Pick-up trucks driving around at night picking up trash bags on side of road (Madison: apartment complexes)

[wanderingypsy8669]

Hi fellow Madisonians,

I live on the southish side of Madison off Rimrock rd. And for the past year maybe I've noticed in my nieghborhood that random pick-up trucks, at least they don't have any business signage visible on them, anyway. I've noticed that during the day, people are leaving trash bags, white and black garbage bags, on the curbs/sides of the roads and also near the apartment complexes garbagecan areas. I have no idea who is putting out all pf these bags because I've never actually seen anyone putting them out there, they just kind of all appear near evening time lol, but anyway, then late at night usually around 10 or 11 pm sometimes even later these pickup trucks come around and collect all the bags.

What the heck is going on with this? I'm so curious as to what the heck all these people are doing? And what the heck they're picking up?

Has anyone else seen this or noticed this or can tell me what this is?

[elnina]

Courts across the country have determined that when one puts garbage out for pickup, they have given up any “reasonable expectation of privacy” regarding the contents of the bag or other containers.

Even cops don't need a warrant to search your trash, once you put it on the curb for pick up.
The moment you put your trash on the curb, you have “relinquished ownership" of the trash.
Anyone can pick it up and examine the contents, to include the isolation of DNA from anyone that used something that can have DNA on it and was thrown into the trash, like a hairbrush for example.

Make sure there is no sensitive stuff in your garbage. Better shred it.

And check your local laws.