privacy law advocate l.d.a.

The California Supreme Court has determined that one can not reasonably  expect privacy in the trash they put out onto the street.  Here is a link to one of the most determining cases regarding trash privacy in the state of California. In this case the police seized property from a trash can that they then used for the bases of a warrant to search the home.  One of the easiest ways for a thief to steal your identity is to simply go through your trash picking up clues as to your personal information. There is very little recourse allowed when it comes to the law regarding trash. A person having your trash is not considered a violation of your privacy, it is what they use the trash for that could be considered unlawful.

http://www.fightidentitytheft.com/shred_supreme_court.html