It wouldn't be Atahualpa that would do this. You could check your wp-config.php file and see if it has a line like the following.
HTML Code:
define('EMPTY_TRASH_DAYS', 10 );
I ran across a host that had no trash set with their automated WordPress install so I suspect others could have a defined empty trash days.
Also instead of using trash for "recycling you could use draft instead.