Contaminating Trash To Deter Dumpster Divers - Wrong? (drugs, crime, insurance)

[Mathguy]

Some probably mentioned it but they're probably doing this because the dumpster divers are throwing trash out as they look. Nothing like coming by your store at 5AM and finding half the trash ripped open and spilled out in the ally....with rats eating at it....and the dumpster diver took a squat next to your service door on top of it.

[NLVgal]

Originally Posted by jwkilgore

How's this for a simple solution:

Call a local food pantry/kitchen. Tell them you clean up your shelves and toss food on certain days at certain times. If they want the food we're about to throw out, then send a truck and people to load it. Truck shows up on certain days, and food that would be tossed in the dumpster gets tossed in the truck.

Benefits:
- No food in the dumpster, so no vagrant rummagers; this results in improved security.
- Business owner gets a tax write off for the donated food.
- Lower dumpster load which would lower cost to business owner in most locations (many pay by load or by weight).
- Lower labor cost to business owner (food pantry volunteers handle transportation, no need to pay people to pour bleach).
- Leftover food gets eaten instead of wasted.

This really only applies to stores that sell prepackaged groceries and wouldn't apply to restaurants.

Actually, the Panera Bread restaurants here in town donate their unused bread and day old pastries to the elementary schools in the poor areas. The kids get a danish, and their free milk for breakfast. Sometimes they get to take home a loaf of bread for the family.

The restaurant gets a lot of good will in the community, and maybe a tax break. Certainly better than intentionally spoiling things you are throwing away just so other people can't have them. I don't even understand the mindset with that. Does someone think that the guy who pulls a crescent roll out of a dumpster and eats it was otherwise going to go in the store and pay five dollars for it? I don't think so.

I certainly understand the complaints about the mess makers. No excuse for that. If you make a mess dumpster diving, clean it up.

[redguard57]

If a person or business intentionally contaminated food waste and it got someone sick... that sounds like a crime to me. Poisoning is illegal is it not?

However, I also think dumpster diving is technically trespassing, but poisoning someone would trump that.

[yellowsnow]

If something I throw away can help someone else, great. And I would rather see an item get used than go to the landfill anyway. In my neighborhood it's common to see stuff placed out on the curb with a 'free' sign. And usually it gets picked up.

I even got something once. One of those over the toilet shelving units. It was wrought iron. I took it home, cleaned and spraypainted it. Works just fine.

People go through my trash all the time.

[vicky3vicky]

Originally Posted by ohhwanderlust

This is perhaps the most despicable thing I've heard of in the US all week.

These businesses obviously don't want the food they tossed out anyway, but still want to punish those desperate enough to eat garbage who obviously couldn't afford to pay for fresh food. That is greed beyond comprehension. And they want to punish them by poisoning them, like their lives are worth less than their garbage.

But sure, much better to ensure the landfills are stacked as high as possible and let people starve.

If I ever find out a business near me is doing this, I will never patronize them again, and I'll spread the word.



Well, by pouring contaminants in the dumpster, anyone who eats from there most definitely will get sick!

You are awesome!

[Jimbo302]

Originally Posted by redguard57

If a person or business intentionally contaminated food waste and it got someone sick... that sounds like a crime to me. Poisoning is illegal is it not?

However, I also think dumpster diving is technically trespassing, but poisoning someone would trump that.

No, not at all. I've dealt with leo's on this matter. You can't poison garbage, you can't poison an unknown thief, you aren't offering or serving poison to others, etc, etc, ect.

[GearHeadDave]

Originally Posted by BugsyPal

Now this just sounds very mean.... While wouldn't personally dig through garbage bags for things, times are tough out there and people are doing what they have to do.

Don't underestimate the meanness of human beings. Just when you think you've seen the lowest form of behavior, you see something that goes even further like this. If I I ever learned that a business was doing this that would be the last time I ever spent a dime with them. For what that's worth.

[goodheathen]

I think it's generally wrong to contaminate the trash to deter dumpster-diving.

Moreover, when classified as "hazardous waste," it's potentially illegal, due to risk to professional handlers and the environment.
Household Hazardous Waste Disposal | Waste Management
However, I doubt pouring liquids over waste would get someone busted unless an injury results.

[donsabi]

I remember when as a young boy the day my mother bought a new toaster. After trying out the new toaster and satisfied it made tasty toast she cleaned and polished the old toaster. Later that day she wrapped the cord neatly around the old toaster and placed atop our trash that was put out for collection. I asked her why she did that and she said, "maybe someone less fortunate will find it and put it to good use." Within a few hours that old toaster was gone.

To think that someone would want to injure or person or worse for making use of a item they considered trash or garbage is despicable.

I also believe that if a person intentionally contaminates or poisons an item they believe will be consumed and injury or death results they may be charged with manslaughter at the very least.

[reneeh63]

Back in biblical times folks were admonished during harvest time to not be selfish and not do "too well" getting grain out of the field. The idea was to leave something behind for the gleaners - the poor who needed it.