Pasadena Targets Recyclable Scavengers with Get-Tougher Ordinance

The City will bolster the anti-scavenging law after a discussion at City Council on Monday to target the theft of recyclables at Rose Bowl events and large-scale curbside scavenging operations.

Scavenging has grown into a business often involving multiple individuals working together to collect entire truckloads of material according to a city report.

Recyclables placed into homeowner’s bins and collected at Rose Bowl events become city property that helps reduce the cost of waste pick up for all residents according to City Manager Michael Beck.

Councilmember John Kennedy said he was concerned about who the revision of the ordinance was targeting, at Monday’s Council meeting.

“Whatever decision we make tonight, we must keep in mind people who are less fortunate than us. People who are less fortunate than us often don’t look like us in terms of showering, they may not visit a doctor as regularly as we may, but they are part of who we are as a community and we need to be empathetic as we pass legislation,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy shared a story about a man who comes every Wednesday to collect items from his garbage bin in order to “sustain his existence.”

“That individual is technically stealing from the City of Pasadena,” Beck said.

Newly elected councilmember Tyron Hampton asked to change the existing ordinance to specify commercial scavenging rather than targeting individuals who scavenge.

“It criminalizes homelessness,” Hampton said. “I still feel there is a way to say commercial scavenging as opposed to individual who scavenge—for us it is trash but for them it is dollars, it gives an honest way of getting money.”

Management Analyst for the Public Works Department Gabriel Silva confirmed that the efforts to boost enforcement would be focused around the commercial scavengers.

“We have limited resources for enforcing the ordinance. The greatest impact will be the teams of 3 to 4 with large trucks that scavenge hundreds of pounds of beverage containers daily,” Management Analyst for the Public Works Department Gabriel Silva said.

Councilmember Margaret McAustin said that when she ran for office eight years ago the issue of scavenging had been a big problem.

“These were very aggressive scavengers going onto people’s driveways and onto private property. I just want to remind people the thrust of these amendments are to tweak the existing ordinance so that staff will be able to do better enforcement,” McAustin said.

The update of the law would allow for scavenged materials to be recovered by the City enforced mostly by a new code enforcement officer whose job will also include the inspection of the construction and demolition of projects.

The City estimates that the additional 40 tons of curbside recyclable materials that may be recovered each year would generate approximately $31,500 in annual revenue.

“It’s a huge problem in my district. This is a city program that we invest a lot into and then were asking the households to separate the recycled material. I see these individuals going through the blue bins, and going to Ralphs to the recycle exchange. It’s a big problem,” Gene Masuda said.

The Council voted to direct the City Attorney to draft a new version of the anti-scavenging ordinance within 60 days. The Council will review the law before it takes effect.

“Scavenging” as defined by the city is: the unauthorized collection, removal, or possession of solid waste, recyclables or organic material that is placed in residential or commercial City collection containers, including all collection containers serviced by the City of Pasadena or the City’s franchise haulers and any permanent or temporary receptacles utilized at special events and large venue events, by any person or entity other than the City or a City-authorized collector.

The current anti-scavenging ordinance (8.60.310), passed in 2000 can be found in Pasadena Chapter 8.60, titled Solid Waste Container (click here).