does taking from recycling container = stealing?
Ohioguy
sure the pipe was in good shape, when I saw a guy stop by our trash cans
and city recycling containers. He took an old blender out of our trash
(I had already removed the copper wire windings), and also took some
items from our recycling containers. I'm not worried about the trash -
I've always felt that as long as people aren't taking any personal
papers, they are welcome to anything else - especially since they have
to brave loads of dirty diapers in our dumpsters.
However, the recycling containers are a different story. My
understanding is that the city gets some $$ from the aluminum, etc.,
which are put in there, and that $$ helps keep our cost for waste
collection from going up. If these guys are going around and taking the
aluminum out of the recycling containers, doesn't that take $$ away from
the city, and ultimately make us pay higher rates?
Michael Black
There's a kid around here who's started a "business" collecting cans from
rcycling bins, acting like he's doing the world a favor, and of course
then taking them to the store for the deposit.
His promotion is false, since it at first glance sounds like he's doing a
good thing. But, some years back there was a story in the paper that can
recycling was going too well, so many cans were brought back that they
weren't able to fund it properly. They were counting on a certain
percentage of cans to not be returned, and that money went to paying for
the whole process.
Cans and bottles with deposits that go right into the recycling bins,
that leaves the 5cents for the whole recycling process, yet still does
what the deposit is about, keeping the cans from littering the sides
of highways, and keep them out of landfill.
So in trying to earn his five cents, the kid is actually doing a bad
deed.
Michael
Rick Merrill
I think he's doing the right thing - after all, his incentive comes from
our putting a deposit on the bottles and cans.
Did you know a coke can is worth more than 5 cents at the refinery
because it costs at least 50 times the electricity to refine bauxite as
it does to recycle that can?
Al
In my area you can get a scrap license from the city for a paltry few
bucks in which case anything at the curb is fair game. Another local
municipality has laws against touching anything in the recycle bins.
You answer is only a phone call away.
PS. The really big city nearby has tried recycling and they sent
everything to the same landfill anyway.
Rod Speed
Ohioguy wrote:
Just higher costs for the trash collection at most.
David Harmon
Ohioguy <no...@none.net> wrote,
> However, the recycling containers are a different story. My
>understanding is that the city gets some $$ from the aluminum, etc.,
Yes, it's stealing for exactly the reason you give. In addition, my
city for example is under orders to divert a percentage of the trash
stream to recycling - if they fall short, they will be penalized by the
State of California. Check your local ordinances, and then call the
cops if you feel like it.
Coffee's For Closers
says...
Yes, taking from official city recycling containers may be
designated as theft of city property.
--
Get Credit Where Credit Is Due
http://www.cardreport.com/
Credit Tools, Reference, and Forum
JonquilJan
living. I grew up in a city - back before recycling was even considered.
Even then, my parents were of the reuseable mind set and very little went to
waste.
I now (since 1981) live in a rural area. I can have trash pickup once a
week if I pay for it but prefer to go to the recycling center a few times a
month. The center, and its workers, are very much into reuse/recycling.
They encourage bringing in older books (paperback and hard cover),
magazines, egg cartons, small items that can be repaired - and also
encourage others to take the items for their own use. The village nearby
has a once a year disposal pickup drive. And they encourage residents to
put out items a few days before the actual pickup. People browse along the
streets and take items they have a use for. There is no problem with this
as those browsers are respectful of the others property and leave things
they don't want in a reasonable order. It also leaves less for the
town/village to pickup.
I prefer the method I have at hand now. But thats a personal like. YMMV
JonquilJan
Learn something new every day
As long as you are learning, you are living
When you stop learning, you start dying
The Real Bev
> Ohioguy <no...@none.net> wrote,
>>However, the recycling containers are a different story. My
>>understanding is that the city gets some $$ from the aluminum, etc.,
>
> Yes, it's stealing for exactly the reason you give. In addition, my
> city for example is under orders to divert a percentage of the trash
> stream to recycling - if they fall short, they will be penalized by the
> State of California. Check your local ordinances, and then call the
> cops if you feel like it.
Our city has to pay the recycling company to pick the stuff up. Personally,
I'd rather that a human got the money than some faceless entity or the assholes
that run our city.
--
Cheers, Bev
==========================================================
There is a fine line between 'hobby' and 'mental illness.'
Bob F
> David Harmon wrote:
>
>> Ohioguy <no...@none.net> wrote,
>>> However, the recycling containers are a different story. My
>>> understanding is that the city gets some $$ from the aluminum, etc.,
>>
>> Yes, it's stealing for exactly the reason you give. In addition, my
>> city for example is under orders to divert a percentage of the trash
>> stream to recycling - if they fall short, they will be penalized by
>> the State of California. Check your local ordinances, and then call
>> the cops if you feel like it.
>
> Our city has to pay the recycling company to pick the stuff up. Personally,
> I'd rather that a human got the money than some faceless
> entity or the assholes that run our city.
What they pay is related to how much the recycling company makes for the more
valuable stuff. So it still affects what you pay in the long run.