Home › Forums › Open Discussion › Man Rummaging Through Recycling Bin
- This topic is empty.
-
AuthorPosts
-
March 18, 2011 at 5:08 pm #598339
vortex2.71MemberI just wanted to let the community know that my family and I came out to our alley driveway yesterday evening at 5:00 to find a man rummaging through our recycling bin. Upon looking through his bag, I found that he was actually just collecting cans, but I still find it unacceptable to do this without permission, especially since a recycling bin is an ideal place to gather identity theft material. We told him to leave immediately or we would call the police and he walked away. This was in the alley between 35th and 36th, Juneau and Raymond.
March 18, 2011 at 6:59 pm #720620
JiggersMemberObviously the man needs to make money somehow to survive. Instead of being bore about it, why don’t you help the guy out and place a big bag of cans for him to pick up instead and let him know when he can pick it up. Be part of the solution and not a ______!
March 18, 2011 at 7:19 pm #720621
flowerpetalMemberTaking recycling material out of recycle bins is stealing. Not so much an issue on a small scale; but if it were to go widespread…
I like the idea of putting out a bag of aluminum cans for someone. That is compassionate; and at that point they are yours to do with as you wish. Reminds me of the once-upon-a-time practice of newspaper drives.
March 18, 2011 at 9:34 pm #720622
charlabobParticipantThank you jiggers; I was just about to suggest that…And NO it doesn’t make more homeless (or poor) people come to your neighborhood.
FP, just curious about what goes in the elipses: what will happen if “stealing” recycling becomes widespread?
March 18, 2011 at 9:46 pm #720623
DPMemberTaking recycling material out of recycle bins is stealing.
Where exactly did you get this, Mon Petal?
I recall a certain legal fracas where the coppers had been going through people’s trashcans looking for clues.
Well, one of the folks whose trash had been snooped took it to court, claiming that trash left outside in a can was still private property and, as such, not subject to search without a warrant.
As I recall, the Supreme Court ruled that, No, trash in a trash can is NOT private property.
Ergo: No theft.
And that is why, whenever I am rifling through trash — or even just talking trash — I always carry copies of the relevant Supreme Court decisions in my back pocket.
Then, at the end of the day, I just recycle those, too.
March 18, 2011 at 9:47 pm #720624
LindseyParticipantActually, I think that recycling bins and trash are considered public property. I can’t at the moment find a good link to back up this information, but I’m quite certain I heard something along those lines in my “How to be a sneaky journalist without breaking the law” class in college.
March 18, 2011 at 9:56 pm #720625
flowerpetalMemberAs I understand this, when we put our recycling material in the city-owned containers it becomes city property and is a revenue source for the city. I agree it would seem silly, but if a company systematically went through neighborhoods and ferreted out all of the aluminum; or the glass; it would have a deleterious effect on the City’s ability to sell this material which pays for the trucks going around our neighborhood. I know, seems far fetched; and lots would have to be siphoned off before it became a true problem.
March 18, 2011 at 10:06 pm #720626
redblackParticipanthmm. does it change things if i keep my bins — er, umm, the city’s bins — and their contents in my locked garage until trash day?
am i stealing, 6.5 days a week? :)
dollars to doughnuts i could win a court case with the cops or national enquirer if they went through my trash while it’s on my property – which the curb is not. [sic]
March 18, 2011 at 10:13 pm #720627
flowerpetalMemberOf course it changes things. Its on your property and that can’t be entered illegally. The recycle (and the compost too I guess) becomes the City’s when you put it curbside as an offering. Its your choice to give it to the City or give it to someone else.
March 18, 2011 at 10:22 pm #720628
LindseyParticipantUpdate! Washington state court of appeals upheld a person’s right to privacy in regards to trash.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002181505_trash16m.html
My home state, where I went to sneaky journalism school, has no such ruling. There, it’s perfectly legal to rifle though someone’s trash. I’ll have to remember to enjoy that privilege when I go back to visit.
March 18, 2011 at 10:23 pm #720629
SueParticipantWhether or not it’s illegal for people to go through garbage and recycling, I would think that if one is concerned about identity theft from what is in their garbage and/or recycling, then those particular items should be shredded so that there is no issue if it’s found.
March 18, 2011 at 10:27 pm #720630
flowerpetalMemberOddly this whole story is playing out at myballard.com too.
http://www.myballard.com/forum/topic.php?id=9589#post-138665
March 18, 2011 at 10:59 pm #720631
casabobaMemberI occasionally see people searching through trash bins in the alley’s of the Alaska junction. Sometimes also near our home in North Admiral. When I do, I stop them, hand them $20 and smile & say, “Good Luck & God Bless.” Then I walk away.
March 18, 2011 at 11:37 pm #720632
DPMemberMarch 19, 2011 at 5:19 am #720633
JoBParticipantDP
Casaboda may have been being sarcastic…
but maybe not.
I’ve never encountered anyone digging through my trash so i don’t know what i would do..
I do know that i set metal out for the local scrap collectors…
and i will confess that i can’t pass a real change vendor without gifting them a buck if i have one…
I have a friend who keeps a stack of ones in a cubby in her car to give to every homeless person she sees…
i choose more random acts of kindness
generally in the $20 range…
i know my small gifts won’t change anyone’s poverty…
but they can brighten a day…
i’d like to think that there are a lot of us closet givers out there…
whether you believe in them or not.
.
March 19, 2011 at 6:32 am #720634
HMC RichParticipantYou know the guy that holds up the imaginary signs, I give him imaginary one dollar bills.
Plus, I see a resident of West Seattle hanging out on Montlake Avenue asking for help. Hmmmmm.
I would much rather give to the person who is recycling the cans. Next time you feel bad for the city, just remember the time you should have received a parking ticket and didn’t. I don’t think I saw many of you running to city hall to reverse that injustice. Me either. And really, If I don’t pay within 15 days they charge us more? I want to one day fight that.
Although I did ask the City if I could get reimbursed for parking meter time I did not use? They laughed. I don’t blame them, but I had to try.
Get a paper shredder if you recycle paper that might have personal information, or a goat.
March 19, 2011 at 6:32 am #720635
HMC RichParticipantMarch 19, 2011 at 4:50 pm #720636
casabobaMemberWell, whiles I am a beggar, I will rail,
And say there is no sin but to be rich;
And being rich, my virtue then shall be
To say there is no vice but beggary.
King John (2.1.612)
March 19, 2011 at 5:21 pm #720637
JoBParticipantcasaboda…
unfortunately..
too many who are not yet beggars
have adopted the attitudes of the rich..
March 19, 2011 at 5:29 pm #720638
ToddinWestwoodMemberNone of you have lived in Los Angeles have you?
There is a whole society of people who scratch out a meager existance by taking bottles and cans out of the recycle.
Consider ourselves lucky we dont have people walking down your street at 3am with a shopping cart full of glass bottles. It is an insanly loud thing.
March 19, 2011 at 6:05 pm #720639
johnnyblegsMemberA friend of mine has his recycling cans regularly sorted through for cans. He makes an effort to sort it out beforehand so it’s easier on the one’s who need it. I agree with setting a bag out for the taking. It could be a lot worse.
March 20, 2011 at 2:06 am #720640
FlyonthewallMemberI can’t even believe that this is a rant. I mean seriously – society is really tough living for some. Who cares if they take a few items from your recycling bin? Geez – have a heart!
March 20, 2011 at 2:51 am #720641
DPMemberMarch 21, 2011 at 3:06 pm #720642
renaissanceredParticipantWell if people shred their important documents before putting them in the recycle bin, there should be no concern at all of identity theft. And seriously, someone was taking some cans that were already thrown out and THIS is a rant how? People DO scour for cans/bottles to make a few bucks to live on. They should be given some credit for trying to make a meager living rather than shooed away. Maybe you can set out your cans for this person in the future and know you helping someone else in a small way.
March 21, 2011 at 6:39 pm #720643
JoBParticipantplease don’t assume that i think Slate is the definitive answer…
but a definitive answer was a little hard to find…
http://www.slate.com/id/2218296/
it appears your curbside trash can is likely in legal no man’s land until it is collected by waste management…
If you don’t want can collectors to make a nuisance of themselves rummaging through your trash for cans..
keep them in an enclosed private area
or gather cans in a separate container until garbage day…
-
AuthorPosts
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.