dumpster diving, legal?

I know going to recycle bins and taking cans and what not isn't legal, but picking garbage is fine. What about dumpsters? I see lots of guys on here doin it, and iv thought about it, but is it legal? I'm afrade of getting in crap for tresspassing. Theres literally thousands of businesses with dumpsters around here, I just really don't want trouble from people or even cops for being on private property.

I'm only able to get out after business hours cause of work, and the cops in my city are allll fresh outta college and on massive power trips, so explaining why your behind a business after dark (in winter..) is out of the question (one kid just got beat up for hitting and breaking a Christmas ornament at the mall. For you guys who are bored, look it up, "Barrie police charged with assault on teen" brutal.... THAT'S what I'm worried about.)

I'd say that getting an agreement with a business would be best. Another thing to consider is - Even though it may be public land and the stuff you are taking is "trash", the Dumpster, itself, is private property.

Sometimes it best to apologize than to ask permission.

Originally Posted by smvulture

But if it is laying next to the can or dumpster it is free to take.

better check twice on that one, items laying around a dumpster are still property of the owner

Don't know about anywhere else, but the laws on whether or not it is legal are very localized. The city I am in it's legal to take from the street or cans or the dumpster with the following exceptions.
1 - If it is in a recycle bin.
2 - If a dumpster is locked or positioned in such a way as to obviously prevent accessability
3 - If it is posted

Either way carry a copy of the law with you because most police do not know either and they will assume that what you are doing is illegal.
In my city they will tell you it is, but it is not.

The next 2 cities in my county strictly prohibit it.

Sirscrapalot - Not a diver.

I don't imagine. Once you fall in how do you get your beer soaked self up and out of it,,,,

Originally Posted by Sirscrapalot

Hence why I don't go in dumpsters...lol. I'd hate to catch a DDWI, ya know...Dumpster Diving while Intoxicated.

Sirscrapalot - Is like a good whiskey/scotch...better with age.

DDWI hahahahah

Originally Posted by cummins

i had a guy come up and take pics of us because we were in a construction dumpster on the road pulling out pieces of reusable lumber, we were trying to build a tear drop trailer and fix the ice hut for free. he was talking to us like we were criminals, bud, were not in the house stealing good materials and appliances and all the electrical. he didn't get what i was saying. nothing did become of it. people throw out a 2x12x12 because a foot of it is messed up...cut that off and you have 11ft of good 2x12....my friend was in the back of the truck stacking the pieces i was passing to him. he got pissed off by the guys smart ass remarks, called him a poped collar pu$$y and something about being the neighbor hood hero and his wifes bum, almost had a farm boy vs city boy bare knuckle match. long story short it was time for us to leave and i didn't go back. even though we've seen other people grabbing wood out of it.

Drives me nuts how some people have nothing better to do than to make other peoples business their business. Id have told him to f**k off and call the law if he had any issues. Its legal to remove stuff from the garbage here. Just not recycling bins. Was driving around last night and drove past a house/cottage with a big bin out front full of trash and scrap. Was thinking about taking stuff but ddecided against it cause nobody was home when I went to the door. Don't want pissed off neighbors comin out.