Mail Dumpster Diving

I had to pick up stamps at the local post office and my eye caught the trash pales by the PO Boxes. So I could not resist looking thru them. I picked up about ten definitive stamps. My question is, is this legal at least here in the US? Would the post office allow a collector to go thru the trash on their grounds if asked? Just wondering. I'll think I call and ask.

Hi Ray.....


You can ask but with so many problems with stolen identities most places will not allow anyone to take anything from their trash.

Trust me to go off on a tangent at the drop of a hat.
Way back when I was still working, my Department had private cleaners contracted to do the daily routine stuff. One of the cleaners' husband collected meter postage and his wife used to go through the trash (which she was paid to carry from our individual waste paper baskets to the outdoor trash-cans) and cut out any meter postage from thrown-away envelopes and covers. This was security-cleared trash and definitely not stuff on its way to the shredders. Anyways, someone found out what she was doing, made an official complaint, and her contract was terminated.
As far as your post office is concerned, my answer would be another question: Who knows what ticks bureaucrats off any given day of the week?

I did this as a kid and never had a problem, but these days I don't know. If you see an Express Mail envelope sticking out of the top of the trashcan and you yanked it out, rip off the corner with the stamp and throw the rest back I'm sure not many would care. You just might want to ask first. Maybe if you make friends with the clerks they might even save them for you.

Sidenote, the two post offices closest to me do not even have trashcans at all. Like some parks, you have to haul your own garbage away.
Will

Between privacy issues and bureaucrats a fun hobby is totally ruined. I did call two local post offices and asked them and the second one did say its illegal. My neighbor works for the post office so I'll ask her also.

I'm not so sure it's illegal. But, it's probably not a good idea anyway. Th overwhelming majority of the contents is probably junk mail and you would probably only find 1 out of 100 or fewer collectible definitives anyway.

Courts have repeatedly found that trash placed at the curb or in a dumpster behind a building are abandoned property. Since this is still on federally owned or leased property that probably makes a difference.

maybe the lesson is that you can look through your neighbor's trash but not your government's!

Ive been doing this for years, and it never even occurred to me that it might be illegal... oh well.

-Allen

If you don't get caught it never happened.

The Masked Stamper!

By day, raywrio is a mild mannered drone of the American business machine. But by night, he is transformed into a stamping crusader out to save every last definitive from the murderous gang of USPS cutthroats.

laswabbie,

Your reply, "The Mask Stamper" is by far the best yet. Can I use that alias for future use or do I need to copywrite first.

P.S. Popeye and Bugs were always my favorites. I guess I'm showing my age.

Some places have secured trash bins so that dumpster diving can not happen. It wouldn't surprise me if the PO starts this practice and may have in some places.

Yes they do, they have 2 blue recycle bins that are locked. But one side was broken so you could reach in and pick through the mail. And another tall trash can with no lid.

Feel free to use it raywrio - Just make sure you acknowledge my contribution by putting a disclaimer statement on the butt of your super-suit.

I do it every time I go to pick up my mail from my P.O. Box. The access to the boxes is open 24 hours a day so I go in there in the evening and dig thru the recycle bin they have in there. It's a cheap thrill for me.

Lucky

no problem as long as nobody complains

Don't ask. Just do it.


No government employee is going to authorize such an activity because of the liability implications.