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| '''Dumpster diving''', or '''trashing''', is the practice of rummaging through trash, whether commercial or residential, to find items of use that have been discarded. It takes advantage of the fact that as a whole, people and businesses are very wasteful. The term "Dumpster Diving" comes from the image of someone climbing into large ], called "]s", but the practice is actually more like fishing around than diving in. Dumpster diving, often shortened to dumpstering, is often done in order to acquire ]. To those who are unfamiliar with it, the idea of dumpstering often conjures up degrading images of digging through messy, rotting trash like that of a restaurant; however, depending on where one dumpsters this could be quite to the contrary. Offices, factories, department stores, and other commercial establishments often throw out nonperishable items that were returned or have minor damages. | '''Dumpster diving''', or '''trashing''', is the practice of rummaging through trash, whether commercial or residential, to find items of use that have been discarded. It takes advantage of the fact that as a whole, people and businesses are very wasteful. | ||
| The term "Dumpster Diving" comes from the image of someone climbing into large ], called "]s", but the practice is actually more like fishing around than diving in. Dumpster diving, often shortened to dumpstering, is often done in order to acquire ]. | |||
| To those who are unfamiliar with it, the idea of dumpstering often conjures up degrading images of digging through messy, rotting trash like that of a restaurant; however, depending on where one dumpsters this could be quite to the contrary. Offices, factories, department stores, and other commercial establishments often throw out nonperishable items that were returned or have minor damages. | |||
| ==Brief outline== | ==Brief outline== | ||
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| ===Information Diving=== | ===Information Diving=== | ||
| In addition to offering useful items like food and clothing, dumpsters can also be a source of information. Files, letters, memos, photographs, IDs, passwords, credit cards and more can be found in dumpsters. Many people never consider that sensitive items they throw in the trash may be recovered. Of course, using information obtained in a dumpster is probably illegal in most cases. | In addition to offering useful items like food and clothing, dumpsters can also be a source of information. Files, letters, memos, photographs, IDs, passwords, credit cards and more can be found in dumpsters. Many people never consider that sensitive items they throw in the trash may be recovered. Of course, using information obtained in a dumpster is probably illegal in most cases. See ]. | ||
| ===Legal status=== | ===Legal status=== | ||
| As dumpsters are usually located on private property, dumpster diving is illegal in some parts of the ], though in many places the relevant laws do not seem to be very vigorously enforced. ] in the U.S. have held that there is no ] expectation of ] for ]. | |||
| Police (and possibly other) searches of dumpsters and like discards are not violations; ] ] in this way has been permitted in many criminal trials. The doctrine is less well established in regard to civil litigation. Similarly in the ], though diving is, in theory, theft, there is very little enforcement in practice. | |||
| ]s have written books on 'PI technique' in which dumpster diving, or its moral equivalent '] recovery', figure prominently. In Italy a recent law, issued at the beginning of the new century, declared dumpster diving perfectly legal. | |||
| ==Further Reading== | ==Further Reading== | ||
Revision as of 18:46, 31 August 2005
Dumpster diving, or trashing, is the practice of rummaging through trash, whether commercial or residential, to find items of use that have been discarded. It takes advantage of the fact that as a whole, people and businesses are very wasteful.
The term "Dumpster Diving" comes from the image of someone climbing into large rubbish bins, called "dumpsters", but the practice is actually more like fishing around than diving in. Dumpster diving, often shortened to dumpstering, is often done in order to acquire no-cost items.
To those who are unfamiliar with it, the idea of dumpstering often conjures up degrading images of digging through messy, rotting trash like that of a restaurant; however, depending on where one dumpsters this could be quite to the contrary. Offices, factories, department stores, and other commercial establishments often throw out nonperishable items that were returned or have minor damages.
Brief outline
Bakeries and grocery stores are the best places to look for food (most provide excellent findings if you look at the right time). Most supermarkets will have a weekly throw-out schedule that corresponds to the weekly shipments they receive. Look for when the big trucks are backed up to the loading docks—come back that night and you will probably get a nice surprise! Bakeries usually throw out stuff daily. All sorts of good food can be found in dumpsters; slightly old or blemished produce is the most common find, though if you are determined and patient, almost any type of food can be found. Dented cans, slightly crushed boxes (with any type of goodies inside), milk, eggs (with one broken one in the carton), cheese, slightly ripped bags of flour, dry goods, oil, all get thrown away, and you can get it all for free if you just walk up and look inside that dumpster! A lot of food items are discarded even before the expiration date merely because of overstock. Don't let the expiration date fool you though—often the stuff is perfectly fine. If in doubt, smell it...
Dumpstering can be something someone does on the spur of the moment if they see a useful item being thrown away, a conscious life style choice as part of "freeganism", or an acquired skill by those who may not have many other options economically to obtain needed goods or food. An experienced dumpster diver often looks at a dumpster the way a child might look at a wrapped gift, pondering what might be inside. Dumpstering is also associated with "curbing", or rummaging through trash on city sidewalk curbs; discarded furniture, electronics, appliances, lamps, books, and clothing are all commonly found. Many people hate to see useful things being discarded.
Italy's situation is deeply different. Food is rarely thrown away unless it is rotten, and restaurants, supermarkets and any other source of food discarded because it is close to the expiration date is collected by thousands of charities and redistributed to poor families or cooked for the homeless, etc. It is common to see people diving into garbage looking for antiques, or people collecting wood or metal to recycle. With a growing number of towns having started door-to-door collection, the number of publicly accessible bins has decreased, although a few bins remain along main streets as receptacles for tiny items such as chewing gum, cigarette ends, cans, etc. British television shows have even featured home renovations and decoration using dived materials. Changing Rooms is one such show, broadcast on BBC 1. Recovery of still useful items from discards is probably universal; James Fallows noted it in his book written about his time living in Japan.
As well, the academic specialty of garbology has used dumpster diving to examine the sociology and archeology of trash in modern life. There is a major outpost of academic garbology in Arizona, directed for some decades by William Rathje.
Information Diving
In addition to offering useful items like food and clothing, dumpsters can also be a source of information. Files, letters, memos, photographs, IDs, passwords, credit cards and more can be found in dumpsters. Many people never consider that sensitive items they throw in the trash may be recovered. Of course, using information obtained in a dumpster is probably illegal in most cases. See identity theft.
Legal status
As dumpsters are usually located on private property, dumpster diving is illegal in some parts of the United States, though in many places the relevant laws do not seem to be very vigorously enforced. Court cases in the U.S. have held that there is no common law expectation of privacy for discarded materials.
Police (and possibly other) searches of dumpsters and like discards are not violations; evidence seized in this way has been permitted in many criminal trials. The doctrine is less well established in regard to civil litigation. Similarly in the UK, though diving is, in theory, theft, there is very little enforcement in practice.
Private investigators have written books on 'PI technique' in which dumpster diving, or its moral equivalent 'wastebasket recovery', figure prominently. In Italy a recent law, issued at the beginning of the new century, declared dumpster diving perfectly legal.
Further Reading
- Art and Science of Dumpster Diving by John Hoffman; ISBN 1559500883
- Travels with Lizbeth by Lars Eighner (contains a chapter on the topic); ISBN 0449909433
- Dumpster Diving: The Advanced Course by John Hoffman (brings dumpster diving into the computer era) Paladin Press 2002; ISBN 158160369X
- The Simple Life, Berkeley Press (contains a chapter by Hoffman on dumpster diving)
- Steal This Book!, by Abbie Hoffman (speaks briefly on dumpster diving in the Free Food chapter)
- Evasion, Crimethinc Far East, available at www.crimethinc.com
External links
- The Dumpster Diving Forum
- Dumpster Diving forums and gallery.
- SeattleDIY SeattleDIY's detailed dumpster diving page.
- Jargon File definition
- The Dumpster Lady's FAQ
- Skip Diving in the Yahoo Hobbies directory
- See also the Usenet newsgroup, alt.dumpster