Is your garbage yours once you take it to the street?

[ToplessRideFL]

BB's garage sale thread got me to thinking........

When you take your trash to the curb on trash day.... is it just an open invitation for people to dig through it before the trash truck comes to collect it?

We cleaned out the garage a while back and in addition to 2 cans of regular trash, we had several boxes filled with junk we didnt want, some old bar stools, a non working boom box, an old grill, old carpet, a dead weed wacker and oodles of other misc stuff..... We put the trash out on Sunday and by Monday morning... almost EVERYTHING was gone except the actual trash.

As I left that morning, I thought...yikes... people are digging in my stuff!!! Mr Topless was like... hey we dont want it... who cares. I agree but I felt like whomever took the stuff should have at least knocked on the door and asked permission before rifling through my trash.

So the question is.. once you put out the trash... is it up for grabs to anyone?

[buffettbride]

People would have to go through a lot of trouble to get my trash. We set it out on Tuesday mornings and the trash peoples come get it before 9am. Whoever wanted my trash would have to be an early bird.

Other than that, if someone wanted it, it sits next the house during the week, and if they were up there digging through my trash hubby'd prolly pull a can of whoopass on them.

Oh yeah, and my next door neighbor is totally a narc and would prolly go full arsenal on them.

So, I guess my answer is, "dig through my trash at your own risk."

[RinglingRingling]

well, the cops can dig thru it at will and at leisure once it hits the curb; you be the judge.

[PIA]

we throw in a dumpster...i live in the middle of nowhere...

[LIPH]

Legally, I think once you put it out you no longer have an expectation of privacy so it's fair game.

[z-man]

when I am throwing out stuff others may want, I make a point of putting the trash out early, and putting the things someone else may want in plain view. It almost always gets "claimed" before the trash man gets there.

[rednekkPH]

I dont put out garbage. The flammable stuff gets burned, the glass and metal gets recycled, and anything left over, plus any large appliance-type items, get buried in a strip mine.

[comemonday]

Alot of municipalities have "no scavenging" ordinances to deal with trash. I know in our town they passed one because on trash days (when they'd pick up big things, as opposed to regular garbage days), people would dig through everything and trash would end up everywhere. I personally wouldn't care about something "big" I set out, if someone wanted it, but to think of people digging through your actual garbage---yuk! (In addition to the fact that I'd probably get arrested!)

[PIA]

when I am throwing out stuff others may want, I make a point of putting the trash out early, and putting the things someone else may want in plain view. It almost always gets "claimed" before the trash man gets there.

thats so kind of you Z...always thinking of others

[ph4ever]

I look at it this way. Either they are really poor and saw your stuff and had a need for it OR they were junk salesmen and will take that stuff to resale shops and sell it to them.

I have always perfered to think that my stuff went to someone that really needed it.

anything containing any personal information is shredded and when it gets full I'll burn it in the grill.

[ToplessRideFL]

when I am throwing out stuff others may want, I make a point of putting the trash out early, and putting the things someone else may want in plain view. It almost always gets "claimed" before the trash man gets there.

LOL I swear its a Florida thang!!!

[RAGTOP]

in the middle of the city we throw our trash in the back alley and its a free for all come trash day.

[z-man]

when I am throwing out stuff others may want, I make a point of putting the trash out early, and putting the things someone else may want in plain view. It almost always gets "claimed" before the trash man gets there.

LOL I swear its a Florida thang!!!

we did the same thing, with the same results, in Texas

[NorthernConch]

when I am throwing out stuff others may want, I make a point of putting the trash out early, and putting the things someone else may want in plain view. It almost always gets "claimed" before the trash man gets there.

i agree with Z-man. i have always put something that someone may want or need off to the side a bit. Around here we get the guy that collects cans and the folks that look for anything they can sell as scrap metal other than that we dont get much divin

[ph4ever]

when I am throwing out stuff others may want, I make a point of putting the trash out early, and putting the things someone else may want in plain view. It almost always gets "claimed" before the trash man gets there.

LOL I swear its a Florida thang!!!

acually up here they do the same thing and I've even seen a sign FREE OR IT'S TRASH

[ToplessRideFL]

So you guys dont think people should ask first?

[PIA]

So you guys dont think people should ask first?

no once its at the curb your trash is someone else treasure

[rednekkPH]

So you guys dont think people should ask first?

If it's out at the curb waiting to be hauled away, I see no need to ask. Does your garbage man knock on your door to ask if he can take your garbage every week? I really don't see the difference.

[z-man]

So you guys dont think people should ask first?

Nope

[ph4ever]

So you guys dont think people should ask first?

Nope - if it's so important that you don't want anyone to go thru it's best to haul it to the dump yourself.