaranteed that the letter writer leaves their shoes and umbrella in the hallway....and just doesn't understand what is wrong with that either.
1
I've served on co-op boards for 13 years, and this letter doesn't pass the smell test. If these people had been that invasive and so demanding of the managing agent, it's highly unlikely that the board wouldn't have acted. As for the managing agent, I've known many, and can't imagine any that would let a nag take up so much time. I have a feeling there's something more personal going on between the writer and these people that we aren't being told.
16
@HKGuy I can't take any comment seriously that uses the phrase "doesn't pass the smell test". That doesn't mean anything. Stop it.
6
@HKGuy Maybe the board doesn't want to deal with the nag over peanut butter jars either.
1
@Cathy All they smell is the leftover peanut butter baby!
Report her for snooping in your garbage.
8
New York co-op maintenance fees are ridiculously high. Building staff can and should deal with these issues. Items go to the basement before leaving the building. A properly run building addresses any issues before items hit the street and accrue fines. Residents pay staff to deal with trash and recycling. Like it or not there is a system in place to deal with this.
3
Though I sympathize with your situation of what sounds like a terrible neighbor, harassing her neighbors. I have a bigger issue in my building in midtown, millennial renters, exclusively young women who live three in an apartment, have boyfriends over which creates a stream of 6 people in and out. But, the most galling issue, they leave huge green trash bags in the hallway because they're too entitled and lazy to take them to the trash room downstairs. Numerous complaints from me and I threatened to call the city because of a woman who moved out and couldn't pick up her "stuff" until she got back from vacation, so her roommates placed everything in the hallway. It sat blocking access to my place for 5 days. They've create a sorority house. It's unbelievable, the selfish behavior and complete lack of regard for others. Each have their mommy and daddy move them in as well. At 30 they behave like spoiled 14 year olds. Persnickety to old is what self-centered and entitled is to young. Finding the middle ground in NYC when dealing with people is really tough.
41
@MCS That their parent help them moves has nothing to do with this. Every family has its own culture.
7
@PrairieFlax I would agree with you, but when it's a ubiquitous pattern of fully grown adults having their parents move them, it's not cultural, but generational. I'm fairly certain they each received a participation trophy too.
25
@MCS it is unlikely to happen again, but leaving boxes or furniture in the corridor is likely a violation of fire code. The trash bags -might- be as well. It might be worth mentioning this to the management company.
7
One reason why I'd never live in condo, gated community or any community governed by rules. I can put up a clothesline, plant a garden in my front yard if i want to, feed the birds and squirrels, etc. without someone sending me a "letter" stating these things are all against the rules (or more likely offend someone's sensibilities or anal retentive tendencies). And I do wash all cans and jars completely before putting them in the recycling bags as well as (despite bad arthritis in both hands), breaking down the boxes. Because i have consideration for those whose job it is to go through my garbage. I'll stick with my own little house on the half acre in a rural area thank you, free from those who think they know what's best for everyone else.
14
@Ann Have fun with the squirrels. I'll be at the opera/theater/restaurant/dance recital/museum/concert...etc.
12
@Oh Lots of things to do in Halifax, which is only 45 minutes away. It is becoming more culturally diverse and there are great restaurants, museums, concerts, etc. I grew up half an hour from NYC and spent all my weekends doing those things and loved it. Have also lived near Toronto and Montreal. I can get my "city fix" when I need to, but prefer the peace and quiet to intrusive neighbors and "rules".
19
@Oh I do believe Canada has all those things.
7
Here in Florida we call them Condo Commandos. They particularly infect beachfront condos, and seem to thrill complaining that small children walk barefoot coming in from the beach. They take as a personal affront small children running around the pool and making noise! They will often complain that one of the tykes urinated in the pool just to get the management to close the pool and send those pre-school vandals back to their rooms.
Finally, they get incensed when someone takes "their" places at poolside. The gall of some people! How dare them not realize that condo commandos have first dibs!
15
Seems to me that the letter writer is the truly obnoxious neighbor -- their unclean recycling attracts vermin, they expect others to break down their boxes, and they don't care that neighbors have to listen to their yapping dog.
Pretty sure this person won't do anything as useful as joining the board and working on issues. They'll just continue whining to their neighbors and Ask Real Estate.
Shame on Ask Real Estate for supporting their dysfunctional behavior.
40
It's glitter bomb time for the garbage bin.
11
@Eli And if that doesn't work, cue the live tarantulas...
1
@Eli Bad for the planet. Goes right down into the waterways; fish and marine mammals and marine birds ingest it. Bad for them. And for those who eat fish.
3
Honestly, I'm closer to the overzealous board member's opinion than the letter writer's. While the management company should not be a tool of harassment, it is very frustrating to open the door to the compactor room on my floor and see massive, intact cardboard boxes piled high and large discarded items on the floor. Then there's the smell of unwashed recycling.
Leaving the compactor room in this state is disrespectful to fellow residents and to the staff of the building.
57
An inconvenient, yet unfortunately not an uncommon problem. I would counsel a position of retaliatory prevention and reasonably vengeful response of "Dost onto thy neighbor what he doeth onto thee".
We have a self managed coop building in midtown and garbage is our biggest issue. When it is not done correctly, the city does not pick it up and at times the city tickets us for the trash. Mistakes are made and that's natural but its odd that some people just can't admit that they made a mistake - did recycling wrong, put it out the wrong day, didn't bag properly etc. And yes, once on the street, to locate the offender one rummages through the trash so no one is wrongly accused or asked to retrieve. Just acknowledge the error, try not to repeat, and move on. Strangers and neighboring stores also dump on small buildings. The trash woes of NYC...
16
The way you go about something is just as important as the issue itself. While the board member isn't wrong, the tactics are. Just because you are correct about an issue doesn't give you carte blanche to be a nuisance and annoyance to your fellow shareholders.
26
@Mike Well said. Who wants a crabby know-it-all to shove their moral fist in our face? There are kinder and more effective ways to accomplish things.
7
I still say it is more wasteful of water (and the energy to heat it) to rinse out peanut butter jars than it is to throw them in the trash. I rinse everything but PB. I'd love to hear an expert opinion on that.
6
@Rob D just fill the jar with warm water and let it soak (even overnight). the remnants will rinse out very easily after that.
25
@Sam, Been there, done that. Semi- easily at best with all natural PB. Recycling recipients want NO contamination these days.
6
When I was a kid, my aunt taught me to fill a jar only a third to a half full with water and then shake hard. And keep shaking. The gop on the sides will come off. You don't need to keep running the water.
21
There is nothing more annoying than a Pius "green" person. My heart goes out to the letter writer.
7
@Tony from Truro
Agree that piety is pretty annoying, but I honestly prefer that over the lazy people who just can't be bothered to comply with the rules.
43
To all of you who, like Caitlin, express disbelief that NYC will issue fines for dirty peanut butter jars or and improperly broken down boxes, believe it.
The city will fine a building for improper disposal of recyclables. That’s why they mandate that they be bagged in see-through plastic bags (clear or blue).
Ditto for boxes, which must be bundled and properly tied together, which is only possible if they are completely flat. And by the way, I don’t understand people who claim they can’t flatten a box. Use a blade to cut the tape and the box practically folds itself flat, arthritis or no arthritis.
The first offense is $150, more if there are commercial tenants, and they grow from there. Eventually they can result in violations or worse.
So, yes. The city can and does fine buildings for these kinds of things and while perhaps the “complainer” is a bit heavy-handed, she is not wrong.
48
@Max: Catlin here, and I'm not in disbelief that buildings are fined for improper handling of their recyclables and disposables. I've always been aware of that fact: I'm questioning whether a smidge or two of peanut butter left in a jar adds up to a fine; how sparkly clean does the jar have to be to escape shame and punishment? As far as those of us who are too arthritic, old, or weak to flatten a box, believe it! A blade takes strength and coordination, too. Your doubt reminds me of young, muscular men who can not fathom how a twist-off cap can turn in to battle for those with twisted, gnarled fingers. I don't see why tipping the building staff extra to flatten a box should be problematic, if need be.
10
@Max What happens to the bags? Do they get recycled?
2
@Max Indeed, I was fined $25 for putting the milk carton in the paper recycling, rather than with the beverage containers. To make matters worse, I was standing there when he wrote it out. Rather than tell me I had made an error, and offer me the chance to correct it, he just handed me a ticket. I would have argued, but I figured he'd look around and find something else to add on.
2
Some poor rodent is going to get his head stuck in the unclean PB jar while looking for something to eat.
Clean it properly.
16
To me, it's the slovenly neighbor, not the zealously neat one, who's "obnoxious."
For those of us who must coexist in tight places, tidiness is a virtue. Messes lead to chaos, not to mention rats and roaches.
67
Here in America, we have become so enamored of our “freedom” that we think we don’t have to follow the rules or be civil to our neighbors. If you can’t wash out a simple peanut butter jar, break down a cardboard box or muzzle your dog, then move to a single-family home on an acre somewhere.
In my gated community, people move in, don’t read any of the rules and then think they can act as if they still live on a large parcel in a detached home. They are stunned and offended when they’re asked to follow the rules they agreed to when they signed the contract and bought the place. It boggles the mind.
91
@LIChef Muzzling a dog is animal cruelty. Training a dog not to bark at delivery people is a much better solution. Unfortunately, it requires being a competent dog owner, which is very rare, indeed.
10
@LIChef You already lost the argument when you said "In my gated community...."
6
Soup-Nazis, Neighbor-Nazis: although I'm not usually a tit-for-tat person, when it comes to self-righteous, complaining prigs, I think the magnifying glass should be reversed and shined on them for a while; given their impossible standards, there'll always be something to find wrong. Maybe then they'll learn some empathy and reason; moreover, they're probably huge offenders, because why would they be on a moral mission to clean up others' messes if they weren't hiding their own? Psychology 101.
13
Who knew garbage could be so interesting?
22
Another thing to keep in mind is that in certain places, and under certain circumstances - rummaging through trash bins - while inspecting the "private" trash of others - is actually illegal --
In most cases - curbside trash is free game - although here, in NYC - once an item is placed on the curbside for garbage collection - it becomes the legal property of the City --
Rummaging through trash bins in enclosed places - especially when it comes to the floors on which you do not live - could be considered a violation of the law - punishable by a fine -
If it were me - I would use the "The best defense is a good offense" approach - and consider accusing - (or possibly "suggesting") - that the nosy board member's activities came close to identity theft --
If other co-op tenants have a reasonable expectation that their trash is going directly to the sanitation truck - they could very well lodge a serious complaint against the offending board member --
Something I would certainly consider doing...
10
Have you tried befriending the neighbor? I bet she's lonely, has too much time on her hands, and would respond well to some compassion.
5
@Blue Jay Or she might be a pathological narcissist without any ability whatsoever to build or sustain genuine or healthy emotional bonds.
6
@Blue Jay Or she may be trying to prevent the building from being fined by NYC since proper recycling items that are not properly cleaned and garbage that is not properly formatted are subject to fines.
4
You answered this question after only hearing one side of the story. Your answer should have been more balanced, taking into account that the author of the question may have been an unreliable narrator. In my experience, people en masse disobey rules and this leads to lower quality of life, possible safety problems, and increased expenses. There are know-it-all or busybody people out there, but it is also very likely that most of the people in the building are disobeying rules that are in their benefit and need enforcement and just don't like being called out on their violations.
Maybe the building has received a fine for dirty recyclables and this is the source of harangues about dirty peanut butter jars. Make more of an effort to follow the rules, or at least appear to follow the rules. Regarding building specific rules, another solution is go to board meetings to change the rules.
26
@Michael You can't go to board meetings if you are not on the board.
I wish I had your neighbors! The people in my (rental) building are total slobs. The super spends two nights a week sorting the garbage into the appropriate recycling bins, and no one ever rinses anything. I tried making signs to put in the garbage room, but no one reads them. Want to switch buildings with me?
53
Reason number 3,987 to never purchase a co-op. People are, by nature, my apologies to Thomas Hobbes, nasty and brutish with long life spans. Even HOAs re populated by proto-fascists seeking to control how others live in their space. Give me a home that is mine to decorate and trash cans that prohibit nosy and hypercritical busy bodies.
12
All of the comments defending the complainer and the complained seem reasonable; living in a co-op is like living in a dorm--and professional responsible adults don't want to be regulated like dorm residents. The conclusion I draw from this is I would never live in a co-op. Probably explains why I live in a single family residence in Metro-Atlanta. We have an HOA to maintain minimum standards, but not to scrutinize our recycling and other minute details of our existence. Anyone considering buying in a co-op should read this short Q&A--and all of the comments, before agreeing to live communally.
16
@Hudson Bronner HOAs can also be challenging,
8
@Hudson Bronner: And if you run afoul of HOA regulations, then what happens? Or do only perfect people live there?
An HOA can be just as obnoxious as any co-op neighbor could be!
11
Peanut butter jars should not go in the recycling. Many recycling companies don't take them. And remember to put the lids on them, so animals don't get trapped.
14
@PrairieFlax
I'm not sure how they do it in Nebraska - but here in New York City - where the letter-writer lives - glass bottles and jars are accepted for recycling - as long as they are cleaned first --
Also - we do not simply place our recyclables in open refuse containers - because the NYC Sanitation regulations for the disposal of recyclables are very specific regarding containers (sealed clear and blue plastic bags) and detailed --
As long as they are properly cleaned and rinsed - glass peanut butter (and jelly) containers are 100% recyclable here in NYC - including Gramercy Park -
While that complaining board member may be irritating - she is actually correct when pointing out an uncleaned jar - of anything - not just peanut butter...
41
@PrairieFlax Why should a glass jar not be recycled?
11
@PrairieFlax
And people who live in Grand Island, NE should learn the recycling rules for New York City before telling the people who live there what to do with their recyclables --
"Residents, schools, institutions, and agencies must recycle with the Department of Sanitation in clearly labeled bins or clear bags.
[...]
Recyclable items include:
Paper and cardboard
Glass, metal, rigid plastic, and beverage cartons
Only glass bottles and jars may be recycled as glass.
Glass must be rinsed before you recycle it.
Glass can be mixed with metal and plastic recyclables, but never with paper recyclables.
Glass Items That Can’t Be Recycled
Drinking glasses and glassware
Eyeglasses
Glass tables
Glass windows
Light bulbs
Mirrors
Broken Glass
To avoid bag punctures, broken glass should be placed into a cardboard box labeled "broken glass." The box should be sealed with tape and placed into a trash can or securely tied garbage bag. Small containers of broken glass may be placed directly into a trash can or bag."
https://portal.311.nyc.gov/article/?kanumber=KA-02013
A carefully-rinsed glass jar of peanut butter - (or jelly, for that matter) - is a perfect item for recycling under the NYC sanitation and recycling regulations...
24
The managing agent needs to let all residents know the consequences of dirty recycling and poorly disposed-of boxes in a professional manner. It can be brought up and explained in meetings as well. No one wants bugs, and no one wants to hire more union help to unfold boxes.
The reality is that there will ALWAYS be one resident that feels personal responsibility to be the recycling police, and one resident that bucks the rules even when they make for a more hygienic building and less maintenance staffing.
It is how the people the residents pay to field this aggravation, namely the managing company, decide to handle it, that matters.
32
How that the nosy old biddy even know whose peanut butter jar that is? Do people in your building write their names on their peanut butter jars?
41
@nerdrage
Sarcasm aside - The question doesn't say that individuals get letters but rather that some people are "sick of" being reminded of their house rules by management letter, and blame this board member as the reason.
But here's the reality check. Nearly all co-ops have house rules, and often a house committee to oversee them (which may also be the situation here). When you sign your proprietary lease you agree to follow the rules. The alternative can in fact be fines and even eviction. In most cases, management just sends the reminder letter. If people feel "sick of" being reminded, maybe they should just do the right thing in the first place.
31
@nerdrage
How do you know she's old?
20
Harassment is not OK and these two clowns appear to have some serious issues. However, I am also a co-op owner and think the letter writer needs to look at this from another point of view. Peanut butter remnants have a strong smell & will attract pests. Everyone on your floor is also getting deliveries - not breaking down boxes is inconsiderate of both neighbors & the building staff. In my co-op you get 1 letter and then a fine-would that be better?
64
@Mallo Question on the boxes: I have arthritic hands so it's very difficult and somewhat painful for me to flatten a box. What would you recommend in my case? Should I pay the maintenance men every time I have an Amazon box delivery to come up to my apartment and flatten it? That seems a bit much, as it would be inconvenient for both them and me. Would a hefty Christmas tip make up for what you call "inconsiderate," or is breaking down boxes just part and parcel -- no pun intended -- of the staff's job? I really don't know.
Regarding the food: I had a neighbor, since moved, who would leave out half-eaten, Italian take-out dinners on a regular basis, and when I write "out," I mean spaghetti, sauce, meat, whatever, on my floor's compactor room. That seemed outrageous, and a magnet for pests; however, some peanut butter in a jar in the recycle bin itself is not going to attract pests or give off a smell if the recyclables are picked up on a regular basis, at least twice a day.
7
@Catlin
Ask a neighbor for help.
24
I also have a hard time flattening boxes, so I turn them upside down and step on them until they are flat.
Where there is a will, there is a way. And if there is no will, then other people have to do the job for you, evidently without remuneration. I cannot believe that that is okay with you.
While I would not like a busybody neighbor, I would like even less a dirty, sloppy neighbor or the vermin their behavior attracts.
42
So start cleaning your jars better and breaking down your boxes correctly. Voila - problem solved.
101
@PM You gotta think about the type of person who would root around in someone else's trash, looking for stuff to complain about. If the peanut butter jars and boxes no longer provide fodder, the nosy old biddies will move on to the next target.
The peanut butter jars and boxes are not the problem here, y'see.
19
No one is "rooting around."
Dirty jars are easy to see when you're tossing your own jars into the bin, and even easier to smell.
23
While the reply here dealt with the interpersonal frictions, it gave a regrettable pass to poor trash room behaviors to begin with. The board member may be overzealous, but may also know that 1) buildings can be fined by the city for improperly recycled material like unwashed jars; 2) the building staff devotes a lot of hours these days to cleaning up after tenants by bundling cardboard, washing jars, and sorting trash, and the building has to pay for that labor or short itself on other tasks the staff could be attending to; 3) most trash rooms are inadequate for today's disposal needs - and stacking unsliced boxes takes more room which in turn creates obstacles for others needing to reach the chute or worse, leaving recyclables in the hallway which is a fire hazard punishable by fine and also a vermin hazard. Sheesh! I must remind readers of the trash patrol the reader is complaining about.
But we all know the repeat offenders who stack a dozen Amazon empty cartons so that no one else can open the door. And your staff certainly hates sitting in the basement washing out foul-smelling milk cartons and peanut butter jars. Think about it: Recycling in America leaves a lot to be desired. But you're not supposed to leave yours there for someone else to deal with. And your building shouldn't worry about being fined unnecessarily.
72
@Aubrey Wait for the city to levy the fine and then pass that fine on to the miscreants (if such can be determined). Don't be the heavy; let the city be the heavy and then nobody has any cause for complaint.
This technique ensures that the complaints are valid and not just somebody who derives power from complaining about peanut butter jars, which is sure what this sounds like.
6
@Aubrey Are you saying buildings are regularly fined for unwashed glass and plastic jars? I'd like to know how often that happens, how big an offense -- food left -- must merit a fine, because you can certainly recycle a jar with a bit of peanut butter left inside.
10
You can’t wait and let the city be the heavy when people leave dirty and improperly cleaned items in the recycling room attracting pests and also emanating odors. Just waiting let’s the behavior continue until it’s unbearable.
14
On the other hand, these actions don’t seem that onerous to correct. Food attracts bugs, a box takes up space when not flattened, and dogs in multihousing need discipline. Why not just do the right thing and leave nothing to complain about?
93
@PatitaC Because people who live to complain will always find something to complain about. Giving in to their bellyaching simply encourages them.
12
Prying chronic complainers are indeed a pain. But zeroing in on the peanut butter jar complaint: I have always wondered if the effort and wasted water (hot water infact) it takes to remove the delicious offender from a jar is environmentally cost effective. My feeling is that it is not and PB jars should be trashed.
25
@Rob D: A very interesting line of thought, yet in NYC the current recycling law (which applies to everyone here) says that peanut butter jars must be recycled.
5
@Rob D
Oh don't be silly...fill the peanut butter jar with hot water, let it sit a bit, then swish your fingers though the jar and rinse...very little hot water needed.
6
You really do not have to run for the board, but merely encourage other stockholders not to reelect the offending party.
17
I see this from both sides. As one who has had an angry board member knock on my door with unreasonable complaints. Which certainly felt like harassment, especially with threats that I'd be "hearing from the Board". This only happened a few times, and happily, never went further than the angry knocks.
On the other hand, I also see the same names, over and over, on unbroken-down boxes in the recycling bins that are stuffed full of things that are not recyclable. Some make no attempt at all to separate their trash. It's so bad that our building has been fined several times by the DOS. Our Super now has to sift through ever bag of garbage. Which takes him away from his other duties.
So is harassment and threats the answer? Maybe? How else can we get my neighbors to do their part?
54
@God is Love Those unbroken-down boxes may be stuffed with the other neighbors' garbage, not the owners of the box itself. Happens on my floor all the time, where someone will leave an open box in the compactor room and others will throw their stuff inside.
7
@God is Love: In our building, if your name is on something that causes the building to get a fine, the offender is required to write a check to the building in the amount of the fine.
17
Are guidelines for recycling available for the coop members? If so, and they require cleaning jars, and breaking down boxes, why doesn’t the letter writer and his/her associates want to follow them? They might look into how the recycling is processed and why there is a rule that jars need to be clean and cardboard folded. If following the rules and recycling properly is too difficult, too confusing, or too much bother, they could attempt to convince the board to abolish recycling and just put everything in the trash. This may cause an increase in their disposal fees, but might be a small price to pay for their happiness.
12
The rules for recycling are NOT established by the board - they are established by NYC sanitation department. The building can be fined for non-compliance.
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@louise,
These recycling rules are NYC law with no opting out possible. They are made clear on a 6x14 inch durable poster. My poster is on the side of my refrigerator. Apartment house (not business) trash is collected as a municipal service in NYC; there are no disposal fees for a co-op's household trash.
As several commenters have noted, the ecological benefits of some of our prescribed practices are dubious, e,g, the amount of hot water required to clean a peanut butter jar.
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