As you can probably see by the responses, the law seems to be different everywhere you go.
Know your local laws governing both dumpster diving, but also trespassing, etc
I would suggest all scrappers who drive a vehicle while scrapping to do this, have advertising magnets made up to stick on the doors of your car, that state your business. Not only is this a good way to advertise your business, but it also identifies clearly who you are, what your intentions are, what you are doing, etc. Police officers are trained to look at the door of a suspect car when possible, to see if there is any more information about the person driving it.
Whenever possible get permission. I have owned businesses where people have asked if they could look through my dumpster. When I had a car audio/alarm/pager/cellular phone store this wasn't too much an issue, I would allow it but asked if they could do so during business hours because I was required to lock it by night. When I owned a grocery store, I allowed it, even though I was liable if the people got hurt, because I just can't see letting good food go to waste just because the box said it's out of date. Legally I had to pull it off the shelf, but morally I just didn't see anything wrong with this. I allowed this activity until the people doing it started leaving things all over the ground, and creating a huge mess. Then I started locking it up and not allowing it. So if you are looking through dumpsters, you might want to keep the area clean, or cleaner than how you found it so that you can be allowed to keep coming back.
Many times businesses will even hold to the side things that you are scrapping if you make it a regular stop. If you are licensed, and specially if you are bonded or insured, people are far more likely to want to do business with you or allow you to look through their dumpster, but from the business owners point of view, they are liable for any accidents or harm you might incur while on their property looking through their dumpster. So letting them know you have your own health insurance, and business insurance will relieve them of these responsibilities. You can go one step further and sign for them a document stating that you will not hold them responsible for any injury you might incur while going through their dumpster.
Be polite, there is nothing more annoying than giving someone permission to look through your dumpster, then finding 5 men cursing and laughing loudly, making a scene while you are trying to bring customers in your store. Being polite, as quite as possible, will endear you to the people that are allowing you to remove their scrap, for your benefit. It's just plain simple respect.
If you have to leave something behind to pick up later, tape a note to it explaining what you are doing, and let the business owner know if it's during business hours. They will not only respect that you let them know, and may even protect it from being taken away by someone else, but it gives you a chance to interact with them, and thank them again.
I allowed someone to look through my dumpster, and they ended up finding half a book of foodstamps that had somehow made it's way into the garbage. They brought them into the store to give to me. To say the least I was very grateful. If you find something that obviously wasn't meant to be thrown away, turn it in. In doing so you might just create a customer for life, and if they say anything about you at all, it will be about your honesty which makes all scrappers look good.
Try to check dumpsters during the daylight hours if possible. In places were dumpsters are close to residential houses, home owners will complain about the noises and police wills how up. For whatever reason people see people who work at night as being a certain way, if you try to do most of this during the day, they very well could see you in a more positive way.
Wear overalls if possible, people associate overalls with someone who is working. If you are out dumpster diving in just regular joe, blow clothes, they might think anything. Beat them to the punch and look like you are working by wearing coveralls, or even better coveralls with your name on them.
Just a few thoughts off the top of my head, hope this will help someone.
Scott
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