Phoney "Green Recycling" Business Trashing El Sobrante

Recycle for Change - www.recycleforchange.org trashes El Sobrante

Recycle for Change, a non-profit "green" business located in Richmond is targeting El Sobrante with their collection AKA dump bins. Within a 2 mile radius there are 4 collection bins placed without the owner's permission on parking lots and in one case on the side of the road. Most of the donations are just junk which could not be used for any recycling purpose. They don't respond to complaints and refuse to remove these bins even if the property owner where bins have been placed complains.

This is what their website states: "Change your Clothes, Change the World Your used textiles and shoes enable important programs aimed at mobilizing and supporting communities to take up the fight against poverty and climate change. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that collects and recycles used clothing and shoes to protect the environment and support sustainable development work across the globe." Note if doesn't say EXACTLY what is does to "mobilize" and "support" communities to "fight" poverty and climate change.

Recycle for Change: Telephone: (510)932 3839 Address: 1081 Essex Ave. Richmond, CA, 94801, U.S.A Fax: (510)439 2748

PLEASE CONTACT RECYCLE FOR CHANGE AT THEIR WEBSITE and ask them to REMOVE these trashy collection bins: http://recycleforchange.org/contact Also, contact Dist. 1 Supervisor John Gioa and ask him to get these bins removed: 510-231-8686 or email: JGioia@bos.cccounty.us Detailed contact info: 11780 San Pablo Avenue Suite D El Cerrito , CA 94530 Phone: 510-231-8686 Fax: 510-374-3429 Hours Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Below are photos of a collection AKA dump bin taken on 6/6/19 at 4426 Appian Way. You can see piles of trash surrounding the bin as well as graffiti on the bin itself. At that time, a complaint was filed to "Recycle for Change" via email from the Recycle for Change" website" asking them to remove the bin at this site because of the chronic dumping and its location in proximity to a creek, and all this "green" business did was pick up the garbage and put a new bin, presumably because Supervisor John Gioia was also copied on this complaint.

Below are photos taken 9/3/19 at 4426 Appian Way.This site poses a chronic dumping problem. It is located adjacent to a creek and in front of a drain that drains to the Bay. Recycle for Change, the "non-profit" that puts these boxes in El Sobrante has been notified that their collection bins pose a dumping problem and is causing El Sobrante to have lots of garbage dumped on its streets. They have not responded to complaints.

Below is photo taken at 4068 Dam Rd., Cam Hong Restaurant; dumped items from a few days ago have been removed, presumably at owner's expense...not known if owner gave permission for placement of this bin which takes up a parking space in their parking lot

Below is a photo of a collection bin at 5047 Appian Way, Pho Saigon 2 restaurant taken 9/3/19. This collection bin is located less than a mile from the bin at 4426 Appian Way. Note that it occupies a parking place in an already overcrowded parking lot!

Below is a photo of a collection bin at Kumar's grocery mart at 521 Appian Way. taken 9/3/19. Mr. Kumar did not give Recycle for Change permission to put this bin on his property and has contacted them numerous times to remove it. Recycle for Change has not responded. Mr. Kumar has had to shell out good money to pay someone to remove all the litter that accumulates around this collection bin and reports that homeless people have slept inside the bin and hang out around the bin. Note that the bin occupies a parking place in an already overcrowded parking lot.