Recycling

Is it legal to search through recycling bins people have placed on the side of the road/at the end of their driveway for scrappable metal?

Most places consider it the property of the city or who ever is contracted to process the recycling bins. So keep your hands off. Also this has been well covered in other threads. I encourage you to spend a lot of time reading past entries. Best to you, Mike.

I agree. I work at a town recycling center and every bit you take away is costing the taxpayers money. You also may get a visit from the PD because they may think you are trying to get info like credit card numbers, etc.

"costing" the tax payers money? Id rather put the $5 i made off aluminum cans that took me 4 hours to pick in my pocket, then the local governments.

Just saying that it may be frowned upon. If a recycling center did not get any of the "money" items then think how much taxes would go up.

Yes it is illegal! If it is bins at the road. Here any way. Think of it like this, if you had put in the time and effort to established your own route, provided your clients (residents and businesses) with the proper bins, and come by once a week to pick up your material, would you want a person coming along before you got there and picking through it to take what they wanted? Of course not.

Now trash can are a.different story, imo go for it, but marked recycling bins are off limits.

Questions dealing with specific laws really need to be directed to your local governing authority. Every municipality, in every state will have a different ruling on what is and isn't fair game to pick up. You're asking someone from Texas (New Hampshire, Oregon, ....) to give you legal advice without even telling us what state you are located in, much less the town.

Hey, I just gave my professional opinion. I see both sides since I am a full time Transfer Station/Recycling Center worker and a scrapper. On a personal opinion, if I saw a person going through my garbage I would call the cops in a heart beat. Now if you ask the owner, it is a completely different issue.