No prosecution for dumpster diving
If you’re wondering whether it’s OK for homeless residents to
dig through your trash carts or Dumpsters, it sort of is and it
sort of isn’t.
No prosecution for dumpster diving
If you’re wondering whether it’s OK for homeless residents to dig through your trash carts or Dumpsters, it sort of is and it sort of isn’t.
The law leaves potential police enforcement up to each particular waste company overseeing garbage collection. In Hollister and San Benito County’s case, that became Norcal Waste Systems starting in mid-2008 when it took over for Waste Management.
A Norcal general manager this week said the company would leave it up to “the residents’ discretion” on enforcement rather than condoning prosecution broadly throughout the area. That’s the same approach taken by Norcal’s predecessor, Waste Management, which also allowed homeless residents to dig through the trash as long as they left it clean.
Norcal G.M. Phil Couchee said the company gets complaints “on occasion” while the city code enforcement office sometimes hears from citizens upset about messes being left behind.
“We haven’t pressed the issue,” Couchee said. “If a resident has a concern, we’ll certainly pursue it.”
