Is Dumpster Diving Safe?

What is Dumpster Dive 360?

We at Dumpster Dive 360 invite all dumpster diving enthusiasts to come to a fun and friendly website designed specifically for and by dumpster divers. Whether you have just started dumpster diving or you are a seasoned pro looking for a nice place to chat with other divers and show off your finds, we welcome everyone with open arms, a smile, and an invitation to stay as long as they (you) like.

While (you are) here, feel free to post pictures of your dumpster finds.

 

News

Dumpster Diving Growing in Popularity in America

As construction projects continue to pop up with increasing regularity in cities across America, the number of hidden treasures you can find are also increasing. It’s always important to dumpster dive safely and legally in your area! Some of the treats you can find range from discarded metal to food and wooden pallets that can […]

Food or Perishables

According to a new report by the National Resources Defense Council, the United States throws away a staggering 40% of the food it produces every year. There are a number of culprits for this: restaurants and bakeries which throw away what’s left uneaten or isn’t sold, people who buy more groceries than they can use (you know who you are), food distributors who throw out whole pallets when things go bad in transit, and probably the biggest culprit supermarkets.

Supermarkets are one of the biggest cause of waste because:

• Stores feel pressured to keep shelves perfectly stocked at all times.
• They throw out food with merely cosmetic blemishes.
• Expiration dates demand that food gets thrown out regardless of whether it has actually gone bad.

For example, American bakeries keep shelves full all day long for purely aesthetic reasons. At closing time, whole shelves of bread and baked goods go straight to the dumpster.

This is where we come in as dumpster diving enthusiasts, because there is so much waste and so much of it is perfectly edible and “fresh” there is always an abundance of food just waiting to found. Dumpster diving is great for communal meals, because you can get a really big haul of food for free.

Perhaps the hardest thing about dumpster diving is overcoming the stigma that comes with going through the trash. Our culture associates that behavior with poverty and poverty with shame, because of that there is a strong cultural bias against dumpster diving, but that’s all it is.

Getting Started

The first step is choosing a supermarket. Some supermarkets will be inaccessible because they throw their garbage away in locked dumpsters or behind fences, this is easily checked by walking around the supermarket. In general, any medium or large supermarket will throw out enough food to make it worth your while. You’ll also learn, through trial and error which supermarkets yield the best results when diving. Bakeries are also always a good bet, they throw out their bread every day, so you can usually get fresh bread any time.

Dumpster diving can often be a time consuming late night excursion, especially since you’ll have to take everything back home and wash it. It’s a good idea to get a couple large bags, some plastic gloves if you don’t enjoy getting your hands sticky, and a flashlight or a camping headlight so you can look into the bags without too much trouble.

Finding A Supermarket

Make sure you prepare accordingly you can plan your route by using “Google Maps” and finding the supermarkets or bakeries you’d like to try. Make sure to plan everything about your trip including how you’ll get there and back and how you will carry what you find, should be on the top of your list in terms of preparation.

Getting the Food

When dumpster diving, make sure to always use your judgement, this is especially true when you are looking for food. If a fruit or vegetable looks rotten, don’t take it. If you find a bag of apples or oranges and one is bad, but the rest are good, you can separate it out at home. Canned goods and prepared food are almost always fine to take just check for signs of expiration like with all food. Don’t worry too much about expiration dates or best before dates. A lot of foods are still ok days after their best before or expiration dates, rely on your judgment and common sense about food. The number one rule is if you have doubts about taking something, then don’t tind Craft Supplies in the Dumpster!

Many people throw away scrap or unused materials such as carpets, leather, cloth, metal, wood, etc., the materials that you can find are as limitless as your imagination. If you can imagine using an object or material for a craft project than that’s what it is, free craft material! Some people even create their craft projects entirely from things they find while dumpster diving meaning if you are creative enough and do enough diving you won’t have to spend a single penny for anything. As they say, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure!

Public trash disposal sites often contain a wealth of treasures just waiting to be claimed. Divers have been known to uncover designer clothing, valuable scrap materials, paints, pastels, and other various craft supplies. The possibilities are endless when you are dumpster diving. Whether you consider yourself a sculptor, painter, a fashion designer, or a jack of all trades artist you can join the community and start making your art projects for free!

Find Priceless Treasures in the Bottom of a Dumpster!

Dumpster diving can be an exciting treasure hunt yielding antiques, vintage collectibles, and exciting finds waiting to be turned into cash or art. Dumpsters and garbage piles can be a source of priceless treasures which can fetch a high price from the right collectors. You’ll never know, one day you could find something worth thousands of dollars. Many people are not aware of the value of some of the things they throw out and that’s where dumpster diving enthusiasts like you and I come in. We can see the value in things that other people think are just junk or garbage, this is especially true for collectibles and antiques.

When diving, always keep an open mind and open eye to things that have that certain allure of being old and antique. It never hurts to take items and get them appraised, you could hit the jackpot one day!

 

 

 

A big part of dumpster diving is using materials, eating food, and doing other things with “trash” that may have been otherwise thrown out wastefully. According to an EPA estimate in 2012, Americans create roughly 251 million tons of garbage each year. As a result of increasing wealth and populations we are not only buying more items but there are increasingly more people creating waste on the planet. Factor in changing lifestyles where more and more of us are eating fast food, which generates a large amount of non-biodegradable waste, and we start to see the importance of recycling. As a dumpster diver, you can help push the line!

How Can I Recycle?

All recycling starts with your choice to think about the impact of your decisions and how it will affect the environment. The three main ways to recycle are to reduce the amount of waste, re-use items instead of throw them away, and recycle waste items instead of just throwing them in the trash. Repurposing or reusing containers and products is a much better alternative to letting them be put to waste in a landfill. Not only will you be helping the environment but you will also save money by not making additional purchases. Always think about how you could reuse something before you throw it away – or even something that is already thrown away.

Dumpster Diving & Recycling

As dumpster divers, every time we take something from a dumpster and use it, we are recycling and reducing the waste that would have otherwise been taken to a landfill. You can even take recycling even further and make sure that while you are dumpster diving that no recyclables are in the wrong dumpsters. If any of you can take them out and put them in a proper recycling bin or bring them to the proper recycling facilities, you can earn some cash while also doing your part to save the environment!

Many different things can be recycled so keep an eye out for:

Metals

• Aluminum Cans
• Aluminum Foil & Bakeware
• Steel Cans & Tin Cans (Soup Cans, Veggie Cans, Coffee Cans, Etc.)

Paper/Cardboard

• Corrugated Cardboard
• Magazines
• Office Paper
• Newspapers
• Paperboard
• Paper Cardboard Dairy & Juice Cartons
• Unsolicited Direct Mail
• Phone Books

Glass

• Clear (Flint) Glass
• Brown (Amber) Glass
• Green (Emerald) Glass
• Not all glass can be recycled. Some glass objects that can’t be recycled include: ceramics, mirrors, window glass, crystal, light bulbs, heat resistant glass, contaminated glass (stones, dirt, etc.)

Plastics

• Make sure it’s clean before recycling
• Most plastics can be recycled

Batteries/Bulbs

Electronics

Like with dumpster diving, it’s important to do research and always keep your information up to date in regards to what can and cannot be recycled.

Dumpster Dive to Give to Charity Organizations!

Today 40 percent of all the food in the United States goes uneaten, according to a recent report by the Natural Resources Defense Council. That’s the equivalent of $165 billion dollars, or 20 pounds of food per person per month. It accounts for an astounding 33 million tons of landfill waste—which in turn generates 16 percent of the country’s methane emissions. Some of this wasted food could definitely be used to benefit people who don’t have the means to afford it on a regular basis. Charitable organizations and food banks could definitely use some of the food that you may find, especially if they are canned foods.

Many restaurants and public facilities throw out “old” food that they don’t want to sell or distribute. This food, although thrown away, may still very much be edible. Dumpster divers can take this opportunity to scavenge their trash and give back to those who really need it, just don’t forget to mention how you got the food.

Food is not the only thing you can give to charitable organizations, you can also donate other things you find such as clothing, furniture, electronics, etc. if it is something that still works or is in good condition and you don’t need it, take it and donate it. Just like with food, it is best to mention how you obtained these goods.

As dumpster divers, we practice and preach taking what you need and leaving the rest behind for fellow divers, but why not take the opportunity to take what you didn’t need and give it to a charitable organization. Someone, somewhere, could most definitely make use of the goods you find.

Take it. You can always find more things that you won’t have any doubts about. I’ve never gotten sick from dumpster diving, and there’s no reason you should either.

Clean, Store, Then Eat!

Wash what you found thoroughly, and then store it like you would regular food. You’ll be amazed at the bounty of fresh food that you can get. You’ll be able to make delicious meals without spending a cent. Dumpster diving is not a solution to the major problem of food waste, but it does help.

General Tips

General tips for increasing your success rate and staying safe while dumpster diving:

First and fore most you should always do your research: dumpster diving can be very dangerous.

If you choose to dumpster dive, please use sound judgment and common sense, especially for the safety of yourself and others.

Never ever try getting into a compactor! This is very important and cannot be stressed enough.

If you are under 18, ask your parent(s) or legal guardian for permission; or request they accompany you when you go Dumpster Diving.

You and, only you, are responsible for any injuries or illnesses resulting from unsafe dumpster diving activities so be safe and be careful.

Edible products found while dumpster diving should be thoroughly checked for freshness and defects in packaging, including the expiration date.

Contamination must always be considered and it would be ethically wrong to offer products to anyone without first telling them of the origin. Children should never be exposed to food products recovered while dumpster diving.

It’s always best to avoid being seen by others; the simple fact that you are looking in a dumpster is enough to make most people suspicious. On the same note, avoid making excess noise as it can wake neighbors up or attract store employees and make them call the police.

It’s a good idea to avoid washing and drying your dumpster clothes with your family’s clothing. Wash and dry your clothes separately.

Call your local dumpster company and find out when each street in your city gets its trash picked up so you can plan accordingly.

Many a good item can be found on the curb side near the end of the year. It is a great time to do this as many residents will be getting nice new items for Christmas and tossing out the old items. Another good time of the year is Spring, as many residents will be doing spring cleaning.

DumpsterDive360.com, the owner of this site, the administration, or the members are not responsible or liable for any injuries or illnesses resulting from dumpster diving.

 

Dumpster Diving Etiquette

Don’t leave a mess. Leave the dumpster in no worse condition than you found it in fact try to leave it in even better condition than you found it, always be respectful of the stores you dive from.

Avoid ripping trash bags – try to untie them if possible, and then tie them back.

Take only what you can use, and leave the rest for someone else.

Even though some dumpster divers chose to break into locked dumpsters by force, it is recommended to look for dumpsters which are not locked.

If there are other dumpster divers around (often happens at some food markets) don’t take more than you are possibly going to use and if you already have too much of something offer it to other people.

Leave a trace if you found a whole pile of something hidden away so that others can find the stuff you’re not going to take.

Appreciate the fact that you get stuff or food for free, and don’t make life harder for other dumpster divers, especially when you know you won’t come to this spot again. We are all a part of the same community so let’s help each other!

 

Why Would You Want to Dumpster Dive?

People dumpster dive for all kinds of reasons:

Some for the thrill and adventure of never knowing what they will find.

Some to help save money on items they would normally buy.

Some dumpster divers dive to sell items for profit.

Some dumpster divers do it as a hobby.

Some as a way of going green by reducing waste and reusing items that would have otherwise been thrown out.

Whatever the reason may be many people dumpster dive and find enjoyment out of it and you can too!

 

What do I need to Dumpster Dive?

Disposable flashlight or a headlamp.

Car or something to store and transport the things you find.

Gloves to protect your hands while you are diving.

Lysol wipes/baby wipes to keep clean hands or to wipe found items down.

Old Clothes. Dark clothes are preferred, usually with non-distinct markings. Anything you can get dirty.

Jeans are recommended to keep your legs from getting scraped.

Thick soled shoes that cover your whole foot to ensure you are protected and if do happen to step on something sharp it won’t pierce through your shoe.

A good first aid kit with band aids and a small bottle of alcohol.

Although not necessary, it is good to have a few tools of the trade:

A good stepladder is helpful for getting in dumpsters.

A milk crate that can be used as a stool for standing on while leaning into a dumpster.

An unger a very helpful tool used to grab things. This tool might be better known as a Gopher Grabber or Nifty Nabber.

 

Where Should I Dumpster Dive?

As a new diver, start by mapping out a good route along with places that sell or make the type of items you would like to find, with the internet and “Google Maps” this is a very easy task.

For example, if you were looking for car speakers, you would want to look in dumpsters behind businesses that sell car stereos. You would not go to a dumpster where the user of that dumpster sold sewing supplies.

In that same vain if you are looking for food you should start with Grocery stores. A good idea is to go to larger supermarkets and other stores right around closing time. This will help you find perishable food right when it is disposed of, so it will still be fresh.

Use “Google Earth” to get a bird’s eye view of the places you are looking to dive. This can give you an idea of where the dumpster is located and whether or not it is a compactor.

 

Is Dumpster Diving Safe?

Dumpster diving is perfectly safe as long as you take the right precautions and are aware of your surroundings. Your safety is the most important thing, put your safety above everything else and be careful.

Some of the things to look out for are:

Sharp objects, broken glass, etc. Always think and look before dumpster diving make sure there are no sharp objects that can poke, cut, or stab you.

Dumpsters that contain Medical or Hazardous waste. Avoid these at all costs do not attempt to dive in them even the smallest contact with either of these types of waste can have a serious effect on your health.

Lids can suddenly slam shut when windy. Pry the dumpster open with something to make sure it doesn’t shut on you suddenly or just be aware that the dumpster can shut at any time.

 

Can I make money as a dumpster diver?

Just like anything in life it all depends on how much time and work you are willing to put into it. The money made from dumpster diving will differ from dumpster diver to dumpster diver all depending on how hard you work at it. The more often you dive the better the chances of finding items to sell or use.

Aluminum cans, copper, iron and other metals can be sold at recycling centers. Prices go up and down all the time so try and hold on to your pile of scrap metal until a good price is being paid. Many items such as fans, and hair dryers and TVs have copper inside the motors and power cords.

Many of the items found can be sold on E-bay, garage/yard sales or flea markets.

Keep in mind just because an item is broken or does not work, it may still be worth some cash as many people are willing to pay top dollar for an item they need a part from.

 

Is Dumpster Diving Legal?

This is a question that each dumpster diver should research and answer for themselves. The answer varies depending on your local laws.

As a general rule of thumb if any of the following apply then you should stop dumpster diving (at least in that specific area or city):

The site your dumpster is at is clearly posted no trespassing.

You were previously caught by security or the police and told not to do it anymore in that area or city.

The police wrote a field information report and noted in it you were told not to trespass and you signed a no trespass order.

The materials appearing on this website are provided for informational use only and are in no way intended to constitute legal advice.