Tired of the constant clanking of shopping carts down your street from scavengers picking through the garbage? Did you know it is illegal to remove any item from a blue LA City recycling bin? Neighbors all over Los Angeles, and a re-energized group in Venice are encouraging people to keep their blue bins ON their private property, and LOCKED until trash day. The City of LA recycling program relies on the items in those bins to pay for the cost of the program. Scavengers are stealing from the city, and ultimately costing taxpayers and the City much needed money. and resources.
An additional concern is scavengers casing homes and cars for valuables, and taking note of travel times, etc. looking for opportunities for picking up other valuables or committing other crimes.
Removing items from a blue bin by scavenging is illegal in L.A., punishable with a $500 fine and/or six months in jail. Call the police and report the scavenging.
While the city is currently monitoring other municipalities’ anti-scavenging programs to see if a safe, workable and cost-effective solution can be implemented, the Department of Public Works offers the following tips:
1. Keep the blue recycling bin in the garage or other secure area on non-collection days.
2. Wait until the morning of collection day to put the blue bin at the curb.
3. Place glass and aluminum recyclables at the bottom of the bin, underneath paper and cardboard.
4. Do not confront individual scavengers. Instead, observe and report scavengers to the Bureau of Street Services Investigation & Enforcement by dialing 3-1-1.
5. Do not confront scavenging crews. Instead, observe and report crews with large trucks and/or vehicles to the neighborhood’s LAPD senior lead officers.
6. Work with the local councilmember’s district office for CD11 in consultation with the neighborhood’s LAPD senior lead officers. The more people who campaign for this, the more likely a response.
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