At its meeting on Tuesday, January 18, 2011, Foster City’s City Council approved the adoption of an anti-scavenging ordinance. The ordinance imposes penalties on those caught removing anything from garbage or recycling containers that have been set out by residents for collection.

The unauthorized removal of recyclables from residents’ containers is already considered illegal under state law. With the adoption of the new ordinance, Foster City police can now issue citations for the unauthorized removal of recyclables, which would be an infraction punishable by a $100 ticket for a first time offense, a $200 ticket for a second offense, and a $500 ticket for each subsequent offense within the same year.

Scavenging from curbside recycling containers has grown in popularity as markets for the commodities have risen. Scavengers cherry-pick the most valuable items for personal profit. The City’s garbage collection rate model is based on the premise that the price customers pay for garbage collection will be offset by revenue from the recycling of materials, so scavenging activities would ultimately result in higher rates for residents. In addition, scavenging causes a nuisance in neighborhoods and could increase the chance of other crimes of opportunity.

Residents are urged to call the police if they see anyone scavenging from trash and recyclables carts. With the adoption of the anti-scavenging ordinance and increased awareness by the residents, it is hoped that scavengers will be deterred from scavenging in Foster City.

For more information about the new Anti-Scavenging Ordinance, contact Assistant Engineer Laura Galli at 650-286-3280 or lgalli@fostercity.org.