Is It Illegal to Dumpster Dive in New Hampshire?

Dumpster divers are somewhat common in New England.

Honestly, I don't think I can judge those who jump in a dumpster looking for valuable items. As the saying goes, "One man's trash is another man's treasure."

We, as the human species, are incredibly wasteful. Myself included.

You have done this too, and tossed out a perfectly good item, toy, tool, etc. because it was no longer of value to you. That does not mean it has no value. It simply didn't have value to you.

Some people make a living "dumpster diving." Take, for example, the show Storage Wars. The show is literally about people who buy abandoned storage containers. They bid before knowing the worth (most of it is trash). However, they could find treasure and turn it into a huge profit, like the guys who bought a storage container for $210 and found out the items inside were valued at $21,090.

So to those who dumpster dive, I get it.

But is it legal?

Because let's face it. If you were to put your trash on the sidewalk and see a stranger poking through it, you might call the police and ask that they leave. But do they legally need to?

Not in New Hampshire. Dumpster diving is 100% legal in New Hampshire as long as the "diver" is compliant with trespassing laws, according to a Bizzare Hobby article.

So, dumpsters on your property or any private land are off-limits. Dumpsters on public land? They're legal to dig through.

And yes, the sidewalk that you put your trash on to be collected is considered public land, and is therefore legal for strangers to dive in (in most New Hampshire cities).