“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” goes the old saying.
But that’s not always the case in Ottawa’s Manor Park.
The issue of scavenging bottles out of recycle bins left at the curb has become a hot topic after one resident filed a complaint.
Liba Bender says these scavengers are different. They’re driving around late at night in late-model vehicles. "It has been about six months now that I've noticed two vans going through our neighbourhoods," she says.
She took pictures of their license plates and forwarded them to the police.
In Ottawa, scavenging any waste that has been placed out for collection is against the law, and subject to a fine of up to $10,000 for a first offense. The City responds on a complaint-driven basis.
Bender’s decision sparked a vigorous debate on a neighbourhood message group. Many responded that there is nothing wrong with people finding value in things others throw away.
“I’ve got no problem with it,” says Ion Aimers. “It seems to me that if people can make use of someone else’s refuse then so be it.”
In fact, sometimes people count on it. “We leave free stuff out on the curb, you know, after our garage sale and stuff. We leave out free items. So if somebody can find value in that, I'm OK with that," says Margaret Fraser.
For those who are perhaps struggling to make ends meet, the cash from a few bottles and cans can make a world of difference. “It means a lot, you know?” says a young man named Ernie who says he’s taken bottles on occasion. “I can get my cigarettes. I can get a bite to eat, you know? Ernie says people are usually happy to offer him their empties.
Liba Bender says she has no problem with people like Ernie. She says many people in her neighbourhood bag their bottles separately for just that reason.
But she draws the line at people who pick them up in nice vehicles. “If they have the time and energy to drive around in a car with a trailer behind, they could do something more with their time,” she says.
