Garbage Disposals Forbidden?

[OldTimeRadio]

As a just-turning teenager around 1954 or 1955, it was common knowledge here in the American Midwest that those new-fangled sink garbage disposals were banned in New York State. (I first head this "fact" from my late Dad.)

The fear, you see, is that murderers would use this method to dispose of corpses!

That made sense to me at the time for I erroneously assumed that the state with the largest population center would also have the highest murder rate. (In truth, the City doesn't come anywhere close to having the highest murder rate, per capita, and nearly 80 percent of New York State is rural farming country.)

The logistics of disposing of a human body down a kitchen sink didn't become clear to me until several years later.

In the half-century since then I've occasionally heard this same "information" claimed for other states and foreign countries.

So were garbage disposals ever banned anywhere, for fear of criminal enterprises?

 

[MercuryCrest]

Doubtful, as pigs will eat bone and all. Even without pigs, there's still quicklime and a very deep hole....In all, there are much better ways to dispose of corpses than a garbage disposal. I also wonder if the blades would have ever been able to even chip bone, let alone devour it.

 

[escargot]

Yup, it's true. The sliced-up human remains would feed the crocodiles which live in the sewers.

 

[GNC]

You could always use one of those people shredders to get rid of your unwanted corpses.

 

[stu neville]

Yeah - Haliburton have got one on Ebay right now. A snip at $3 billion.

Buyer must collect though.

 

[OldTimeRadio]

I also wonder if the blades would have ever been able to even chip bone, let alone devour it.

Yes, that was my first clue that this was an Urban Legend.

 

[Mr_Seaweedski]

Quote "The logistics of disposing of a human body down a kitchen sink didn't become clear to me until several years later. " :shock: Eek :shock:

But really, I've only ever seen the waste disposal thing on american TV progs, are they as lethal as the seem? A large hole with pointy choppy things inside - the horror - THE HORROR!

 

[Leaferne]

I've never seen one in Canada, only in the US (why is that?).

 

[escargot]

I've only ever seen the waste disposal thing on american TV progs, are they as lethal as the seem? A large hole with pointy choppy things inside - the horror - THE HORROR!

Is there a Freudian in the house? :lol:

 

[OldTimeRadio]

But really, I've only ever seen the waste disposal thing on american TV progs, are they as lethal as the seem? A large hole with pointy choppy things inside - the horror - THE HORROR!

Not quite. They're made like super-collenders and their purpose is to dispose of things like vegetables, egg shells and possibly very splinntered chicken bones.

I'm by no means certain that a human body CAN be disposed of down one. If it is indeed possible, it would have to take weeks or even months.

The worst injuries I've heard of are mildly lacerated hands - and that not very often and mainly from the 1950s when they these things were new. (Although small children have to warned about putting their hands inside.)

Didn't realize until just now that these gosh-darn GDs are apparently US-only.

 

[OldTimeRadio]

One of the strongest objections to garbage disposals is not any physical safety issue but rather the fact that the units have been consistendly linked (especially in commercial, restaurant and inner-city areas) to increases in rat populations due to all that nutritive material added daily to the sewer lines.

 

[stu neville]

....Didn't realize until just now that these gosh-darn GDs are apparently US-only.

There was a brief vogue for them here in the 1970s, with "ultra-modern" (ie horribly dated in a trice) fitted kitchens. My aunt had one, but it was usuallly out of action due to being jammed solid with escaped teaspoons.

 

[escargot]

Purpose-built student accommodation in Manchester had them when I lived there in the 1970s.

 

[OldTimeRadio]

...."ultra-modern" (ie horribly dated in a trice)...."

Stundville, my late Mother was a dedicated anti-Modernist when it came to home furnishings. She preferred Early American - some original pieces but mostly high-quality reproductions (with no secret made of that). My late dad was a master carpenter (although only avocationally) and he constructed period-style furniture as well; he even used early 19th century hand-forged square iron nails which he obtained through a housing demolition company.

Back in the very early 1950s one of my playmates reported to his Mother that "the Wagners are genuinely nice people, but they must be really, really poor."

His Mom asked him why he thought that.

"Well, it's their furniture - it's all SO OLD."

P. S. But she DID have a garbage disposal!

 

[escargot]

Haha OTR, I can relate to that! I was raised in the 60s and our furniture and furnishings were mainly our better-off relations' 1950s cast-offs. They'd be tres chic now, but the sight of a coat rack with different-coloured knobs on or curtains with random squares and lines still gives me a shudder of shame and distaste!

 

[OldTimeRadio]

Escargot. back in the late 1950s one of the local Cincinnati papers ran a feature on a near relative's brand new Northern Kentucky home.

After she'd finished touring the house and was standing outside the reporter said to the homeowners, "I really admire the consistency of your Early American decor."

The children were outside cutting grass at the moment, and one of them stopped mowing the lawn long enough to say:

"Yes, it's Early American sure enough....right down to the slaves."

P. S. But they had a garbage disposal! (Trying to keep this on topic, you see.)

 

[escargot]

:lol:
Excellent!