# Taking Cans Out of Someone Else's Recycling?



## Kwings (Dec 21, 2010)

Took the dogs for a long walk this morning and came across a guy one a bike with one of those things you'd usually put a small child or a baby in, like a cart things behind the bike. 

He was going from recycling container to recycling container and taking aluminium cans out of people recycle bins.

Is this legal? I have noting personal against this guy, he can take all the cans he wants as far as i'm concerned but I was just wondering if it was legal to take someone's recycling?


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## NickieL (Jun 15, 2007)

I don't know, but I ask people if I can have them, I've never just "taken".


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

Nope. Not really something I would care about one way or the other though. Without it, he might need public assistance, and the inefficiencies of the system would cost taxpayers more. Cities would tend to get real uptight about it, because recycling of profitable stuff is a hidden tax.


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## KnowOneSpecial (Sep 12, 2010)

How is this different from dumpster diving? 

I know of one (alcoholic) family here that cruises the night before garbage day looking for scrap in the trash. They don't leave a mess, so why not? They're still on the dole, but this is their drinking money. 


Would it be different if they were taking things from the trash like a computer moniter to resell?


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## mellba (Oct 15, 2004)

I hate that it is illegal to dumpster dive because I hate to see things go to the landfill that someone can use. Someone posted--maybe on here--that their town has a free "store" at the landfill where people can leave things they think might be useful and anyone can come and get those things. I contacted the person in our county who is in charge of recycling and environmental concerns and asked could we not have something similar using volunteers to run the "store." I was told that this was impossible and illegal because of liability issues. I think actually the county just doesn't want to be bothered. Anyway, anyone is welcome to get anything I'm throwing away and I'll even help them load the stuff if necessary.


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## Kwings (Dec 21, 2010)

Sometimes i forget you guys don't live here with me lol. I forgot to mention that we USED to have a place in town that would buy scrap metal and recycle it or whatever they did with it. But we don't have one now, the only one i know of is like an hour away, that's why i don't save my own cans and take them in. 

So I couldn't figure out what he'd be doing with all those cans, since there is no place in town that takes them anymore. He could be taking them to the place that's an hour away but that wouldn't seem worth it would it?

I almost asked him but didn't, wish i would have!


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Doesn't bother me. It's out by the curb, so it's free game. I put things out by the road with the HOPE that someone will take it.


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## NickieL (Jun 15, 2007)

The place here that takes them is a 45 minute drive....still is worth it though when you get enough of them


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## Kwings (Dec 21, 2010)

It doesn't really bother me either, just had me curious.


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## Mike in Ohio (Oct 29, 2002)

Where there is a curbside recycling program in place there are generally laws in place that make taking recyclables from the curbside containers illegal. The reason is that high value items like aluminum cans help cover the cost of handling low value recyclables such as newspapers.

Mike


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## Jokarva (Jan 17, 2010)

Mike in Ohio said:


> Where there is a curbside recycling program in place there are generally laws in place that make taking recyclables from the curbside containers illegal. The reason is that high value items like aluminum cans help cover the cost of handling low value recyclables such as newspapers.
> 
> Mike



That's what we were told back in Va...(didn't stop me from raiding my neighbors magazine recycles though!)


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

Once it is put to the curb, the homeowner has effectively declared he doesn't want it any more. So it is not stealing from the home owner.

Whoever picks up the recycle might feel differently about it. Usually, if it is in the recycle bin, it belongs to however it is that is doing the picking up and recycling.

Maybe there is a ticket in it for him, maybe not. It depends upon your local law. If you really want to know, call the trash company that picks up the recycle and ask them what the law is. They should know.


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## Nomad (Dec 19, 2002)

Mike in Ohio said:


> Where there is a curbside recycling program in place there are generally laws in place that make taking recyclables from the curbside containers illegal. The reason is that high value items like aluminum cans help cover the cost of handling low value recyclables such as newspapers.
> 
> Mike


I think our city would consider it stealing from them for that reason and because they make some money on it. If they were just out at the curb in a trash can or box, etc it would be different. But if they are in a recycle bin, I believe you aren't allowed to take them. 


Nomad


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## taylorlambert (Jul 4, 2010)

Its illegal most places when its placed in the bin even if its in you garage. They say thats the recyclers property. I have a friend that lives in a town that has this set up. He let a local artist take wine bottles from his home bin that had been there 4 weeks without pick up and the law and code man wrote them both a big fine. Now my friend and his neighbors all do their own recycling. 


I have a tote cage for a garbage can bin that I put the cans and bags in. I had a man stop and dig in the can. It was taking the tin cans and afew aluminums that accidentally got in there. I ran him off but he brandished a paper with the laws af trash when its set by the road it was public property. That flew all over me. I got the fork lift and picked it up and put it in the yard. We burn our junk mail and other identity sensitive items. 

The rubbish site I run we cant take any food contaminated items or household items. We have a dumpster that we take and set down at the plants for these items and they go to an MSW waste site. While the containers are at our site we have to log the basic wastes in them. One day I was at the gas station I saw a woman and a young child picking up cans. I told her I had a few and that I would give them to her. We picked a few off the top and a small collection we had in the shop. It filled 30 gallon bag up. I carried them to her and she thanked me. the next dy I come out of the pit and shes staning in top of one of the MSW rolloffs with her kid. 

I stopped and told her to get out of the can before someone drove up. What was bad she had thrown stuff in the way out in our clean parking lot. I told her I didnt mind fishing them out for her but no way was I to let her toss out trash. Then I noticed she had loaded up my hand cart, pipe off the pipe rack and even the transport pins off the dumpster.


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

Alice In TX/MO said:


> Doesn't bother me. It's out by the curb, so it's free game. I put things out by the road with the HOPE that someone will take it.


This!


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## MushCreek (Jan 7, 2008)

We have an old guy that does that in our neighborhood. I don't mind, because the local landfill admits that they often just bury the recycling because they get more than they can handle!


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## Shygal (May 26, 2003)

taylorlambert said:


> He let a local artist take wine bottles from his home bin that had been there 4 weeks without pick up and the law and code man wrote them both a big fine.


Ok.....HOW would any law and code man, know someone took bottles out of a bin that is on someone's property?


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## Riverdale (Jan 20, 2008)

If I put stuff out by the road for garbage pick-up or recycling, it is fair game.

It is far easier to deal with when the people who pick don't leave a mess. 

I live close to a college town, and in the spring, I hit a lot of the apartment complexes dumpsters for 'stuff' because it is cheaper for people to throw good stuff away than to move or store it. I always ask permission from the manager and/or owner. If I do not recieve permission, I leave.

I got a newer tv and a newer computer monitor for simply being in the right place at the right time. Not to mention furniture, which I can restore/repair and sell.


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## clovis (May 13, 2002)

In Indiana, it is technically against the law. Trash and recycles are the homeowners property until it is picked up by the refuse company.

In our state, law enforcement has to get a search warrant to search your trash if they think you are doing something illegal, like running a meth lab. My wife used to work for the court here, and they are referred to as a 'trash warrant', and covers both recycling and the trash set out at the curb. 

These laws vary from state to state though.

FWIW, as a side note, there were some people running their own recycling route here before the recycling company came every morning. They were using pick up trucks and driving the entire city picking up only the cans. The police did arrest those guys for the pick up loads of cans they were hauling away. It became a BIG deal/controversy here.

If I see someone on a bike picking cans out of curbside recycling bins, I could care less. At least they are working for something...and if you are willing to go out and do that for the money, the more power to you.


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