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'Dumpster Diving' is a subreddit dedicated to urban foraging — searching through the trash for usable items.
Members of this online community share their experiences and tips for finding valuables, talking about both their successes and failures, as well as discussing ethical and legal considerations surrounding the activity.
Overall, it's a supportive and informative subreddit, full of support and encouragement for everyone who tries to live at least a bit more sustainably and reduce waste.
So in an attempt to contribute to spreading the message, we at Bored Panda put together a new publication, featuring the subreddit's most popular posts. Continue scrolling to check them out and fire up our first one for the older ones.
This post may include affiliate links.
#2
Found In The Dumpster Tied In A Trash Bag. What A Sweet Soul As Well. Poor Thing
#8
Not Dumpster Diving Per Se, But This Antique Hand Painted French Cabinet From The 1890's Was A Part Of The "Junk" I Was Hired To Remove From A House Yesterday!
#10
Built Myself A Desk Out Of Some Mahogany Base Boards Taken Out Of The Dumpster! My Gaming Chair Was Picked Up From The Curb Side
#15
Was Out Of Dogfood And Broke Af. Thought I'd Take A Peek In The Pet Store Dumpster. Score
#17
I Was Digging Through The Trash Of Someone Who Looked To Be Moving And I Found A Set Of Earrings Marked As 18k Gold And A Friend Who Is A Jeweler Tested The Stones And Said They're White Sapphire
#18
I’m Excited About This Find, I’m An Elementary Teacher And Next Year I’ll Have All My Kiddos Write Cards To Their Family/Staff! They Were Sealed In A Trash Bag Untouched On Top!
#20
Someone Threw Out A Perfectly Working 40 Inch 4k Smart TV. Madness, But Mine Now
#22
This 30+ Year Old Monstera Deliciosa Would've Gone To The Dump. Working At A Moving Firm Has Its Benefits! Girlfriend For Scale
#24
Pretty Rad Find. My Grandparents Paid Something Like 75 Cents A Months Back In The Day For One Similar. Little Work, And She’ll Shine
#25
Back With More To Report. I Thought I’d Retired, But Last Night I Checked The Dumpster Again. Diapers, Storage, Heaters, Toys And Cases Of Cereal Later ($785) Sticker Price, I’m So Glad I Went. More Donation Trips To Make Next Week!
#26
Someone Didn’t Feel Like Cleaning Their $800 Espresso Machine. I Found It Sitting On Top Of A Garbage Can Out Diving Last Night
#27
I Love These Little Free Pantries I've Been Seeing Pop Up Lately. They Give Me A Great Opportunity To Practice Mutual Aid With My Neighbors By Filling Them Up With A Bunch Of Perfectly Fine Non-Perishables I Score From Dumpsters!
#28
Found This Disco Ball - Expected It To Be Flimsy, Made Of Styrofoam But Its Actually Very Heavy And Nice!
#29
I Make Blankets For Shelter Doggos/Homeless People And Their Dogs From Linen I Find In Dumpsters. Doggo In Photo Is My Little Weirdo. And No, I Did Not Find Her In A Dumpster:p
#31
Saw Someone On Here Say They Found A Bunch Of LED Lights Once. I Thought “Omg I Want To Find Some”… Well I Found 25 Boxes Last Night
#32
Pert Smert If My Favorite Dumpster By Far. Very Aesthetic, Brand New $150 Cat Tower, In The Box? Score. P.s. They Love It
#35
Did I Find 30 Pairs Of Brand New $120 Boots In A Shoe Store Dumpster? Do All Of My Friends Now Have Said Pair Of Boots? Yes On All Fronts
#38
Was Told You Guys Might Enjoy This. Found About 20 Tablets In The Trash Today. Mostly Old Galaxy Note 10.1 From 2014 But I’ll Take It With A Big Smile
#39
$700 Free Wine.... I Asked The Dumpster God If I Should Quit Drinking. This Is Her Answer.... I Guess That’s A No!
#43
Todays Finds. I Still Don’t Know How I Found All Of This In The Same Dumpster
#44
Found This Costume With An Extra Head That Snaps Onto The Other Head In A Dumpster
#46
Another $500+ Haul From My Favorite Dumpster. Haven't Purchased Groceries In Years!
#48
Weather Finally Cooling But Grocery Store Waste Not So Much! ...favorite Asparagus Recipes?
#49
Past 2-3 Weeks I’ve Found And Melted All Of This Aluminum Copper And Pewter. I Found 4 Cameras 3 Power Tools And 2 Bikes. For A Grand Total Of 340$ Not Including All The Metal In This Picture. Also Found A Few Computers And Laptops That I Will Be Scrapping Since They Do Not Work
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What do you think ?
Ban-One 1 year ago
Shame one those folks dumping cats (and other animals). I guess it's too much work to give them somebody for adoption or to bring them to an animal shelter. Doesn't suprise me (anymore)...but still makes me sad.
memyselfandI 1 year ago
I wonder how many dumpster cats are actually strays that were left somewhere else or never had a home and got into the dumpster in search of food. Still not good but at least they may have had a chance before.
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Juliet Ware 1 year ago
Wow what weird species we are. All this waste and people dying of hunger :-(
MimSorensson 1 year ago
I’m not sure it’s the species as much as the absolutely twisted system, really.
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GenericPanda09 1 year ago
When I was 11 in early 80s there used to be a local factory that made accessories for the old ZX Spectrum computer (ram packs, kempston joysticks etc.) and they used to have a few skips out back where they'd throw the ones that failed QC. Me and my mates used to trawl through those on almost a nightly basis looking for ones that just needed a bit of soldering or wires taping up... we'd fix them up and sell them at school. Eventually my mum got called in to see the head teacher cause they thought me making money at that age was wrong and my mum pointed out that one of the main goals of school was to prepare kids for the job market when they left. I was banned from selling them at school but I just used to stand in front of the school gates after school and do the same thing. The profits went into buying me my own games and other computers, and eventually a ride on lawn mower for my next venture, cutting rich people's lawns.
Katie Lutesinger 1 year ago
See, now there's a kid showing good business sense!
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Jessica Amber 1 year ago
What I learned from this- there are way too many truly deplorable people on this planet throwing away living creatures. Those humans need to be thrown away. Absolute trash.
The Problem With Censorship Is ******* 1 year ago
I thought this was going to be a fun thread, but then I saw all the cats. :'-(
howdylee 1 year ago
My husband was recently hired to help clear out a rental house after the last renters left. Was told he could keep whatever he wanted, pitch the rest. He brought home a brand new intsapot, an old iPad, 5 boxes of unexpired canned goods, and a Nintendo switch with games! How can people just leave this stuff behind?!
Momica98 1 year ago
Don't listen to Dexter. My husband works for a rental property company. When they clear out a house, it's because the tenant skipped town to avoid rent, they got evicted, or they are in jail. The ones who skip town leave everything, including food in the fridge.
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VonBlade 1 year ago
I'm a cynical old git. A lot of these "hey I found two iphones and a macbook and a OLED TV and a Ferrari with a Rolex in the glovebox" ones.. colour me skeptical.
Vincent Philippart 1 year ago
My brother works in the office of an informatic gear company. He's sometimes called to the warehouse to help when they need to throw out a lot of old things they no longer sell and the usual staff can't handle it all. They will throw hundreds of things in mint condition. Computer towers, screns, beamers, keyboards... Capitalism is absurd.
Load More Replies...
VeryDarkMatter 1 year ago
It's terrible how many cats are found in dumpsters. It's even more horrible to think about how many cats are not found in time.. :(
Richard Ross 1 year ago
Why are stores allowed to throw perfectly good stuff out. Donate it instead.
Sasy 1 year ago
In fear of being sued, allergies, choking hazards. I used to work for a company that at the end of a day they would let shelters pick up left overs, then a few years later I went back to work for same company and we were no longer allowed to do that we could only throw it away in the bins.
Load More Replies...
Alison Lover 1 year ago
Absolutely infuriating that people are dumping LIVE animals. I hope they rot and burn in HELL where they belong.
Florence O'Grady 1 year ago
Don't know, but keep looking on the internet and you will find what you are searching for. Maybe put in your town/city/county/state and dumpster diving or a variation of the words together. Good luck hunting.
Load More Replies...
cugel. 1 year ago
I'm guessing most of these dumpsters are on private property, so it probably is.
Load More Replies...
Powerful Katrinka 1 year ago
New York has a law now that all excess food from grocery stores and food distributors must now be given to charities. California has a similar law in the works. https://www.nycfoodpolicy.org/food-policy-snapshot-excess-food-law/
Mainza Munsanje 1 year ago
As a Zambian, dumpster diving is risky, you might find your neighbor, at 03 AM, walking out of the TV you scored on your dive. We don't even pick money off the ground, the risk is too high, you'll wake up in the middle of Lake Tanganyika at 01 AM, lol! The point is, we don't dumpster dive, if a brand new iPhone 14, still boxed, has been thrown out, look, admire and walk past, it could be a trap. LOLZ!
Bruce Nielsen 1 year ago
I found a full box of white wine once. Next few days were a bit of a blur
Lori T Wisconsin 1 year ago
I totally approve of recycling and repurposing. And I hope people who dump animals rot in hell. But please beware if the surroundings while diving. I know people who got arrested diving behind restaurants. If you are caught trying to collect discarded food from the bins of stores or restaurants with a “No Trespassing” sign, you can be charged with trespassing and fined for violating the law! Watch for signs and be safe 😊
Meh 1 year ago
In the uk things like that don't get thrown away. They get destroyed first so they can't be found and "re sold". I had a few conversations with managers in several shops I worked at as to why we couldn't donate instead of destroying clothes etc. apparently it was a head office rule
PaxScientia 1 year ago
I was not expecting the first four examples to be living creatures. People are terrible.
Nicole Bowman 1 year ago
Sometimes that food that in the dumpster is there for good reason-spoiled, contaminated, returned (could've been left unrefrigerated for god only knows how long!) Just because it *looks* good, doesn't always mean it is. Just be careful!
Ja R 1 year ago
be careful with food products theres many reasons foods trashed sel by dates, ref breakdown and if food hits certain temps law says it must be trashed not given away unless its caught in time. bugs and other contaminates. as well as fresh produce delivered but poor sales other items they go passed holiday or new items or packaging the store gets credit but there required to put it out in trash often employees cannot have them of course after work??/ and sometimes cleaners says clear this out or evictions or people just tired of things and they don't need or care about value . and then there's another thing crooked employees do they put things deliberately in trash to go later or have accomplish get it after store closes i also seen employees that are not too bright and in jobs like cleaning or shipping bosses things anyone can do but don't give good instructions and employee will not think .as for cats and dogs dumped in dumpsters i thing all decent people would tune them up
Mark Buxbaum 1 year ago
I lived in an apartment complex, found a complete 4-piece set of dinner plates (4 dinner plates, 4 salad plates, 4 bowls) that besides being in perfect condition almost perfectly matched our current 4-piece sets! Now we have an 8-piece set! I also found a 3 foot tall plastic Casper ghost; I put white Christmas lights inside him and he lights up the walkway on Halloween night as a bright, friendly ghost! Kids love him!
Jods 1 year ago
Two appalling things dumped in this post. First are all the cats. Second is all the food that gets dumped by stores because of best before dates. All supermarkets should be legally obliged to give the ‘waste’ food stuffs to food banks and homeless shelters. Both deplorable acts by human beings.
Shellie Kirby 1 year ago
I live in America and the food waste is crazy at my job we have asked about donating to rescue mission or the like and they say they can't because of laws or maybe getting sued if one gets sick so we let hungry (don't wanna say homeless bc I don't know for a fact they are) folks come after we close and eat what we have left that's already cooked. I don't like throwing away the food but a lot of it still goes in trash. It's really insane if other countries can donate to shelters I don't understand why Americans can't get the same deal worked up. We are kinda lame for wasting all this useful stuff. It's not the person throwing it away fault one can only do what the upper management is telling them to do.
Reginald the spider crab 1 year ago
this really just makes me realize dumpster diving is a good hobby,we need more people like this, just professional scavengers
KombatBunni 1 year ago
Yesterday I found a skateboard that someone was getting rid of! Trucks fine, wheels fine, new grip tape, and I was like no way am I leaving that out there! So it’s now mine and I’m going to clean it, repaint it and ride it! At age 48! 😁
ZombieRedfox 1 year ago
Dang, I may need to start doing some diving myself. Especially with the Christmas season, there may be unknown treasures being thrown out wastefully!
Joyce Blodgett 1 year ago
What kind of idiot dives for food, then just to get a picture of it, throws it all on the floor---including the many, many frozen and refrigerated items!!!!?? MORON! It isn't impressive that you're causing the food to spoil just for your stupid picture!
Samara Morgan 1 year ago
Use your brain, it doesn't hurt, taking a photo takes seconds. Then you can put your stuff in a freezer.
Load More Replies...
Ban-One 1 year ago
Shame one those folks dumping cats (and other animals). I guess it's too much work to give them somebody for adoption or to bring them to an animal shelter. Doesn't suprise me (anymore)...but still makes me sad.
memyselfandI 1 year ago
I wonder how many dumpster cats are actually strays that were left somewhere else or never had a home and got into the dumpster in search of food. Still not good but at least they may have had a chance before.
Load More Replies... Juliet Ware 1 year ago
Wow what weird species we are. All this waste and people dying of hunger :-(
MimSorensson 1 year ago
I’m not sure it’s the species as much as the absolutely twisted system, really.
Load More Replies... GenericPanda09 1 year ago
When I was 11 in early 80s there used to be a local factory that made accessories for the old ZX Spectrum computer (ram packs, kempston joysticks etc.) and they used to have a few skips out back where they'd throw the ones that failed QC. Me and my mates used to trawl through those on almost a nightly basis looking for ones that just needed a bit of soldering or wires taping up... we'd fix them up and sell them at school. Eventually my mum got called in to see the head teacher cause they thought me making money at that age was wrong and my mum pointed out that one of the main goals of school was to prepare kids for the job market when they left. I was banned from selling them at school but I just used to stand in front of the school gates after school and do the same thing. The profits went into buying me my own games and other computers, and eventually a ride on lawn mower for my next venture, cutting rich people's lawns.
Katie Lutesinger 1 year ago
See, now there's a kid showing good business sense!
Load More Replies... Jessica Amber 1 year ago
What I learned from this- there are way too many truly deplorable people on this planet throwing away living creatures. Those humans need to be thrown away. Absolute trash.
The Problem With Censorship Is ******* 1 year ago
I thought this was going to be a fun thread, but then I saw all the cats. :'-(
howdylee 1 year ago
My husband was recently hired to help clear out a rental house after the last renters left. Was told he could keep whatever he wanted, pitch the rest. He brought home a brand new intsapot, an old iPad, 5 boxes of unexpired canned goods, and a Nintendo switch with games! How can people just leave this stuff behind?!
Momica98 1 year ago
Don't listen to Dexter. My husband works for a rental property company. When they clear out a house, it's because the tenant skipped town to avoid rent, they got evicted, or they are in jail. The ones who skip town leave everything, including food in the fridge.
Load More Replies... VonBlade 1 year ago
I'm a cynical old git. A lot of these "hey I found two iphones and a macbook and a OLED TV and a Ferrari with a Rolex in the glovebox" ones.. colour me skeptical.
Vincent Philippart 1 year ago
My brother works in the office of an informatic gear company. He's sometimes called to the warehouse to help when they need to throw out a lot of old things they no longer sell and the usual staff can't handle it all. They will throw hundreds of things in mint condition. Computer towers, screns, beamers, keyboards... Capitalism is absurd.
Load More Replies... VeryDarkMatter 1 year ago
It's terrible how many cats are found in dumpsters. It's even more horrible to think about how many cats are not found in time.. :(
Richard Ross 1 year ago
Why are stores allowed to throw perfectly good stuff out. Donate it instead.
Sasy 1 year ago
In fear of being sued, allergies, choking hazards. I used to work for a company that at the end of a day they would let shelters pick up left overs, then a few years later I went back to work for same company and we were no longer allowed to do that we could only throw it away in the bins.
Load More Replies... Alison Lover 1 year ago
Absolutely infuriating that people are dumping LIVE animals. I hope they rot and burn in HELL where they belong.
Florence O'Grady 1 year ago
Don't know, but keep looking on the internet and you will find what you are searching for. Maybe put in your town/city/county/state and dumpster diving or a variation of the words together. Good luck hunting.
Load More Replies... cugel. 1 year ago
I'm guessing most of these dumpsters are on private property, so it probably is.
Load More Replies... Powerful Katrinka 1 year ago
New York has a law now that all excess food from grocery stores and food distributors must now be given to charities. California has a similar law in the works. https://www.nycfoodpolicy.org/food-policy-snapshot-excess-food-law/
Mainza Munsanje 1 year ago
As a Zambian, dumpster diving is risky, you might find your neighbor, at 03 AM, walking out of the TV you scored on your dive. We don't even pick money off the ground, the risk is too high, you'll wake up in the middle of Lake Tanganyika at 01 AM, lol! The point is, we don't dumpster dive, if a brand new iPhone 14, still boxed, has been thrown out, look, admire and walk past, it could be a trap. LOLZ!
Bruce Nielsen 1 year ago
I found a full box of white wine once. Next few days were a bit of a blur
Lori T Wisconsin 1 year ago
I totally approve of recycling and repurposing. And I hope people who dump animals rot in hell. But please beware if the surroundings while diving. I know people who got arrested diving behind restaurants. If you are caught trying to collect discarded food from the bins of stores or restaurants with a “No Trespassing” sign, you can be charged with trespassing and fined for violating the law! Watch for signs and be safe 😊
Meh 1 year ago
In the uk things like that don't get thrown away. They get destroyed first so they can't be found and "re sold". I had a few conversations with managers in several shops I worked at as to why we couldn't donate instead of destroying clothes etc. apparently it was a head office rule
PaxScientia 1 year ago
I was not expecting the first four examples to be living creatures. People are terrible.
Nicole Bowman 1 year ago
Sometimes that food that in the dumpster is there for good reason-spoiled, contaminated, returned (could've been left unrefrigerated for god only knows how long!) Just because it *looks* good, doesn't always mean it is. Just be careful!
Ja R 1 year ago
be careful with food products theres many reasons foods trashed sel by dates, ref breakdown and if food hits certain temps law says it must be trashed not given away unless its caught in time. bugs and other contaminates. as well as fresh produce delivered but poor sales other items they go passed holiday or new items or packaging the store gets credit but there required to put it out in trash often employees cannot have them of course after work??/ and sometimes cleaners says clear this out or evictions or people just tired of things and they don't need or care about value . and then there's another thing crooked employees do they put things deliberately in trash to go later or have accomplish get it after store closes i also seen employees that are not too bright and in jobs like cleaning or shipping bosses things anyone can do but don't give good instructions and employee will not think .as for cats and dogs dumped in dumpsters i thing all decent people would tune them up
Mark Buxbaum 1 year ago
I lived in an apartment complex, found a complete 4-piece set of dinner plates (4 dinner plates, 4 salad plates, 4 bowls) that besides being in perfect condition almost perfectly matched our current 4-piece sets! Now we have an 8-piece set! I also found a 3 foot tall plastic Casper ghost; I put white Christmas lights inside him and he lights up the walkway on Halloween night as a bright, friendly ghost! Kids love him!
Jods 1 year ago
Two appalling things dumped in this post. First are all the cats. Second is all the food that gets dumped by stores because of best before dates. All supermarkets should be legally obliged to give the ‘waste’ food stuffs to food banks and homeless shelters. Both deplorable acts by human beings.
Shellie Kirby 1 year ago
I live in America and the food waste is crazy at my job we have asked about donating to rescue mission or the like and they say they can't because of laws or maybe getting sued if one gets sick so we let hungry (don't wanna say homeless bc I don't know for a fact they are) folks come after we close and eat what we have left that's already cooked. I don't like throwing away the food but a lot of it still goes in trash. It's really insane if other countries can donate to shelters I don't understand why Americans can't get the same deal worked up. We are kinda lame for wasting all this useful stuff. It's not the person throwing it away fault one can only do what the upper management is telling them to do.
Reginald the spider crab 1 year ago
this really just makes me realize dumpster diving is a good hobby,we need more people like this, just professional scavengers
KombatBunni 1 year ago
Yesterday I found a skateboard that someone was getting rid of! Trucks fine, wheels fine, new grip tape, and I was like no way am I leaving that out there! So it’s now mine and I’m going to clean it, repaint it and ride it! At age 48! 😁
ZombieRedfox 1 year ago
Dang, I may need to start doing some diving myself. Especially with the Christmas season, there may be unknown treasures being thrown out wastefully!
Joyce Blodgett 1 year ago
What kind of idiot dives for food, then just to get a picture of it, throws it all on the floor---including the many, many frozen and refrigerated items!!!!?? MORON! It isn't impressive that you're causing the food to spoil just for your stupid picture!
Samara Morgan 1 year ago
Use your brain, it doesn't hurt, taking a photo takes seconds. Then you can put your stuff in a freezer.
Load More Replies... 
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