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Be on the lookout for recycling thefts

Written by Lake County News reports

Wednesday, 10 September 2008

LAKECOUNTY – It may be OK to rescue California Redemption Value (CRV) beverage containers from a public garbage can but it is definitely not OK to remove any recyclable material from a recycling container or drop off location, says one county official.

Jackie Armstrong of Lake County Public Services said theft of recyclables can be classified as misdemeanor or infraction, but if the recycling agent elects to pursue civil action, the court may award damages three times the value of the stolen recyclables up to $2,000 for a first offense and $5,000 for a second offense.

Most people agree that local scavengers are performing a service when they remove recyclable materials from garbage cans, said Armstrong – after all, no one wants to see recyclable materials taking up space in the landfill.

But she said it's another matter entirely to remove recyclable materials, including CRV containers, from recycling containers, including residential curbside totes, or a drop off recycling location.

According to California Public Resources Code Section 41950, once recyclable materials have been segregated from solid waste materials and placed in recycling containers or at a designated recycling collection location, the recyclable materials become the property of the authorized recycling agent (i.e. garbage company), Armstrong explained.

Recyclables theft doesn't constitute a serious problem in Lake County as a whole, although Armstrong said they've encountered trouble spots in some areas.

It's a serious enough problem in some parts of the state that legislation has been introduced to crack down on it. Assemblywoman Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco) authored AB 1778, meant to stop professional poaching rings operating in neighborhoods with curbside recycling services.

Armstrong said recycling poachers also increase the risk of identify theft, so if you see someone digging through recycling carts in your neighborhood, please let the poacher know that the activity is prohibited by law and call your garbage company to report the incident.

For more information about this or other waste management issues, call the county Public Services Department at 263-1980.

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Very interesting
written by purplegirl, September 10, 2008

This is a really interesting and informative article. I had always been under the impression that once anything hits the curb (garbage or recycling cans) it becomes public property which can be gone through and collected by anyone. I suppose, it doesn't help that this fallacy is supported through media showing detectives and other snoops going through personal garbage cans to get the scoop on people. (That is probably where I got the impression, to begin with, I must admit.) I thought it only became the property of the recycling or waste agent once it hit their trucks. We learn something new every day.

ridiculous
written by helenemw, September 10, 2008

I say if someone wants my bottles and cans out of the recycle bin, let them have it. I don't pay the city to pick up the blue can or green can, those are free. I pay to have the garbage picked up, right? At least these people are trying to make money honestly and not holding up stores! Leave them alone.

Helenmw - the only
written by Donna Christopher, September 10, 2008

thing "ridiculous" is your contention that it is free to get your green or blue can emptied. The monies received by the hauler for the recyclables are what offset the cost to pick up those and the greenwaste. It says right on the side of the containers that it, and it's contents are the property of the franchise hauler. How is that making "money honestly"? In my world it's theft when you take something that does not belong to you - be glad I was not your Mom :wink:

...
written by mortis, September 10, 2008

Actually, we do subsidize the garbage companies. They don't specifically charge us for the recyclables, but they don't exactly give us a dividend on their revenue generated from the recyclables we kindly provide them. I put recyclables in the can because it is the right thing to do, but in my heart I know that somewhere out there a garbage company owner is laughing all the way to the bank. When I consider what I pay for them to empty my tiny garbage can, I hardly think that the big free recyclable can is just a community service. They deliberately give me more space because that trash generates revenue for them. Ultimately, recycling is good for everyone.

When it comes to dumpster diving, I admit that I find it personally annoying to be woken up by someone clinking through my recycling bin at 5 a.m. to fetch 25 cents worth of glass and plastic. I don't feel very sorry for the recycling company, though. And if the people doing the dumpster diving are truly needy, then I don't mind. But when I see on the news that teams of dumpster divers are running house to house and loading recyclables onto trucks (thus ripping off the garbage company) it does make me bitter.

What you pay to
written by Donna Christopher, September 10, 2008

empty your "tiny garbage can" also includes the dumping of your great big greenwaste can. It costs the hauler to get rid of it but the real upside is its not going into the landfill. I'd rather have a long lived landfill than a short term dividend. Depending on the markets for the non-CRV items in your recycle can, the haulers can actually lose money on those (example -cardboard or paper). We have some of the cheapest rates for garbage service. Call a community that has to truck or use rail service to take their garbage out of county or even out of state, then see what you think of our costs. Think of the increase in fuel costs they have recently been hit by, but cannot ask for a rate increase until the time specified in their contract. When it comes to garbage - we got it good in Lake Co.

Those poor poor recycle center
written by cale_page, September 10, 2008

How can those guy's pay for their big lake houses and the gas for their Hummers if poor out of work people want to collect recyclables out of curb side bins and turn it in for cash. That might make them have to fire one of the illegals that they have on the payroll. We couldn't have that. instead lets hand out fines to working people who may be losing their homes or not able to feed their families so that we make sure some fat dumpster cat gets every penny they can... It seems government will try anything to put another fee on us. I hope they pass a law. Then I can stop seperating my recyclables. I wouldn't want to be the cause of someone getting into trouble for going through my cans. I will let the recycle centers EARN the money like the "can people" do.

Not to mention...
written by cale_page, September 10, 2008

It should be up to the manufacturers to pay recycle fees, not the consumers. if you put the burden on them you eliminate recycle fees, recycle centers, and some jerk making millions on me seperating my garbage. I believe in recycling and would never actually not do it but the system in place is poorly designed. It promotes this kind of "theft" and it shouldn't be left to the public to subsidise it with fines and fees. Of course thats just my opinion.

Recycling Corporations
written by jmadison, September 10, 2008

I have yet to hear Obama or McCain give us their plan on ending the corruption of the mega Recycling Corporations. They probably suck up to the big Recycling fat cat lobbyists. Those dudes picking through my garbage are actually secretly paid to do it so that the fat cat lobbyists can all keep their jobs. WHERE DOES IT ALL END?

jobs
written by boondoggle, September 10, 2008

recent paroles often get jobs in recycling plants separating out the different items. We don't want to take their jobs away do we. The mafia has controlled the garbage industry for at least 50 years now they control the recycling industry so what else is new? Put out a box of stuff for the scavengers marked free if you want to help the poor then they wouldn't have to rummage thru your recycles.

i can remember
written by gabby, September 10, 2008

A white pickup would do the rounds of each neighborhood and toss the aluminum cans in the back of his truck. Every week. That's a chunk of change.

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