RE: [greenyes] scavenging

[Tom Rhodes <tom.rhodes@no.address>]

Yet another consideration is the potential for injury as a result of
scavenging (i.e. scavengers being hurt by trespassing in and around
dumpsters and recycling containers or being crushed in a compactor). That
would seem to be the worst result of the practice, not to mention the
resulting lawsuit.

Tom Rhodes

-----Original Message-----
From: Gary Liss [mailto:gary@no.address]
Sent: Thursday, July 03, 2003 3:53 PM
To: greenyes@no.address
Subject: RE: [greenyes] scavenging


Chris - See Jaime's reply below.

I also agree with much of Doug Koplow's post.  I don't think individuals 
scavenging with shopping carts are much of a threat to the economics of 
curbside recycling - anti-scavenging rules on the state level in CA were 
adopted to discourage large-scale, organized scavenging with trucks ahead 
of the City-designated recyclers.

However, the messes left behind are really a problem in Hawthorne.  With 
Hawthorne going to a 3-stream (commingled recyclables, organics/yard 
trimmings, and trash), I'm not sure the idea of placing the most valuable 
recyclables (e.g., deposit bottles, aluminum cans) on top of the 
recyclables cart works either.  I'd welcome other suggestions on how best 
to address these concerns.

Gary

From: "Jaime Lozano" <jalozano@no.address>
To: "Gary Liss" <gary@no.address>
Subject: RE: [greenyes] scavenging
Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2003 12:23:07 -0700

3 to date.  We've gone out on 3 days, the first day did not net any arrests.
The second day netted 1 "no Bail- Felony Warrant" and the third day netted 
2 arrests, one an obvious drug user trying to get her money for later 
purchases...  We have not had an opportunity to go out since.

Jaime

At 01:12 PM 07/03/2003 -0500, Chris Cloutier wrote:
>How many scavengers accepted the invitation to stay and be arrested?
>
>Chris Cloutier
>D&R International
>1684 Selby Ave.
>St. Paul, MN  55104
>651.644.4017
>651.644.4989 (f)
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Gary Liss [mailto:gary@no.address]
>Sent: Thursday, July 03, 2003 1:08 PM
>To: Sharon_Gates@no.address
>Cc: greenyes@no.address
>Subject: Re: [greenyes] scavenging
>
>Sharon,
>
>The exact same thing has been happening in Hawthorne.  Recently, as part of
>the rollout of the new recycling system, Jaime Lozano (City of Hawthorne)
>has been working with the residential contractor (H&C Disposal) to do
>"sting" operations in the early morning hours.
>The main impetus for this sting operation was the mess left behind,
>although the interest of the residential contractor was clearly related to
>their lost revenues as well, as they retain all revenues from sale of
>recyclables collected.
>
>They've gone out a number of times in the last month.  When they spotted
>people illegally scavenging, they stopped them and warned them that it was
>illegal to do in Hawthorne.  The scavenger would then leave.  If they saw
>the scavenger again, they then asked the scavenger to stay, and they called
>the Police to come and arrest them.  You can contact Jaime Lozano at
>jalozano@no.address for more info.
>
>
>At 09:33 AM 07/03/2003 -0700, you wrote:
> >The revenue loss from scavenging is a very minor factor in our scavenging
> >problem in Long Beach.  The problem is that people go through our alleys
> >and down our streets rifling through recycling bins, making noise,
> >disturbing residents, etc.  Often the scavengers will dump the contents
of
> >the bin, take what they want, and leave the rest on the ground.  Then
when
> >the recycling truck comes by, the driver doesn't want to stop and scoop
> >everything up, to say nothing of all the material that has blown away.  I
> >was just speaking with a resident who was calling about scavenging, and
> >she said "if the guy is so comfortable going through my recycling bin and
> >taking what he wants, maybe he'll be just as comfortable taking something
> >off my porch or going in my back yard."  Regardless of whether or not
> >scavenging leads to other kinds of theft, the last thing I want is for
> >residents to feel they are endangering themselves by setting out their
> >recycling.  If it was just a matter of the City losing a bit of revenue,
> >then the cost-benefit analysis of police response might work out so that
> >it really didn't make sense for the police to address scavenging.  But
the
> >issue is really disturbing the peace, littering, and people feeling safe
> >in their homes -- issues that I think the police should be more concerned
> >about than they sometimes appear to be.
> >
> >Sharon Gates
> >Recycling Specialist
> >City of Long Beach, California
> >562/570-4694
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >"Wayne Turner" <WAYNET@no.address>
> >07/03/2003 04:41 AM
> >
> >
> >         To:     <greenyes@no.address>, <Sharon_Gates@no.address>
> >         cc:
> >         Subject:        Re: [greenyes] scavenging
> >
> >
> >Sharon, et al.,
> >
> >Scavenging rises and falls with the markets for materials.  When OCC
> >prices go south, the pickup trucks scavenging OCC disappear only to
> >reappear magically overnight when prices rebound.  Likewise, UBC prices
> >dictate how zealous the scavengers are.  Since UBC prices are relatively
> >steady, the scavenging is too.  The most aggravating thing about the
> >scavenging is that it leaves the dregs for the municipality to collect
> >and drives our cost per ton up.  It's a real catch 22.  I guess I should
> >be thankful that the material is being collected and sold on the open
> >market and not subsidized by the city but we can't make instantaneous
> >changes to our fleets and staffs to accommodate these sudden
> >fluctuations.
> >
> >Wayne
> >
> >(snip, snip)
>
>Gary Liss
>916-652-7850
>Fax: 916-652-0485
>
>
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Gary Liss
916-652-7850
Fax: 916-652-0485