Why Is Dumpster Diving Illegal? Reasons
Finding valuables, food, or clothing in trash bins becomes a necessity for some people, especially the homeless population. Others make a living by selling junk on sites like eBay, Facebook Marketplace, and LetGo. This is both a lucrative side business and an odd hobby for them.
It’s amazing what you can find by simply diving headfirst into dumpsters, recycling bins, and trash cans. But is dumpster diving illegal? It depends.
What Is Dumpster Diving
Getting the facts straight is necessary before determining whether dumpster diving is prohibited.
Specifically, explaining why it is justified to dive into dumpsters headfirst in search of hidden treasure, what precisely is dumpster diving then? Dumpster diving is the activity of looking for recyclable or discarded items.
For use, resale, or even consumption, people search through enormous bins of trash. More on that later.
During the 1980s, when consumerism was at its height, the term “dumpster diving” first came into use. This was a time when people were constantly looking for “newer” and “better” things, which led to wastefulness.
In addition to dumpster diving, other terms for it include “curb shopping,” “trash picking,” “street scavenging,” “dumpstering,” and “containering.”
There is a classification for each particular diving objective. For instance, a picker is said to be “scrapping” if their main goal is to find metal that can be recycled for cash.” A person is “gleaning” when they collect farm leftovers.”
Why Do People Dumpster Dive
For a variety of reasons, people might decide to dumpster dive. These factors may consist of:
Making Extra Money
People occasionally start dumpster diving, in defiance of local laws prohibiting it, in an effort to profit financially from trash and waste containers. Some people find additional income by looking through dumpsters for valuable objects.
Food
Unless it is rotten, food is rarely wasted in many developing nations. Compared to developed nations like the United States, where food is abundant, developing countries are food-scarce. Food waste in the US ranges from 40 to 50 percent. There is a lot of food to collect in trash cans. Charities gather extra food from stores and restaurants in many nations and distribute it to underprivileged areas.
Electronic Waste
Due to their rapid depreciation, and high repair or upgrade costs, consumer electronics are frequently thrown into trash bins.
Due to the inability or unwillingness of many nonprofit organizations and educational institutions to accept used equipment, owners of computers may find it easier to throw them away than donate them. Vendors occasionally dump unsold, flawless goods into landfills.
Clothing
Thrift shops routinely reject used items that they can’t quickly and affordably resell. Most of the items that thrift shops accept are free. Destroying disposable clothing, appliances, or donated goods that are overstocked or fail to find a buyer after some time has passed incurs no costs as a result.
Metal
Materials that can be sold to recycling facilities, such as recyclable metals, can be found in some trash cans. Steel and aluminum are two other metals that scrap yards frequently buy for recycling.
Wood
Home heating and construction projects frequently involve the salvage of wood.
Empty Cans And Bottles
Empty cans and bottles can be returned to stores for payment in many countries, though the amount given per can or bottle is typically quite low.
Is Dumpster Diving Illegal
The practice of strangers rummaging through trash left in public areas is generally accepted as legal. But is it unlawful to dumpster dive if you’re behind a store, mall, or apartment building?
There is some ambiguity regarding what activities might call for a visit from local law enforcement in terms of the legality of dumpster diving.
1988 saw the court case with the most notoriety related to dumpster diving. The California v. United States case was decided by the Supreme Court.
According to Greenwood, police were able to search through the trash that had been left on the curb without a search warrant.” Dumpsters are technically a significant public repository for trash, but the ruling only applied to trash left outside in the open.
The decision made it clear what constitutes a reasonable expectation of privacy following the placement of trash out for collection.
If you plan to go dumpster diving, it’s crucial to be aware of the applicable local and state laws. Fortunately, doing research is not too difficult.
The majority of city councils in the nation have websites, and there ought to be a list of the city’s laws and ordinances there. The local regulations governing garbage and refuse ought to be contained there.
Dumpster Diving Tips
Here are some suggestions to help you find exactly what you’re looking for:
Dumpster Diving For Food
Here are some suggestions for food diving:
- Every day, Panera Bread and other similar bakeries discard many still-delicious baked goods.
- A good place to buy food is the chain of low-cost supermarkets.
- Packaged snack items can be found well at CVS.
Dumpster Diving For Electronics
Best Buy doesn’t make sense to dumpster dive because they use trash compactors, but you could try Burlington Coat Factory or Five Below instead, both of which sell some electronics.
Dumpster Diving For Scrap Metal
The most effective way to obtain priceless scrap metal, including gold scrap? Await the renovation of the stores. They typically have a large roll-off dumpster where they dump out-of-date parts.
Dumpster Diving For Toys
To find toys for the kids, Tiffany once more suggests Burlington and Five Below.
Everything from play food, play makeup, art supplies, and bathtub toys to baby dolls, trucks, and Legos.
How Do You Dumpster Dive Safely
When you read this, don’t be concerned if you’re excited about dumpster diving but also a little nervous about it. For safety advice while dumpster diving, consider the following:
- Bring a friend along, particularly at night. In addition to safety in numbers, you might also require an extra pair of hands.
- Just in case, have “getaway” transportation. I always stop right in front of the dumpster I’m checking.
- Put on shabby clothes and use skin-protecting measures as necessary. Although wearing protective gloves might not be necessary—both Tiffany and Maricela say they don’t bother with gloves or “grabbing” tools—certainly avoid wearing your best attire.
- Ensure you have the necessary cleaning supplies on hand. A hand sanitizer is something Maricela advises bringing.
- Make sure none of the food or pet food has been recalled by checking the sell-by or expiration dates.
Final Thoughts
In other words, dumpster diving isn’t technically against the law, but trespassing and stealing are. By dedicating your time to selling junk, you could earn a significant sum of money.
Though it’s a murky, occasionally dangerous line to cross, it could be a worthwhile side gig to take into consideration, especially if you’re passionate about stopping waste.
