the cops

There are laws here in my town also against it. I don't know how much they are enforced... So, the only way to be 100% safe here is to ask the owner of the trash pile for permission to take something.

I was in need of some chip plywood and as I was on my way to work one day I saw a full sheet, broken in half, in someone's trash pile. Great. That will save me $10. I put the first half in my truck and started back for the 2nd piece when the owner lady came storming out of her house yelling about how she's sick and tired of people stealing her trash (isn't this what trash men do? take the trash?). So I asked her if I could have it and she flat out said NO. She threatened to call the cops informing me of the law. I pulled the one piece I had out of my truck, said thanks anyway and left.

On my way home that night passed by her pile. She went through all the work to break the sheets of chipboard up into 2'X2' squares. She was sure there was no way her trash wouldn't make it to the landfill and she won. I always thought of it as recycling... reusing something.

This was years ago and years before I ever took my first load to the scrap yard. I looked up the law that day.

There is also a law about putting rummage sale signs on public land. $250 fine. I have never seen anyone get this fine and there are signs EVERYWHERE. God I love rummage sale season.

Sorry.... sometimes I ramble.

it saounds like a friendly warning that he has his eye on you, so you dont make a mess, and that if any thing comes up missing that shouldn't he well look strongly at you.

Here is my cities law... Sec. 15-10.3. Scavenging prohibited.
No person shall scavenge or otherwise disturb solid waste placed out for collection by a collection agency. Once
placed out for collection solid waste becomes the property of the collection agency.
(Ord. No. 10539, § 4, 6-3-08, eff. 7-1-08)

As the city only collects bulky items in certain areas at different times, 2 times a year, I feel that you can pick up items as long as they are not out for the bulky collection time. So if someone puts out a stove behind there house and it is not cleanup that week you should be fine. During the cleanup weeks it is like a circus with people taking everything they can and the law dosent seem to enforce the codes. Funny thing is everyone pays $17.10 a month for garbage/recycling and 2 time a year bulky pick up and when the city comes the only thing left is brush...

I was pulled over one night while out doing my curbco shopping, I asked the cops (2 cruisers) if I was doing anything wrong and they said no, but someone had called in a disturbance of someone picking up garbage. I again asked if I was doing anything wrong and they said that if I could use it or recycle it they had no problem with what I was doing. Im sure they still have my plate number and name, but as of yet I havent had any other issues, now that I say this I will get stopped within the week.

Here in the Land Down Under (australia) I have heard of people being charged with...get ready for it...Theft by Finding!!! That's right, and all this time I thought it was "theft by stealing" lol However this is usually done to idiots that tear through trash piles and make a mess.

We have statute here that prohibits taking or placing anything in a dumpster unless u have permission. I dont know if it is ever enforced. The sign with the statute was on our dumpsters when they were new. While I dont agree with the old lady, I did have a talk with our local divers regarding the trash at our house. They were going house to house taking the lids off cans pulling bags out and making a mess. I had a talk with em and they dont do it to my trash anymore. Like they were finding anything in my stuff anyway LOL

Originally Posted by mikeinreco

Just be legal....Drivers Liscense, Insurance, Up to date tags etc and you will have no problem

and clean up after yourself and others. i picked a pile the other day that was thrown everywhere but still had some good things in it, straightened it up condensed it, and was thanked by the home owner.

Wen necessary, I find it useful to get a bit of sympathy by reminding people how bad the economy is, jobs are scarce, would rather work than be on welfare, etc. Just maintain a pleasant and dignified demeanor (I know, hard to do while standing in a dumpster).

I feel for 98% of my finds i am ok as items are in sight but i had the police comment as this was a pile from a clasic clean out , often those piles i get a kick out of as i never know what I'll find . I find things that allow me not to have to buy lot of items even beer - i really drink very little - I am useing a lab top as i write this from a trash find . So if things get to hot i might have to give up the rag picking . or park far from the trash pile . Beleve it or not - not using a car to pick trash is less severe . In NYC a person can take a AC from the trash but once you put it into a car thats when you get the fine.

Originally Posted by Scrapette

I hope one of the other members can help with this but it seems that there was a Supreme Court ruling about stuff in the garbage being up for grabs. Was it Greenwood or something like that? Doesn't a Supreme Court ruling trump a local ordinance? I'm no lawyer but that would be my guess.

Found this article on this.... take it for what it's worth.

http://freegan.info/what-is-a-freega...g-and-the-law/

Skippy that is such horrible advice. Your just asking for problems in the future.

Skippy who are you going to be beneath? When you are in jail! LOL