Is The Unique Hobby Of Dumpster Diving Legal In Wyoming?

When I was a teenager, my cousin worked as a sanitation engineer.

The job title is more commonly known as a trash or garbage man.

It was a great job. The pay and benefits were good, and the perks weren't bad either.

He drove a different route five days a week, and most of those routes were in locations, all of which were businesses. He rarely had to get out of his truck. He'd pull up, line the forks of his truck up with the dumpster, pick it up, dump it, and head down the road.

One of his perks was that if he found something he wanted, he would take it. He always said, "If it's in the dumpster, it's fair game." That fair game scored him most of the stuff in his garage.

Some stores would throw things out if they were damaged, old, or out-of-date, and he knew certain stores would consistently toss out quality items, such as shoes, clothing, electronics, cabinets, doors, tools, etc. I never knew what kind of stuff he would come home with, and if you've been scrolling through social media and watched dumpster-diving videos, the secret is out.

The art of dumpster diving has caught on over the last few years as everyone is looking to make extra money. When doing it, you can score items supplementing your income. You can find scrap metal to recycle and reusable items you could repurpose, and you're helping the environment by saving space at the landfill.

I've watched hundreds of dumpster diving videos and noticed you must be highly dedicated to making money if you wade through other people's trash for a few extra bucks.

Can you dumpster dive in Wyoming?

The short answer is yes.

The longer answer is yes, but you must be careful because you could be trespassing, and trespassing could get you into trouble.

According to Scrap Safari.com:

Dumpster diving is legal at the state level, as Wyoming has no statutes that make it illegal to go through the trash discarded in a public area.

Avoid legal issues while diving by:

• Not trespassing on private property
• Leave the area as you found it. Don't leave a mess.
• Follow dumpster access rules.
  • If it's locked or has posted signs restricting access, honor those wishes.
• Use common sense and be respectful.