Handling Garbage Underway

[sneuman]

Am curious as to how others manage this on, say, a month-long passage. My experience is that after a week, even if you're pitching everything organic, it starts to become a space problem.

[Jimbo485]

Keep the plastic.
Smash and toss the glass.
Make a hole and toss the cans.
Everything else goes over the side.

You only arrive with plastic.

This assumes a true passage with deep water, not a bay or shallow area or reef.

[zeehag]

certain readily recyclables go back to nature. the rest i bag and keep in the shower until i get to a fuel dock--is easiest when ye crush the contents before placing into the containment package.

[Wotname]

Careful compacting and packing. Don't forget it all fitted and stored OK before using each item.

[Tim R.]

How could it be a space problem if it was originally on your boat in the first place?

Otherwise I agree with the previous answers.

[wdkester]

First I would analyze my trash and see where the major problem is coming from. A few hints:
1. Throw away all possible packaging in port. Re package in plastic zip-lock bags, which you will reuse.
2. Flatten any boxes, nest canspapers etc
3. Get a can crusher, or nest the cans.
4. Minimize use or paper towels and plates

Don't burn and/or bury on some deserted island. You're adding to the CO2 load and, to some degree, despoiling a pristine environment. In 7 years of 1/2 time cruising I've never done it.

[donradcliffe]

Originally Posted by wdkester

Don't burn and/or bury on some deserted island. You're adding to the CO2 load and, to some degree, despoiling a pristine environment. In 7 years of 1/2 time cruising I've never done it.

No, you just let someone else do it.

[rebel heart]

- Ditch everything that can go overboard, which is basically anything other than plastic.
- Cans, paper, metal, wood, glass, food leftovers: all overboard. Wait until you're ~20 miles offshore in a deep area.
- Rinse the plastic (if it needs rinsing), cut it with a razor to make it flatter shapes (if you really need the space).
- Bag it, jam it in the anchor locker.

If you want to really have problems, trying doing a passage with a kid in diapers (like I get to do across the Pacific in six months).

[sneuman]

Originally Posted by Tim R.

How could it be a space problem if it was originally on your boat in the first place?

Otherwise I agree with the previous answers.

Not space as in no room, space as in an inconvenience. Thanks!

[Matt sachs]

Rebel, are you going with cloth diapers?

[Jane.Joy]

A note about throwing cans overboard: we decided not to, because almost all cans (if they're used to store food) are lined in plastic. Beer and soda cans can be sunk - and glass, paper....

Here is a collection of posts from cruisers about how they handle their trash. The Monkey's Fist: Rubbish

[Sailor_Hutch]

Originally Posted by Matt sachs

Rebel, are you going with cloth diapers?

Eggsactly! Just dip em over the side a couple times, and hang em up ... Good as new!

Sad to say ... I'm old enough to actually have done that ...

[JPA Cate]

The best way I know to "shrink" plastic is to cut it up small (I use scissors.) Then fill a two liter beverage (or 1/2 gal) with the cut up bits and screw the lid on it. Keep on doing it. It is purely amazing how much plastic you can compact in it, I find it superior to plastic bags. But at the end of the journey, you'll find the chap above is right: somebody else burns it.

Ann

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

If you want to really have problems, trying doing a passage with a kid in diapers (like I get to do across the Pacific in six months).

Come on...use cotton diapers. Not those disposable ones!

[atoll]

having a rib hanging on davits on the back of the boat is where our plastic trash goes,every thing else is deep sixed.

with kid#1 on a 36 ft boat we had 75 cloth nappies that got towed behind the boat then rinsed in fresh,cheap, effective.

kid#2 on a 63 ft boat got diapers,but space was not really a problem for trash

,potty training and having a toilet seat adaptor for small bottoms helped a lot to reduce diaper usage,as did letting them run around naked......cockpit drains are good for that as well......number 2's you just gotta watch out for the signs!