Ethics of pickers going through your recycling bin

[Toro]

I can't be bothered bringing back the returnable bottles to get the deposit so I just chuck it into the recycling bin. Apparently a lot of other people do it too and it has spawned a sort of cottage industry.

We now have a guy who patrols the neighborhood on trash day and picks through everyone's recycle bin to retrieve the returnable bottles. I'm not crazy about a stranger picking through my trash but not enough to say anything to the guy as he's not really hurting anyone and in a way is being kind of industrious to make a few bucks.

Anyone see anything wrong with this?

[chabibi]

if other people are throwing the bottles in the garbage then hes helping the enviornment to

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

Shred your documents and I guess you've got nothing else to worry about, unless you think you've got a lot of electronics (or other expensive stuff) boxes in your trash and you don't want people to know exactly what expensive stuff you have in your house. Also, speak only in run-on sentences.

[ThaSaltCracka]

why not sort them out for him, thus, he wouldn't be going through your trash. Who knows, maybe the person really needs the money. Its not like he isn't working for it.

[Alobar]

set up a shoalin monk style test for him. Fill all the bottles full of piss, if he still digs through for them and keeps them, he is found worthy and in the future he can dig through your trash without you having to worry. If he is unworthy, he wont ever dig through your trash again.

[stabn]

Good points salt. If someone is willing to do all that work for the few bucks they get from it they deserve to take it. It doesn't cost you a thing, and the money is definitely worth more to them than you, or you'd be turning them in yourself.

[Non_Comformist]

[ QUOTE ]
set up a shoalin monk style test for him. Fill all the bottles full of piss, if he still digs through for them and keeps them, he is found worthy and in the future he can dig through your trash without you having to worry. If he is unworthy, he wont ever dig through your trash again.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I would say it's fine that he does this but I would absolutely take a dump on one or something.

[Porcupine]

Often, recycling programs take a loss on some of the recycled materials, but make money on others. So, if all the profitable materials are picked out, your local recycling program may go away or you may get charged more for it through increased recycling/trash pick up rates, taxes, etc.

Legally, I wonder if this is allowed. Could a town/city/county claim that the materials in the bin are their property?

[Lazymeatball]

The guy is tresspassing and a thief to boot. If he was being a real nuissance you could complain to police. However, as long as this guy doesn't seem like a threat to the neghborhood, you can let this one slide, and you can write of the cans he takes as a donation to charity on your taxes.

When I lived out in Amherst I was in a house right next to a frat house, and on saturday and sunday mornings we would get the bums rush at the dumpster, looking for empty thirtypacks of Milwaukees Best and such. All I have to say about trash picking is, the early bum gets the can.

[turnipmonster]

this happens in my neighborhood in brooklyn all the time. I don't think there's anything wrong with it at all, I'd much rather someone do something like that than beg for money on the train.

--turnipmonster

[ThaSaltCracka]

if your gabage can is on the sidewalk, how is it trespassing?

[jakethebake]

I think you should dress up a manequin like a dead person and "hide" it in your trash for him to find with a bloody note that says "You're next, Trash Bum."

[Lazymeatball]

I don't have a sidewalk, so my garbage can goes on the little strip of lawn right next to the road which is my property. So if some bum went through my trashcan, he'd be tresspassing. Luckily we don't have bums as I live in a more rural area.

[stabn]

There's no city 5' easement in case they ever decide to build a sidewalk there?

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
There's no city 5' easement in case they ever decide to build a sidewalk there?

[/ QUOTE ]
Not in rural areas. Besides, easements don't give just anyone the right to use it. They're for utilities, etc.

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't have a sidewalk, so my garbage can goes on the little strip of lawn right next to the road which is my property. So if some bum went through my trashcan, he'd be tresspassing. Luckily we don't have bums as I live in a more rural area.

[/ QUOTE ]well then I stand corrected. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[ethan]

[ QUOTE ]
When I lived out in Amherst

[/ QUOTE ]

Huh. Another one. I continue to be surprised at how many people from these boards have spent time in my hometown. (See the "craziest pizza" thread.)

Everyone who's upset about the homeless guys picking through recycling is overreacting. If he's doing it without throwing the non-CRV bottles on your sidewalk, you're _really_ overreacting. Seriously...what problem could you possibly have with this?

I just spent about 2 years living in downtown LA, where the homeless guys would pry open my locked dumpster and cover the ground in garbage while looking for anything they could return for cash. It doesn't sound like anything of the sort is happening here, so I'm pretty sure that means there's nothing you could really have reason to complain about.

[jakethebake]

...Or just a bunch of rags or something with blood all over them and a bloody knife. Maybe a shirt with blood and holds stabbed in it. Freak him out. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Lazymeatball]

[ QUOTE ]
...Or just a bunch of rags or something with blood all over them and a bloody knife. Maybe a shirt with blood and holds stabbed in it. Freak him out. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

It's gonna take more than that to freak out your average bum. These guys have seen the world from street level, they sh[/b]it in public.

[IndieMatty]

I live in a duplex. The bottom floor is sublevel where the garbage is (no it doesnt smell). That is also where the TV room is, nothing like relaxing with your lady, watching a movie as a bum hums to himself and collects your empty beer bottles to set the mood. Let em have it.

[daryn]

the early bum gets the can. ha.

[AncientPC]

I used to live next to campus near all the frats / sororities and bums would always go through the trash all day everyday since college students throw out everything, especially when moving out / in.

I never thought anything of it, at least they're recycling / reusing something that would've otherwise gone to a dump site.