San Francisco Struggles to Rein in Recycling Rustlers (San Francisco Chronicle)

"Well, its trash day in my neighborhood, Bernal Heights," David Brame wrote in an e-mail.  "Beginning last night, a parade of shopping carts began their march up and down the street, picking through the blue (recycling) bins."

Among the vexing annoyances in the city, recycling rustlers are one of the worst. 

What's more, Brame says, he knows the renegades are heading to a recycling center to cash in their loot.  Why, he asks, are recycling centers still in business if nearly everyone is tossing their bottles and cans in a recycling bin?

Kevin Drew, the residential zero waste coordinator for the Department of the Environment, says Californians have a way to get cash for bottles and cans. 

San Francisco's so densely packed that Drew said it makes it easy for professional poachers.  Robert Reed, spokesman for Sunset Scavengers, says his company has a Web site to report professional poachers, some of whom have fleets of trucks and a large operation. 

"They are very aggressive," said Reed.

Money has been added to the city garbage fund to pay overtime for San Fracisco policemen. Drew says they have impounded 59 vehicles this year and issued 157 citations. 

But, Drew admits, with the economy foundering, he doesn't have an easy answer.  Brame says he's come up with one.  He's planning to move to Marin.

This story is from the San Francisco Chronicle.  Go to their site for the complete text on this story.