New construction dumpsters

Hello, I have recently started diving in new construction dunpsters in my area. I find people throw there residential trash in there illegally and even appliances. Last night I filled my truck up with a grill, tons of sheet metal, aluminum bats, random metal pipes, and the best of all tons of electrician cuts of copper wire, over 20 lbs in 1 dumpster! This is great, and I can fill up my truck every night in these dunpsters. Anyone else do this?

Do you have permission to get in the construction dumpsters? Many contractors bid using the value of the scrap from the dumpsters as part of their bidding process.

I agree that construction dumpsters can be easy pickings, but only if you have permission. I stay away from them if I do not have permission as the contractor may be building his own scrap pile and not just throwing it away.

I had one behind a hospital until security gave me the boot. It was mainly steel wall studs for drywall and light fixtures. Mixed with wood, drywall, insulation, and plastic. Pretty much a demo dumpster. Was tipped about it from my high school buddy who works there. It wasnt that I was the problem, it was right where they take those out who passed on to there final resting place. Totaly understood the reasoning.

ever chance i get most of my stuff comes from dumpsters or curbside I find all sorts of good stuff ,ive always got something by the road for sale on the weekend

It is buried under wood and such... I dont see how they could be keeping it for anything if its in a dumpster with other junk. I don't do it if theres signs that say not to, but other than that I will stop whence I am told to.

I've dug a lot of good stuff out of construction dumpsters but the ones here have signs all over them. I'll look but won't remove anything until I talk to the contractor.

Originally Posted by greytruck

I had one behind a hospital until security gave me the boot. It was mainly steel wall studs for drywall and light fixtures. Mixed with wood, drywall, insulation, and plastic. Pretty much a demo dumpster. Was tipped about it from my high school buddy who works there. It wasnt that I was the problem, it was right where they take those out who passed on to there final resting place. Totaly understood the reasoning.

Did you ever find one in the dumpster? How much scrap do you get for a body?


I would be careful diving in any paid for dumpsters. That can get you arrested for looting a construction area.

Never had a contractor tell me no, if I approached them. If you show up on the job site, introduce yourself, and explain your intentions they are usually eager to reduce the weight and their cost. Most of the valuable items are taken by the electricians and plumbers. The value of dumpster diving at new construction is not necessarily the metal, but the wood scraps. I make shelves from the scraps, side the inside of my garage, shop, etc. use pieces for fire wood, and anything else particle board, 2x4's, or plywood can be used. Many dog houses have been built from scraps. All you have to do is square up the pieces. Instead of one sheet of wood, it takes me ten or more to cover the same area.

admin's view
http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/scrap...html#post87767

Pjost
I’m pretty sure it goes by the most recent.
Hey it’s morning, time to get up anyway.

This thread is like many others in the past, juck car in woods, old dump in field, Etc.
The bottom line is.

DO NOT STEAL, if you're not sure, ASK. If there's nobody to ask, DON'T TAKE IT!

It's not stealing. And I just got permission yesterday from someone at the site, I can now do it without a grey area. It's in a dumpster, and is trash.

Doesn't it feel good that if anyone ever questions what you're doing you can simply say " I have permission to be here". I like those dumpters a lot, usually very little household trash so the stuff you pick through is pretty clean, and sometimes the bigger companies throw away working items that are being upgraded. It's like a big treasure chest.

Yep, and I feel like dumpster diving is the same as curb shopping, most dunpsters are right at curb, so are trash cans. I don't see the difference being a person throws the trash in both and I take it out of both. So even if I didn't have permission shouldn't it be the same? And stop with the illegal talk because there's no laws against dimpster diving unless signs say otherwise, or barriers seperate.

As far as I know if it's mixed material wood, metal, concrete, etc it's a trash dumpster and the contracted pays to get rid of it. I've never had a problem with picking through these, especially if I ask permission. Sometimes I pass by construction sites and pick a piece of metal or two out of the dumpster and the workers end up coming out and giving me more or asking if I wanna pick some up in a few days. If it's metal only then you can't pick anything out since that's usually going to a scrap yard.