Conservation 101: the Compete to Conserve Blog

photo credit: clurr

Merely hours after our trash, recycling and compost bins hit the curb, a distinct rustling can be heard outside our building. The clink-clang of someone shuffling through the blue recycling container lasts only moments, but somehow I feel like we’ve done a small part to help someone in need.

Apparently, I may be mistaken.

A recent debate in the city of San Francisco centers around whether removing recycling from bins is theft. In fact, the concern surrounding the issue has grown to the extent that State Assemblywoman Fiona Ma has written a bill aimed at curbing the practice of poaching recyclables.

To fully understand the debate, one must first be aware that once a recyclable is placed into the appropriate bin, that item belongs to the waste management company. That means anyone removing the item from said bin is stealing. Therefore, what seems like a harmless activity to garner extra cash is actually a punishable crime.

Part of the concern is that the activity has become organized, extending beyond a homeless or elderly person trying to cash in a few cans and bottles. Teams of poachers, nicknamed “mosquito fleets,” swarm neighborhoods in the wee hours of trash day. These fleets often fill the back of pickup trucks, making more than a few bucks off recyclables and ostensibly stealing from the waste management companies. Since recycling money these companies collect goes back into their programs, the theft cycles back to their customers.

Sunset Scavenger, a division of Norcal Waste Systems Inc., estimates that between 200 and 300 “poacher trucks” currently operate in San Francisco, costing San Franciscans approximately $1 million over the past two years (NPR).

Some city residents have complained about the poachers being noisy, leaving messes, or potentially becoming aggressive when confronted or told to leave. Complaints died down a bit in 2001, when the “put all recyclables in one” bin was introduced. But in January 2007, the California Refund Value paid to consumers increased to 5 cents for containers under 24oz, providing extra incentive for scavengers across the state to cash in (Dept of Conservation).

Another concern is identity theft. With all recyclables in one bin, sought-after bottles and cans could lie dangerously close to documents or junk mail that may contain personal information.

When it comes down to it, most people don’t like the idea of someone rummaging through their trash. But some seem less concerned than others. With the state of the economy and the high-rate of unemployment, some San Franciscans don’t blame poachers for doing what they can to make ends meet. And pulling together enough recyclables can be lucrative. According to Sunset Scavenger, aluminum can pull in about $3,700 per ton, glass $210, plastic $180 and cardboard $130.

And, as one so-called poacher told the SF Chronicle, having people go through your trash bins to make money is better than having them break into your car—and desperate times can lead to desperate measures.

While the crime of poaching carries penalties up to $500 and 6 months in jail, the SF police currently treat the act as low-priority. But Ma and Norcal Waste are working to change that by getting the public involved. Ma’s bill would call for recycling centers and salvage yards to require identification and to pay by check. And the website for Sunset Scavenger and Golden Gate Disposal and Recycling highlights what consumers should do to curb this crime in their neighborhoods.

Other metropolitan areas are doing the same, including New York City, where recently approved legislation increased the penalty for unlawfully removing or transporting recyclables from $100 to $2,000 for first-time offenders and $5,000 for repeat offenders (SF GATE).

What You Can Do:

If this is a growing concern in your area, what you choose to do may walk a fine line, but here are some options…

To safely ensure your recyclables get picked up by the Sanitation and Recycling company:

- Determine when your recycling gets picked up and Put recyclables on the curb as close to that time as possible

- Shred any personal documents that may go into an all-in-one bin

- Report recycling theft to local police, with detailed information on time, vehicle license plate numbers, and the direction they were heading

- Report recycling theft to your local waste management company (with same info)

- Do not confront those rummaging through bins yourself

*These hints are care of San Francisco SAFE but can be applied just about anywhere.

To assist the homeless or mosquito fleets in their efforts to make money:

- Put bottles and cans in a separate box or container (perhaps labeling it as available to take)

- Put a sign on the all-in-one recycling bin to tell poachers where available bottles are outside the bin (and asking them not to rummage through the bin)

- Cash in recyclables yourself and donate the money to an organization that supports the homeless, elderly or under-employed in your area

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