Hi
I'm feeling a bit peeved after the bank holiday weekend. A neighbour of mine
requested I dispose of a heap of animal waste that that would attract blue
bottles, rats and mice. When told it was a compost heap, he said it was
inappropriate to have in in the garden.
The heap was actually the cleanings out of my guinea pigs, with garden waste
added. I had started saving it in October, when the weather was cooler,
adding it to my rather small amount of garden waste. The guinea pigs are
kept on pelleted sawdust that crumbles when it gets wet. The bag recommends
disposing of it via a compost heap. They have hay and straw as litter. The
aim was to produce a heap that would rot down to compost over the winter so
there was no danger of smell or nuisance. In fact the pigs are cleaned out
before there is any smell anyway, and the heap was only visible through a 6
inch gap in the fence. ( about 3ft square, enclosed by paving slabs, but
showing some straw on the top)
The compost could have done with a couple of more months, but there are no
visible 'poos', and the straw is black and showing white fungus 'roots', so
I've started moving it. I mulched around some of the borders in the back
garden, and I want to get some into the front, but using it all up will take
time. I'll probably bag the rest over the weekend, as I don't want any
trouble, but I really don't understand what the problem was. I hadn't added
anything for over a month, so as to have a heap rotted through for around
June, and I don't know what he thought rats and mice would eat. The only
smell I noticed as i started moving it was that 'composty' sort of smell,
definately not noxious, and only noticable close up anyway.
Has anyone else had problems with compost heaps causing complaints? I was
really surprised, as I thought I had been responsible, and I was trying to
reduce the waste put out for the bin men by recycling. Problem is I haven't
got anywhere else to site it, as it was situated between my shed and garage,
so as to be out of sight of the main garden.

annie

"sugarCandy" wrote in message
news
Hi
I'm feeling a bit peeved after the bank holiday weekend. A neighbour of
mine
requested I dispose of a heap of animal waste that that would attract blue
bottles, rats and mice. When told it was a compost heap, he said it was
inappropriate to have in in the garden.
The heap was actually the cleanings out of my guinea pigs, with garden
waste
added. I had started saving it in October, when the weather was cooler,
adding it to my rather small amount of garden waste. The guinea pigs are
kept on pelleted sawdust that crumbles when it gets wet. The bag
recommends
disposing of it via a compost heap. They have hay and straw as litter. The
aim was to produce a heap that would rot down to compost over the winter
so
there was no danger of smell or nuisance. In fact the pigs are cleaned out
before there is any smell anyway, and the heap was only visible through a
6
inch gap in the fence. ( about 3ft square, enclosed by paving slabs, but
showing some straw on the top)


I put the same on the compost heap from my guinea pig and rabbits. Never
had a problem with it. Not that that is any help to you!

Vicky

In article ,
"sugarCandy" writes:
|
| I'm feeling a bit peeved after the bank holiday weekend. A neighbour of mine
| requested I dispose of a heap of animal waste that that would attract blue
| bottles, rats and mice. When told it was a compost heap, he said it was
| inappropriate to have in in the garden.

He sounds like an idiot, to put it politely.

| Has anyone else had problems with compost heaps causing complaints? I was
| really surprised, as I thought I had been responsible, and I was trying to
| reduce the waste put out for the bin men by recycling. Problem is I haven't
| got anywhere else to site it, as it was situated between my shed and garage,
| so as to be out of sight of the main garden.

How close is it to his house, and what is the other side of his
fence?


The best solution is to ignore him, unless he might just be highly
sensitive and have some grounds for complaint.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

sugarCandy wrote:
Hi
I'm feeling a bit peeved after the bank holiday weekend. A neighbour of mine
requested I dispose of a heap of animal waste that that would attract blue
bottles, rats and mice. When told it was a compost heap, he said it was
inappropriate to have in in the garden.

I'd keep it. Sounds like your neighbour is being completely unreasonable
to me. Guinea Pig waste is not a health hazard, and you are doing
exactly the right thing with it. (I might have left it a bit longer to
rot down more thouroughly, but it won't do your garden any harm.)

You could try explaining yourself to your neighbour, but I get the
impression that he is one of those who always knows best. I'd ignore
him. If he complains to the council, I have a good idea they will be on
your side.

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

In article ,
"sugarCandy" writes:
|
| I'm feeling a bit peeved after the bank holiday weekend. A neighbour of
mine
| requested I dispose of a heap of animal waste that that would attract
blue
| bottles, rats and mice. When told it was a compost heap, he said it was
| inappropriate to have in in the garden.

He sounds like an idiot, to put it politely.

| Has anyone else had problems with compost heaps causing complaints? I
was
| really surprised, as I thought I had been responsible, and I was trying
to
| reduce the waste put out for the bin men by recycling. Problem is I
haven't
| got anywhere else to site it, as it was situated between my shed and
garage,
| so as to be out of sight of the main garden.

How close is it to his house, and what is the other side of his
fence?


The best solution is to ignore him, unless he might just be highly
sensitive and have some grounds for complaint.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.


The heap is at the bottom of the garden, and he has trees the other side of
the fence, no sitting area or patio. I think he only noticed it because he
was having a tidy up after the winter. I was so surprised I couldn't think
of all the sensible replies that come to mind now, like recycling,
environmentally friendly, no cooked food etc!
We've been here 2 and a half years, and besides telling me not to take in
parcels if asked to by the postman, they haven't really had much to say up
until now.

annie

"bigboard" wrote in message
...
sugarCandy wrote:
Hi
I'm feeling a bit peeved after the bank holiday weekend. A neighbour of
mine
requested I dispose of a heap of animal waste that that would attract
blue
bottles, rats and mice. When told it was a compost heap, he said it was
inappropriate to have in in the garden.

I'd keep it. Sounds like your neighbour is being completely unreasonable
to me. Guinea Pig waste is not a health hazard, and you are doing
exactly the right thing with it. (I might have left it a bit longer to
rot down more thouroughly, but it won't do your garden any harm.)

You could try explaining yourself to your neighbour, but I get the
impression that he is one of those who always knows best. I'd ignore
him. If he complains to the council, I have a good idea they will be on
your side.

I had intended to leave it longer to rot, but as he'd complained i thought
I'd show I was trying to move it. Mind you if I use it in the front garden
he'll get to see it a lot more than he does at the moment. I wondered if
he'd anything to say last year to a chap across the road who used some evil
smelling stuff on his borders. Definately not rotted!
Now the weather is better the guinea pigs are grazing the lawn as often as
possible. That way they spread their own manure! Grass grows nice and green
as well.

annie

The heap is at the bottom of the garden, and he has trees the other side of
the fence, no sitting area or patio. I think he only noticed it because he
was having a tidy up after the winter. I was so surprised I couldn't think
of all the sensible replies that come to mind now, like recycling,
environmentally friendly, no cooked food etc!
We've been here 2 and a half years, and besides telling me not to take in
parcels if asked to by the postman, they haven't really had much to say up
until now.

annie



Sounds like Obnoxious Neighbour Syndrome to me. I've got one of them -
perhaps we should introduce them to each other...

Mine's just a know-it-all who has nothing better to do with his retirement.
His wife went out and found a part-time job shortly after he retired!

Try contacting Environmental Health at your local council and ask them if
you have sited the heap correctly and if he has any grounds to complain. If
you get in first, you'll have some amunition should they back you up.

Vicky

Try contacting Environmental Health at your local council and ask them if
you have sited the heap correctly and if he has any grounds to complain.
If
you get in first, you'll have some amunition should they back you up.

Probably the LAST thing to do! Just ignore him and he will either go away
or go to the Council. In the latter case they will almost certainly tell him
to go away. Far better than letting it escalate.

"..... Try contacting Environmental Health at your local council and ask
them if you have sited the heap correctly and if he has any grounds to
complain. If you get in first, you'll have some ammunition should they back
you up. ...."

You could also get a council compost bin and ask if they have any written
instructions about what should and should not be put into it.



--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

On Thu, 15 Apr 2004 12:10:46 +0100, "David Hill"
wrote:

~"..... Try contacting Environmental Health at your local council and ask
~them if you have sited the heap correctly and if he has any grounds to
~complain. If you get in first, you'll have some ammunition should they back
~you up. ...."
~
~You could also get a council compost bin and ask if they have any written
~instructions about what should and should not be put into it.
~
~

I'd print out this page and give it to him.

http://www.hdra.org.uk/organicgardening/compost_pf.htm

It clearly says gerbil, hamster and rabbit bedding is good

(but cat and dog isn't)


--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

Please remove onmaps from replies, thanks!

On Thu, 15 Apr 2004 12:10:46 +0100, "David Hill"
wrote:

~"..... Try contacting Environmental Health at your local council and ask
~them if you have sited the heap correctly and if he has any grounds to
~complain. If you get in first, you'll have some ammunition should they back
~you up. ...."
~
~You could also get a council compost bin and ask if they have any written
~instructions about what should and should not be put into it.
~


Sorry - didn't read all of
http://www.hdra.org.uk/organicgardening/compost_pf.htm
myself either before mailing

Try highlighting this line near the bottom:

"Guinea pigs are marvellous - they love eating weeds and convert them
quickly to prime compost material!"


--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

Please remove onmaps from replies, thanks!

"sugarCandy" wrote in message
news
Hi
I'm feeling a bit peeved after the bank holiday weekend. A neighbour of
mine
requested I dispose of a heap of animal waste that that would attract blue
bottles, rats and mice. When told it was a compost heap, he said it was
inappropriate to have in in the garden. snip

If it smells badly enough that he can smell it in his garden then he has a
point, otherwise I'd ignore him.

--
Tumbleweed

Remove my socks for email address

The message
from "sugarCandy" contains these words:

Hi
I'm feeling a bit peeved after the bank holiday weekend. A neighbour of mine
requested I dispose of a heap of animal waste that that would attract blue
bottles, rats and mice. When told it was a compost heap, he said it was
inappropriate to have in in the garden.

Best to smile and say nothing, he'll realise the error of his
foolishness soon enough, or forget all about it.

The first time I met our elderly neighbour last spring, he said early
guests in his holiday house had complained of lice in the beds. This had
never happened before we moved in, and he assured me the source of the
infestation is "all that seaweed you keep spreading on the garden".

:-)

He's completely forgotten about it now.

Janet.

In article , sugarCandy
writes
Has anyone else had problems with compost heaps causing complaints? I was
really surprised, as I thought I had been responsible, and I was trying to
reduce the waste put out for the bin men by recycling. Problem is I haven't
got anywhere else to site it, as it was situated between my shed and garage,
so as to be out of sight of the main garden.

Don't know where you are, but here is a helpful composting contact:

Help line: 0845 0500 110
Email:
Web: www.compost-it.org.uk and go to the Ask us Tell Us section

--
Jane Ransom in Lancaster.
I won't respond to private emails that are on topic for urg
but if you need to email me for any other reason, put ransoms
at jandg dot demon dot co dot uk where you see

In article ,
says...
Hi
I'm feeling a bit peeved after the bank holiday weekend. A neighbour of mine
requested I dispose of a heap of animal waste that that would attract blue
bottles, rats and mice. When told it was a compost heap, he said it was
inappropriate to have in in the garden.

Is it near his house? Maybe you could just move it to the other side of
your garden nearer the other neighbour. I suppose we all have different
smell sensitivities and you might be luckier that side.