What laws are there in New York concerning taking garbage from a state entity?

I guess it seems like a weird question, but I go to a SUNY school and found at (through my Comp Sci teacher) that, come the end of the spring semester, the school is closing down the computer labs.

I personally could have cared less, but what caught my attention was when he said they're going to outright dispose of the computers. Not recycle them, not donate them to charity/schools, they're going to throw them in the garbage (as they've aparently been doing for quite some time).

I find this outrageous for two reasons: the impact those computers will make on the environment by sitting in a dump; and the idea of just throwing away fairly new, working computers (we're talking Apple G5 towers and 2 year old Dell Optiplexes). So, I was hoping to "rescue" a few of these computers come the end of the semester.

Just one concern: what are the laws surrounding this kind of thing, taking garbage from a state entity?

Once garbage, no matter the source, is on public property, it is fair game. However, if the garbage in on campus property, it is still the property of the school. I would ask for permission before taking anything. There might be some campus rules pertaining to it.

Thanks Bullwinkle

FRANKFUSS is correct. Here's an idea... Go to/email the president of SUNY, and explain the situation in 25 words of less. Say you want to rescue the computers as part of a community service project. Push gently for a quick response, and then start making some phone calls. You might become the recipient of a LOT of computers. Good Luck.