Why Do People Go Dumpster Diving?

Some people dumpster dive because they are poor and need to survive; others dumpster dive because they go ahead to sell the proceeds to make money. However, there are people who go dumpster diving because they are genuinely concerned about the rate at which food and other useful resources are being wasted every passing day; so, they think dumpster diving is the best way to reduce waste in their communities.

What Items Can Be Retrieved When Dumpster Diving?

When you go dumpster diving, you can find several useful items. These items may include food, books, clothing, footwear, electronics, metals, woods, etc.

Hunger is a major reason people go dumpster diving. Every day, most households and grocery stores dispose of food they do not need. Dumpster divers collect these foods, clean them up and consume them to survive. Sometimes these foods are being sold to make a living.

Some people dumpster dive for books. They are not just in good condition, but excellent condition for reasons best known to them. Dumpster divers gather these books and make the best out of them. Sometimes they resell these books, donate them to the less privileged, or send them off to Third World countries.

Individuals are discarding clothing, footwear, and toys every day. Dumpster divers collect these items and recycle them. Some dumpster divers resell them to make money or donate them to charity. ..

Dumpster divers search for metals in various places outside of factories, construction sites, demolished houses, and automobile recycling facilities. Sometimes they collect used hospital testing supplies, old computers, condemned batteries, and other electronic devices that may contain gold, mercury, silver, platinum or thermocouple wire. These items are then resold to individuals or companies that need them and make good money. ..

There are many types of reusable woods scattered all over building construction sites. Dumpster divers collect these wood scraps and convert them into firewood or beautiful inventions. In most cases, they sell these inventions to make money. ..

What Are the Important Things to Note Before Attempting Dumpster Diving?

  1. You could get hurt or worse if you fall into the dumpster.
  2. The dumpster may be full of hazardous materials that could cause you harm if you were to touch them.
  3. The dumpster may also be full of valuable items that could be seized by the authorities if you are caught in the process.

Dumpsters can be a breeding ground for different types of diseases, rodents, and pests. Some of these dumpsters are often sprayed with chemicals and pesticides to help control these pests and diseases. When food is thrown into these dumpsters, it mixes with garbage and may come in contact with these microorganisms, rodents, and sometimes those chemicals or harmful metallic substances. This eventually results in food poisoning, which puts your health in danger and could lead to death. ..

Dumpster divers face the potential of getting hurt by really dangerous objects, including broken glasses, pieces of metal, nails, needles, or any other harmful objects lying around which could cut into the skin. These objects are unavoidably covered in bacteria or viruses that could infect the open wounds, resulting in serious diseases such as tetanus, AIDS, and many other deadly diseases.

Conclusion

Dumpster diving can be dangerous if not done correctly. There are a few things to keep in mind when diving into dumpsters, and these include being aware of the dangers involved and taking proper precautions. If you are ever curious about dumpster diving, it is important to do your research first and be sure that the risks are worth taking.

This is a question that has been asked by many people in recent years, as the legality of dumpster diving has come under scrutiny. Some people believe that it is legal to go dumpster dive in order to collect recyclable materials, while others believe that it is not safe to do so.

Dumpster diving is considered legal in most states, but it becomes illegal when you trespass on private property. If you are caught dumpster diving on someone else’s property, you could get arrested.