> When your garbage goes out on the curb

Hmm, there could be a business opportunity for the USPS. They could sell 'stamped' trash bags, good for transport to the town dump, which could only be collected by authorized carriers, namely the regular trash collectors.

Pawing through those bags would be tampering with mail, a federal crime IIRC ( ah, here we go: https://about.usps.com/securing-the-mail/mailtampering.htm )

Probably not a market hit, though, no one really cares. Not to mention the bags would highlight "the good stuff".

Ah. But some random # could be incinerated and the bag substituted and filled with dog feces. Now the good stuff wouldn't be so good :)

Bullshit. The "garbage on the curb" situation is due to the fact a court ruled that once you dispose of garbage "in a public place", there is no reasonable expectation of privacy. Destroying email is exactly the opposite - there is an extremely strong expectation of privacy.

Easy big fella / fellette. Notice the use of the phrase "I have to wonder..." The point being:

- Might it be possible? - Could it be argued? - Are the courts and laws up to speed on such things?

For example, how would this play in a FISA court? Special case? Yes; not plain vanilla law.