Dumpster Diving in Toronto!???

[Msbjustsayin]

Hello
Please excuse me if I have put this thread in the wrong section! I love smart canucks and all the deals a lot of people get on here. One thing that I am truely interested in is Dumpster diving. I have read a lot of divers from the East and West coast do it.. I am wondering if people do it here in Toronto. If you could share your experiences and the best places to go ( I know some wont let out their secret) That would be appreciated!

Thanks!

[Johnnyjohnp25]

Do people really do that?

[3kids2jobs1mom]

I think most suburban areas would have those large recycling centre bins, for dumpster diving?

Not sure if we have these large dumpster-ish bins in Toronto - it's mostly walking around picking up stuff, what people call "Recycling Walks".

Never done it and probably never will. You can try walking down your neighbourhood, see if you can pick up what you can.

[Ciel]

Some SCers from different places in Canada post their Brags on dumpster diving-go to the Brags tab.

For Toronto-specific stories, try looking up the online Search function on back issues of magazines like Now Toronto, Eye Magazine or Grand Toronto (when you go their websites). Even The Toronto Star might be useful.

Only you can decide if the risks (health, legal) outweigh the thrills (finding useful things) in the activity.

[Malixy]

I don't know of anyone who does this, all I can say is try to aim for cleaner places. My old building was very clean and had recycling boxes on every floor that were empties 3 times a week, so it was very clean and organized (no health hazards). My new building is disgusting, and I literally don't even go near the recycling garbage areas because of the cockroaches (i send my boyfriend out on these brave missions to throw out the trash) so I wouldn't dig through there unless my life depended on it.

[misfitflynn]

I have only done this once and it was completely by fluke. I was shopping in Mid/late nov several years ago and I was at a mall. The store I was parked outside of was locked so I had to use one of those alley exits and it took me right past a dumpster that was full of stuff, several banged up packages had landed outside the dumpster so I grabed what would fit in my bag, 3 items I think it was?! It was all brand new just beat up boxes! I have heard of ppl doing it before, not sure that I would make a habit out of it for reasons already stated by others.

[nenaflores]

Im overwhelemed with this couponing thing. I dont know where to get coupon flyers besides printables !!! can someone help me i live in toronto, and most of the newspapers and such that people leave in your front steps do not have coupons in them. I only found it once at my moms house and that was about it

[katmunster]

ive gone on many recycle walks with a fellow SCer, we only met on here in july but have been on walks almost every week, we have fun with it, we found an area that has the low bins (not the ones with lids) so its much easier to see the items in it and easier to find what we are looking for. the last walk we had we found 20 P&Gs, and 20 smart sources, sadly we have a hard time finding any cereal boxes, but we have found some coke pins and stoffers pins.

if it wasnt for the other SCer i dont know if i would have had the courage to go out on my own and do it

[Johnnyjohnp25]

commented then, and will comment now. this is crazy to be doing anywhere near toronto. in and around the GTA it can just be downright dirty. just ask around and find neighbours that might not want their inserts

[PurpleBunny89]

Not sure if you are talking about recycle walks or actual dumpster diving because there is a difference.

I've never done either.

Growing up my mom used to dumpster dive and thats how we got a lot of things in our home. Our TV's, Couch's, Lamps, end tables, fish tanks, etc etc. Its surprising what people throw out that still works.

[sweet sparrow]

There was a lady that went through my recycling at 5:30 AM looking for beer cans and bottles to return. I actually get really tempted to call someone after being woken up at that hour every single week. Either that or offer her money not to do it at that hour. She does both sides of the street so it's about 40 minutes of clinking bottles.

I think I'd be too paranoid of dumpster diving. No matter where you are, there will always be people who throw out needles or other dangerous items. A free piece of garbage is not worth spending time in a doctor's office for me. If you see a Toronto doctor, it can take up to half a day!

Even in the tiny town I used to live in, the area recycling people were in the newspaper for having to take time off work because they had been pricked with needles tossed in the bins, bags, or loose. Be careful!

I lived in a condo in a nice area in north Toronto for awhile and once picked up some university text books someone put beside the door to the refuse bin in the enclosed basement area.

[pancakeg]

I've never done it outside but I do it in my own building. I live in a condo building that is well maintained and very clean, though. Every time I take down my recycling I first take a peek in the bin before dumping my own stuff in there. So far I've found a few inserts, some Canadian Tire scratch cards, a couple Lean Cuisine PINs, one Nestle Aeroplan PIN and one SYB cereal code. I would totally be embarrassed if someone caught me though, I live in a pretty fancy building! Hahaha...

[julesie-pie]

i have never dumpster dived but have pick up items from curb - last week i got a john deere motorized tractor for my DD (retails $200 at toysrus), a ride-on self propelled motorcycle for DD & a scooter for DD when she is older.

Today got a 3 seater leather couch off the curb from the apartment building across the street - it has a couple small rips but WAAAY better than my old one the my DD destroyed (we were & are holding off buying a new one until she passes the toddler and potty training stage)

if you can use it and it saves it going to a landfill I dont see anything wrong with picking up items from the curb

[PurpleBunny89]

I've never done it outside but I do it in my own building. I live in a condo building that is well maintained and very clean, though. Every time I take down my recycling I first take a peek in the bin before dumping my own stuff in there. So far I've found a few inserts, some Canadian Tire scratch cards, a couple Lean Cuisine PINs, one Nestle Aeroplan PIN and one SYB cereal code. I would totally be embarrassed if someone caught me though, I live in a pretty fancy building! Hahaha...

I do this too but seeing as my building has more lower income people and cheap people I hardly find anything. I do however find coke bottles with missing caps! Someone in my building obviously collects them already

I have been fortunate to find one SYB pin, one kelloggs granola bars coupon, a few icoke pins and one CT scratch card. Thats over like a 6 month period so as you can see hardly anything at all but I still look How can I not since i have to walk by on the way to my car?

[Cat Woman78]

I'm here in Waterloo looking for a group or person to join in on dumpster diving but I'm having no luck.