Customer makes troubling discovery buried in dumpster behind local business: 'I wish I would've found this'

A recent post in the r/DumpsterDiving subreddit reveals a fine line between animal feed waste and utility. The OP went dumpster diving only to discover 30 bags of assorted dog food. 

That's a lot of wasted dog food. 

Obviously, the immediate reaction is disgust, and rightfully so. There is indeed a ton of waste at feed-and-seed and retail stores all over the country. These establishments don't mind it so much because it often converts into a tax write-off. 

If inventory is damaged, obsolete, or otherwise unsellable, businesses take a direct write-off. Many of the reasons for waste are unacceptable, though, and could be minimized by donating certain items. 

In some cases however, throwing out animal food is necessary. For instance, there may have been a recall on a specific brand. 

Due to a lack of transparency, it's difficult to find exact numbers in terms of animal feed waste per year and per retail chain. Judging by the Reddit post, however, it's extensive. 

Dumpster diving is legal in the U.S., though you should always review local trespassing laws before sifting through a dumpster near you and prioritize safety when doing so. By removing perfectly good items from the dumpster, you extend the life of those products and help keep them out of landfills. 

Across the U.S., Redditors have shared their lucky finds after rummaging through their local dumpster. Some divers have found unopened beauty products or food items and even usable furniture. 

Hopefully, the OP will make good use of the dog food they found. 

"Please consider donating some to shelters if there is no recall or expiration," suggested one user.

Do you worry about how much food you throw away? Definitely Sometimes Not really Never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"I wish I would've found this," wrote another user. "I have five dogs."

However, as this response post points out, there are reasons to be cautious. 

"BE CAREFUL...dry bags of dog food IF expired can have mold in the kibbles that can kill dogs," commented one Redditor.

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