Dumpster Diving? Legalities?

almillar

Seriously, on my way back to my car after work last night 'somewhere up the Ormeau Road' I CAUGHT SOMEONE HOKING A BIN! Obviously I just walked on though, I could just see myself getting chased!

robin99

What is everyone’s opinion of this, and has anyone else done it?

I live in Cambridge where there are thousands of students, who at the end of their ¾ year courses mostly pack-up and leave the city. What happens is this:
They have so many years worth of possessions and they just throw them away, this is especially true of the foreign students who go back to their own countries. I find really really wasteful, and I’m not talking about normal household waste that is no good to anyone, I’m talking about the following type of things;

Computer equipment, DVDs, CDs, Computer games, designer/upmarket brand clothes and shoes, unused designer perfumes and toiletries, stationary, barely-used bedding, lamps, electrical equipment, books, kitchen items……..pretty much anything.

I used to live in a student area and every year in those couple of weeks at the start of every summer I used to wait until dark and then salvage everything I could from their wheelie-bins, clean it up, keep what I could use and take the remaining stuff to my local charity shop. You wouldn’t believe the quality and amount of stuff I found!

It breaks my heart now that I don’t live in a student area, and walking past a halls of residence just days ago I saw two HUGE (and I mean absolutely huge) piles of plastic bags containing all of this kind of stuff. I still think about it and wish I could go back!

Is bin diving a step too far? Would you consider doing it?

nuttywoman

I would yes, if i saw stuff.Its just recycling another way, is`nt it? lol

andrione1

i'd suggest doing it with other people, you'd look right wierd doing it on your own, but could be cool in a 'gang' scenario.

did anyone see the programme about skip diving on the Wright Stuff recently? it was the same thing but for discarded food at the back of supermarkets and restaurants. (and it was still good condition)

anyway to answer your question, i would do it only with moral support of a group but not on my own.

but there should be definitely people rescuing all these useful things, it makes me feel sick that it all ends up in landfill. some countries are too poor , others maybe too rich. etc etc rant rant.

hth but it prob doesnt

RuthMarianna

It might be worth considering approaching the student union and see if they can set up some kind of recycling scheme whereby leaving students deposit useful items with them for incoming students to bid for with the cash going to charity. Keep it out of landfill, help new students and a charity to boot.

robpw2

thats a brilliant idea ruth

tealady

Robin, if I saw stuff being thrown out that I wanted then I would help myself, after all its a form of recycling isn't it?

yesiamtom

id say pick up anything you like the look of !

i remember i went cycling with a mate one day, as i went to put my can of coke in the bin my mate pulled out a newspaper and said "ill have that". Gave us a good 15 minute entertainment for absolutely free.

arkonite_babe

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