Recycling Centre Items

revengep8nt14

Is it OK to take something that someone has left at a recycling centre? I didnt ask a member of staff but one did walk right by and watched but didn't say anything. It was a cabinet.

ladyholly

As far as I know you cant take anything from a recycling centre unless they have a specific area for things that can be purchased for a small amount or you can catch someone while an item is still within their vehicle. Once it is on recycling centre property it is theirs.

I know how you feel and I wish recycling centres would either rescue items that are still good for re sale or have a special area for them to be put seperately. Some of the stuff just chucked away breaks my heart.

revengep8nt14

So I could be receiving a letter with a fine then... the man working there was stood right by my car and didn't say anything. I didn't even realise you aren't allowed, seems a shame for it to go to waste.

soolin

Some recycling centres have mini shops, I belong to many thrift and recycling groups and am quite envious of those who do have access to one of these. In those centres people are asked to drop off better items in a different area where it is sorted, the good stuff is then just set out like a car boot for people to buy. They are all different, some take some proceeds for the staff costs and give some to charity, some do one or the other. 

Some of these sites are so good that people actually routinely visit them to buy, just as you would a car boot or charity shop - some then sell on eBay after cleaning the items up a bit. 

Our one appears to have a little area where you can see better things saved, and occasionally an operative will ask you to drop something off there instead of putting it in general waste. There’s no shop or anything though , but it looks official so perhaps those things are donated somewhere.

Otherwise, as far as I am aware, you can’t take things once they have been left, although you can before they are dumped with permission. I have had a number of items asked for by other people when I open my car boot and they just take from my car to theirs, and I am very happy with that and it doesn’t seem to worry the staff at all. In fact a few years back I was talking to a lady who had a lovely coat stand in the car, a staff member came over to help as we couldn’t unwedge it from her car seat and told me he didn’t think it would go into my smaller car - so he assumed I was taking it. 

custardy

soolin said:

Some recycling centres have mini shops, I belong to many thrift and recycling groups and am quite envious of those who do have access to one of these. In those centres people are asked to drop off better items in a different area where it is sorted, the good stuff is then just set out like a car boot for people to buy. They are all different, some take some proceeds for the staff costs and give some to charity, some do one or the other. 

Some of these sites are so good that people actually routinely visit them to buy, just as you would a car boot or charity shop - some then sell on eBay after cleaning the items up a bit. 

Our one appears to have a little area where you can see better things saved, and occasionally an operative will ask you to drop something off there instead of putting it in general waste. There’s no shop or anything though , but it looks official so perhaps those things are donated somewhere.

Otherwise, as far as I am aware, you can’t take things once they have been left, although you can before they are dumped with permission. I have had a number of items asked for by other people when I open my car boot and they just take from my car to theirs, and I am very happy with that and it doesn’t seem to worry the staff at all. In fact a few years back I was talking to a lady who had a lovely coat stand in the car, a staff member came over to help as we couldn’t unwedge it from her car seat and told me he didn’t think it would go into my smaller car - so he assumed I was taking it. 

My local used to have the 'reuse shed' where you could buy some things in the shed.
Nothing outside the shed could be taken
However the council threw a ton of money at the place and this was removed

forgotmyname

Used to visit a couple and got some real bargains.  Mitre saw, caravan/MH leveller and something else which I cannot remember for £3.
Easily £80 from other places.

Sadly they improved the site and the shop is now run by a charity so prices skyrocketed. Prices increased. Rare to get a bargain.

Another site the husband/wife couple retired and a guy started volunteering instead. His idea of good value didnt match ours. Noticed that
very few people bother looking in the shop these days.

Small wooden writing box in poor condition he wanted £60, woman laughed and went back to her car. Had a sneaky look and did wonder
how he thought that was worth anything.

TELLIT01

Once deposited by the previous owner, the item becomes the property of the council or recycling company.  Strictly speaking the OP has stolen the item.  Always ask, don't just assume you can take things.  The person they saw may have assumed the OP had been given permission by another staff member.

revengep8nt14

Thanks for the responses, I hadn't realised you weren't allowed - I'll know for next time!

Archie_Duke

There's no "dumpster-diving" allowed at any near where I live. I suppose if I spotted something being unloaded that I liked the look of I could engage with the 'leaver'. But if it's already been put down at one side I think it's cheeky in the extreme to take it. Borderline theft, from some of the answers here though.

theoretica

The recycling centres near me ask people to take saleable items elsewhere and the website has links etc.  I am not sure how effective that is.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

I remember as a kid the local rubbish dump was just that, people drove in and threw everything in a massive pile and that was it. 

You could rummage anywhere, take anything and no one cared.

Now they've got health and safety issues surrounding people hurting themselves plus with certain stuff the council might be getting paid for it (timber for example might be burnt to produce energy).

It's shocking what gets thrown away, as eBay sellers in particular it would be great if they took decent boxes and packaging which others could take away for free but it won't happen. 

The cabinet OP took will have put a (very tiny) dent in the recycling targets which are apparently far more important than things being reused.