Another type of so called "Trash Collection" is a Trash Cover

I know it sounds a little strange, however, the practice of conducting a trash cover is a very commonly used technique used by investigators and other amateur sleuths.   It's a legal method of digging up information about a person, and the details of their household or a company and the details of their business.  In most states, once a person places their garbage at the front of his property for collection, it is considered to be abandoned and a free for all, for any person who may be interested in it, so don't get offended or defensive when you happen to look out the window and see anyone rummaging through or even removing your trash.

Most state laws are applicable to these facts, however to be save check your state's statues.

Trash covers are a way of digging up very detailed information about a person, business or other organization, not just boxes and wrappers from produce and other products either. You can find credit card statements, receipts, mail with detailed personal information, sometimes even expired credit cards and/or membership cards that have expired, personal cards, letters, their envelopes with return addresses, payroll stubs, other financial related information such as bank statements, alcohol bottles, evidence of other drug or prescription use, it's just endless.

Depending on what city you are going to be working in, check the local city's collection days either by calling them or going to the city's website and selecting usually the Public Waste Management link.   It is very common for the average person in a residence to place the trash out the day or night before the city's scheduled pick up. Most businesses have someone whether it is a representative of the company or a contracted cleaning company to add trash daily to the dumpsters so keep that in mind when you are doing an investigation. It may be easier for you, if you are investigating a business to get each day's trash vs. finding an entire dumpster full of trash. That would be too overwhelming to sift through all at once.

Try to do your investigative work between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m., that is when most of America's neighborhood's and the occupants are in the deepest of sleep and when the area is at it's most peaceful and you are less likely to find anyone out and about, until the paper delivery man arrives after 4 a.m.   If you don't feel safe during this time, you could simply take the more risky method and drive right up to the residence still early in the morning but with some daylight present, either way you will will just have to remove the bags quickly and place them in the back of a pick-up truck.

Once you have the goods back in your own domain, be prepared to sift through items that will make you feel uncomfortable, bad smells, rotten food, possible diapers, sanitary products, toilet tissue, etc... Wearing a pair of long gloves as well as a mask to breathe through is a good safety precaution.  There may be items that are important to review that may be soaked in liquids that were mixed up in the trash. Make sure you set them aside in a separate area so they can dry until you are ready to examine them closely.

Trash covers are not pleasant at all, but with determination, even it takes more than one pick-up at the same location or multiple locations such as a business, you will eventually find something worth going through this extensive unpleasant investigative venture.

On the opposite end, be careful what you put in your trash. You never know who is going to be lurking around for it.  You mean think it's just someone looking for throwaway junk, but it could much more. :-)