There’s a group in Saskatoon who proudly call themselves trash divers, and they’re turning the city’s trash into treasure.
For sisters Chelsea Limay and Nicole Favreau, it’s become something of an obsession.
Jumping into a dumpster behind a Saskatoon store is part of a nighttime chase, an attempt to stay inconspicuous.
“We’re out at night rescuing food items and reusing them,” Limay told CTV News.
The two started dating about five months ago and now go out about three times a week.
After the first few times they were hooked.
“It’s an incredible amount. I was just like holy cow! Her whole living room was filled with stuff. I couldn’t believe it,” Limay said.
There are several Facebook groups dedicated to people looking for information about hunting in Saskatoon. Some members post or sell what they find.
(Source: TikTok / That Thrifty Gal)
Limay runs one of those pages, posting finds on her TikTok page and highlighting what she calls “rescues.”
Limay said everything from foods that are nearing their expiration dates, such as juices, crackers and candy, to cosmetics and Barney Lynch razors for pets retail for about $250.
She can’t understand why companies would throw away such a valuable product.
“We grew up really poor, so we want to make sure people don’t have to struggle like we did,” Favreau told CTV News.
“We either make individual baskets or we have organizations like Never Hungry Saskatoon and Community Heart, and they come and pick it up and then they distribute it,” Limay said. .
Although the two sisters are successful in their day jobs, they have noticed that some look for trash cans, others don’t, and some do it out of necessity.
The duo trades items with other garbage divers and sells some items, but Limay said it’s mainly to give back.
“It’s great to be able to support our community in this way, and it would be even better if the stores could do it themselves.”
But experts say it’s difficult for companies trying to find a balance between donating and disposing of items.
Reusing discarded products is complicated by liability issues and the potential impact on a company’s bottom line, said Yang Yang, an assistant professor at the Johnson Shoyama School of Public Policy in Saskatoon.
“So donating products has logistics and costs, such as transportation, storage, and administrative costs, and requires educating employees about what is being collected and where it is going,” Yang said. .
Questions also arise about the legality of dumpster diving.
Saskatoon police spokesperson Joshua Grella told CTV News in an email that law enforcement is concerned about trespassing and littering, where trash is removed and left scattered around bins.
“Even if it were, it would not be considered a crime and would fall under state or local law,” Grela said.
Chelsea Limay and Nicole Favreau are looking for items to be picked up in March 2024 in a Saskatoon dumpster. (Karla Shinkaruk/CTV News)
Limay and Favreau say as long as you don’t trespass or leave a mess, you’ll be fine.
Although some stores scare away dumpster divers, most dumpster signs indicate the safety of falling into the dumpster and injuring themselves, not prohibiting trespassing.
The pair are keen to clean up the mess, but admit they’ve run into some sticky situations. On a recent dive, they took out a bag with her Wi-Fi extender kit. This task was not for the faint of heart as it was still in its packaging but covered in putrid liquid. They also made off with the treasure that night, but Limay told her sister during the dive, “I’ll leave this bag outside until I clean it.”
Limay, who has created a list of members who contribute in their own ways, says another benefit of participating in the lifestyle is community.
“We have a woman who donates all her fabrics. She makes and donates dog and cat beds, and she repairs clothes and donates them to people. We also have other surplus items. We have people dropping them off and donating them.”
