Dumpster divers risk bed bugs

Second-hand beds, mattresses and box springs in trash bins around town might be cheap alternatives to buying new furniture, but they can house infestations of bed bugs, said Dennis Wiliamson, environmental health specialist at the Monroe County Health Department.

“The number of people affected with bed bugs varies,” Williamson said. “No less than 3 percent to 20 percent of the U.S. is affected.”

Though Dumpster diving saves most recyclables from being thrown away and conserves money, the dangers — including bed bugs — that might arise outweigh anything found, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Bacteria from rotting food line the walls of trash bins, and broken glass or improperly disposed of needles can also be harmful to divers.

If not scavenged by Dumpster divers, the furniture is picked up by disposal workers and taken to landfills where about 70 percent can be recycled, according to Bloomington Sanitation Services data.

But local organizations offer alternatives to overfilled trash bins by welcoming donated and recycled materials.

The Salvation Army, at 111 N. Rogers St., accepts discarded furniture and used household items. As the only Salvation store in the area, it’s constantly filled with donations from IU students, said Monica Clemons, director of social services at the Bloomington Salvation Army.
 
“It depends on the time of the year, but clothes are the highest-donated item that we get,” Clemons said. “Right now, because of the start of the school year, students are mostly bringing old furniture and household items to the store.”

Though the store owns several storage units for overstocked objects, the Salvation Army aims to move things in and out of the store as quickly as possible.

“So overcrowding does not occur in the store, we host big sales throughout the year,” Clemons said. “Students also receive a 10 percent discount for everything in the store all year long with an ID.”