Local laws almost all state that it's illegal to take from recycling bins but not trash cans. I see this as a violation of precedent, and worse, a conflict of interest.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_v._Greenwood
I seems that the government acknowledges that trash left at the curb for collection is fair game for government seizure without warrant, which implies (to me, anyway) it doesn't belong to anybody. If that applies to the owner of the domicile then it must apply equally to the recycling company (government).
They can't have their cake and eat it too. They can't say it's OK for them to rifle through your (er.. I mean, nobody's) things at the curb and take whatever they want, but you can't rifle through their (oh yeah, nobody's) things at the curb and take whatever you want. That's unconstitutional. I've never taken business law 101. Do you think I have a case here?