FOUNTAIN VALLEY : City Hikes Penalties for Trash Scavengers

An ordinance approved by the City Council this week imposes stiffer penalties on people caught sifting for recyclables in trash cans set out for pickup.

Trash scavenging is illegal in the city, and scavengers now face a fine of up to $1,000 and six months in jail for the first offense. Under the previous ordinance, the penalty was a fine of as much as $500 for the third offense within a year.

Councilman James D. Petrikin cast the only opposing vote. “The penalties now are stiff enough,” he said.

Resident Ellen Buskirk spoke against the ordinance, saying the increased penalties are “excessive, harsh and probably unconstitutional.”

City Atty. Alan R. Burns said there is a significant increase of scavenging, adding that the city now has 10 scavenging cases pending.

Burns said the increased penalties are warranted.

“I do not anticipate that the fines will go up, but it does give authority to charge increased fines,” he said.

Burns said the city has received resident complaints about people going through trash cans left in front of their homes for pickup. He also said that scavengers may have criminal motives and may scour trash for credit card, bank account and other financial information.

Moreover, Burns said once trash is placed on the curb for pickup, it becomes the property of the city’s trash collector.

The loss of recyclables to scavengers potentially could increase trash rates because recycled goods are not being recovered by the trash collector to offset the cost to pickup trash, he said.