Town of Bethlehem, Albany County, NY Dan Rain, Recycling Coordinator

Identifying the Problems

Some Communities: Insufficient textile reuse and recycling options (or at least insufficient awareness of the existing options)

Many Communities: Disorganized options

Lack of transparency (and perceived reputability) of collection organizations

Nationwide: Poor diversion rate of textiles from waste stream

Textile Recycling - The Fiber Side

Town of Bethlehem’s Situation Had conducted some clothing drives historically, but

proved difficult to continue due to logistical problems

Donation bins replaced drives at Town locations, but bins also appeared over time in many private locations

Disorganization and lack of information about existing donation and recycling options

News reports fueled resident concerns about providers of donation bins

Three-Step Project

• Inventory and map existing bin and shed locations

1. Evaluate

• Interview and attempt to research providers

2. Research

• Recommend any changes for Town programs; Educate residents and businesses

3. Revise

1. Evaluate

Town of Bethlehem –Textile Donation Bin Locations

Park and Ride, Elm Ave and Rt 32/Bypass, Delmar 3 Orange Bins, South Side of Park and Ride to the left of the Green Fiber recycling bins Community United Methodist Church - 1507 New Scotland Rd, Slingerlands 1 Blue Bin, on left as driving into church parking lot, near trash/recycling dumpsters Bethlehem Children’s School – 12 Fisher Blvd, Slingerlands

1 Blue Bin, on left of parking area as you enter Driftwood Arts: 750 Delaware Ave, Delmar

1 Green Bin; Business is near Bethlehem Central High School, to the West First United Methodist Church, 428 Kenwood Ave, Delmar

1 Custom Shed in back of parking lot towards Nathanial Blvd Getty Gas Station (now closed) - 308 Delaware Ave, Delmar

1 Blue Bin Bethlehem Central Middle School – 332 Kenwood Ave, Delmar

1 Blue Bin , East end of parking lot near water tower Delmar Beverage Center – 242 Delaware Ave, Delmar

1 Blue Bin, seasonally moved in back behind the cleaners next door, or by Delaware Ave St .Stephens Episcopal Church – 16 Elsmere Ave, Delmar

1 Blue Bin in parking lot behind Elsmere Fire Dept. Del Lanes - 4 Bethlehem Court, Delmar

1 Green Bin on the far side of Del Lanes if coming from Delaware Ave, near Bethlehem Ct Delmar Full Gospel Church – 282 Elsmere Ave, Delmar

1 Blue Bin in parking lot Solid Rock Church – 1 Kenwood Ave (Kenwood and Rte 32/Bypass), Glenmont

1 Custom Shed at far side of parking lot. No posted hours. Petrol Station Parking Lot – 294 Rte 9W, Glenmont

1 Orange Bin and 1 Green Bin (station is across from Lowes/Applebee’s)

Textile Donation Bin Locations continued…

Glenmont Gas Mart - 414 Rte 9W, Glenmont 3 Green Bins in parking lot (station is on other side of Glenmont Rd from Price Chopper Plaza)

Matchless Stove and Chimney – 697 Rte 9W, Glenmont 1 Blue Bin in parking lot

Subway – 1250 Rte 9W/Maple Ave, Selkirk 1 Orange Bin in parking lot

Quantum Engineering Company – 48 Thatcher St (off Maple Ave), Selkirk 1 Green Bin in parking area

Town of Bethlehem Rupert Road Transfer Station – 136 Rupert Rd, Selkirk 2 White Salvation Army Bins at West end of lot by Rupert Rd.

18 locations total – 23 bins/sheds

Town of Bethlehem Textile Bin Map Population in 2010: 33,656 Area: 52 Square Miles

2. Research

The Salvation Army The Salvation Army’s mission “is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ

and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.”

Donations to S.A. predominantly stay in the local area instead of going overseas like with many of the other charities.

In a very real sense, The Salvation Army Family Stores are at the heart of the Adult Rehabilitation Center philosophy. These simple community stores serve several distinct purposes:

1. Our Family Stores provide quality clothing, furniture and other goods to the community at bargain prices.

2. The Salvation Army's Adult Rehabilitation Centers are 100% funded from the proceeds of our Family Stores, allowing them to be self-sustaining.

3. A major part of the men's and women's involvement in their own rehabilitation is Work Therapy.

The Salvation Army, Albany, NY

Blue Bins – American Clothing Co. Bins emptied 2x week; every day for busy locations like

Albany. They use their own staff and trucks. Clothing is sorted, washed if necessary and sent where needed—throughout US or overseas. They work with different distributors.

They serve primarily the Capital Region, as far as Schroon Lake, working with Greene, Warren, Saratoga, Schenectady, Albany, Essex, Schoharie, Montgomery, Renssalear Counties.

Proceeds is $0.05/lb to organizations such as churches or the Town. When bins are full they weigh approximately 800 lbs or $40. Bins fill every couple of weeks-a month+. –John D’Ambrosio

Blue Bins – Northeast Parent and Child Society

In the absence of a charity such as a local church, the blue bins placed in business parking lots in the Capital Region, such as gas stations, typically say they “benefit the Northeast Parent and Child Society.”

Clothing is sold overseas and the proceeds are split 50/50 between American Clothing Co. and the Society, which runs a group home in Schenectady.

According to Eugene White from the financial department at the Society, they are getting over $2,000/month from blue bins at this point.

Green Bins – IICD Institute for International Cooperation & Development

Clothing is sold, and proceeds fun volunteer program. Their drivers empty the bins and ship them out. They only sort out unacceptable items (large strollers and car seats for example).

Acceptable items include clothing and textiles but also books, toys etc. as long as they fit in the bin. As long as the textiles and items aren’t wet or contaminated they get shipped “and he believes they get used.”

They are looking to partner with other municipalities and businesses in NY. -Wulstan

IICD Bin Locations by County ALBANY County COLUMBIA

County

FULTON

County

GREEN

County

MONTGOMERY County RENNSESLAER County

Albany

Altamont Berne

Bethlehem

Cohoes

Colonies Delmar

Glenmont

Guiderland

Voorheesville

Waterford

Waterviliet

Latham

Menands

Ravena

Rensselaer

Hudson

Chatham

Canaan

Castleton-on

Germantown

Ghent

Hudson

Kinderhook

New Lebanon

Stockport

Valantie

Amsterdam

Broadalbin

Gloversville

Johnstown

Athens

Cairo

Coxsackie

Canajoharie

Fort Plain

Fultonville

Hagaman

Palatine Bridge

Averill Park

Berlin

East Greenbush

Hossick Falls

Petersburg

Poestenkill

Schaghticoke

Stephentown

Troy

Valley Falls

West Sand Lake

Wynantskill

IICD Bin Locations continued… SARATOGA

County

SCHOHARIE

County

SCHENECTADY County WARREN

County

WASHINGTON County

Ballston Spa,

Burnt Hills

Glenville

Galway

Glensfalls

Mechanicville

Saratoga Springs

Schuylerville

Stillwater

Cobleskill

Esperance

Richmondville

Duanseburg

Greenville

Nassau

Rotterdam

Schenectady

Scotia

Lake George

Queensbury

Fort Edward

Hudson Falls

The Teachers Group/Humana/Tvind Charities or Scam? Registered as charities or 501(c)3s Humana – all over Europe UFF – Scandinavia Planet Aid – USA Gaia – USA and Europe DAPP – UK

For-profits Green World Recycling – UK Planet Aid – UK USAgain – USA

Other names known CCTG IICD College Aid CICD

IICD and Teachers Group Allegations

Your Rags to Their Riches: Donated Clothes May Fund

International Fugitive By Matt Smith SF Weekly, Wednesday, Jun 8 2011

“…There's nothing, it would seem, to stand in Campus California's way. Well, actually, there is one thing: credible evidence that this organization is part of a global web of front groups led by a fugitive wanted for money laundering and fraud. He's Mogens Amdi Petersen, a charismatic outlaw who in Europe enjoys the notoriety of a modern Jesse James. Does Sako's feel-good business-pages tale hide a far more complicated one about a secretive European organization that thrives by selling San Franciscans' castoff garments into a supply chain with customers in Africa and Latin America? Campus California may be linked to firms such as AC Properties Ltd., Faelleseje, and Humana. Revenue from used clothes flows through nonprofits, wholesale brokers, real-estate holding firms, lenders, and developing-world charitable projects. But nobody seems to know where the money truly ends up. A 2001 dossier prepared by Danish financial crimes prosecutors quotes him as saying the idea was to ‘lay down a twisted access path with only ourselves as compass holders…’”

IICD and Teachers Group Allegations Continued One of the organizations profiled in How to Live Your

Dream of Volunteering Overseas is the Institute for International Cooperation and Development (IICD), also affiliated with California Campus TG (CCTG). Both organizations are part of a Danish network known as "Tvind." Co-author Zahara Heckscher volunteered with IICD in 1987-1988, and has conducted research on the organization since then, including site visits to IICD volunteer programs in Zimbabwe and Zambia in 1998. As detailed in the book, it is our conclusion that IICD is a front group for a cultlike organization, coordinated by Tvind. Since publication, the leader of Tvind, Amdi Petersen, has been arrested at Los Angeles. He is currently awaiting extradition to Denmark on charges of tax fraud and embezzlement.

Planet Aid & Teachers Group Allegations Cont…

St. Pauly Textile Inc My dad founded St. Pauly Textile Inc 16 years ago. Today my two brothers and I run it

together with him. We are up to 539 clothing drop off sheds all over upstate NY and now into PA and MA. We have only had one organization ever ask us to remove a shed -- due to a new pastor coming into a church.

We are the largest clothing collector and Distributor of clothing in Upstate NY, collecting over 70,000 pounds of clothing every day! Besides having clothing sheds with local community organizations we also pick up extra clothing from local clothing closets. One of the big reasons why we have the clothing sheds with only community groups so that they can take clothing out of the shed and give to people locally if there is a need at any time.

We usually place 8'x16' wooden sheds built by Mennonites at each location. A picture of the shed is attached. There is no cost involved with whoever we work with. We pick up from each and every shed every week. Every year we go through all of our sheds and do any fixes required to make sure our sheds stay in great shape. We send a check out to each organization who sponsors a shed at the beginning of every month based upon how much clothing comes into the shed. This usually ranges on average between $100 - $200 a month once up to speed, but we have some that earn much more. -Ben DeGeorge

Recycling Centers with St. Pauley Sheds Town of Alfred Town of Allegheny Town of Canaseraga Town of Belfast Town of Bemont Town of Bolivar Town of Dolgeville Town of Elma Town of Fulton Town of Halfmoon Town of Hannibal Town of Hastings Town of Houghton Town of Hurley Town of Ithaca Town of Machias Town of Lockport Town of Olean Town of Oswego Town of Pulaski Town of Rodman Recycle Station Town of Salamanca Town of Skaneatles Town of Wellsville

St. Pauly currently has 539 Clothing Drop Off Sheds all over Western and Central NY. We have only had one organization in our 16 years ever ask to remove one.

St. Pauley Clothing Sheds Locations

Textile Recycling in Other Municipalities

Allegany County: We have seven transfer stations throughout the

County, and St. Pauly Textile set up a shed at each station. They do pickups about once/week and proceeds are $80/ton. County has about 50,000 residents, and we collected just over 40 tons in 2011, so $3,200.00 for the year or about $62/week. We have used them for several years without any problems.

About a dozen local churches also have the

same deal with St. Pauly.

Tim Palmiter, Allegany County

Textile Recycling in Other Municipalities

Delaware County

We work with the Solid Rock Church (thru their affiliation with Casings from Catskill NY). They provide metal outdoor drop bins for clothing and accessories. We provide the site and oversight. They collect the material and keep the containers in nice condition. There is no financial exchange, ie. we make no revenue and have no expenses. Susan McIntyre, Delaware County DPW

Textile Recycling in Other Municipalities

Fulton County:

We have Green (IICD), Blue (NE Parent and Child Society) and Orange (Rock Solid) Bins currently. Salvation Army locations as well.

The estimated weight of the clothing that is collected annually is used in calculating diversion rates for the county. -Dianne Woske, Fulton County

Textile Recycling in Other Municipalities

New York City: We have a new program called re-fashioNYC

that is going really well and is cost free to the City. Re-fashioNYC is a partnership between the City of New York and Housing Works to make clothing donation as easy as possible through convenient in-building drop-off service.

The partnership is unique because it provides any participating apartment building of 10 units or more with convenient donation services at no cost to the building or taxpayers. Samantha MacBride, NYC Department of Sanitation

Textile Recycling in Other Municipalities

Onondaga County

There are dozens of drop off locations for textiles in Onondaga County; Rescue missions and Salvation Army thrift stores (plus a new Goodwill Store, and of course the ubiquitous Planet Aid yellow boxes). In 2005, we found that in spite of all these convenient drop off points, almost 6% of the total waste stream was comprised of textiles and leather. Andrew Radin, OCRRA

Textile Recycling in Other Municipalities

Rochester area: St. Pauly Textile has a wide collection network. They work with local non-profit

organizations and set up a collection site in the organization's parking lot. Usually they construct a large wooden shed and place a yellow, highly visible sandwich board sign by the road.

The Salvation Army has ceased having unsupervised collection boxes, but they do have a truck on weekends at the Wal-Mart parking lot in Canandaigua, Ontario County.

Goodwill has several large stores around the area; one in Canandaigua and one in Macedon, Wayne County. They accept donations, including electronics, at those stores. Also, the regional Rotary has a Shoe Mobile in which they collect shoes of all kinds. And Monroe County participates in Nike Reuse-A-Shoe. Marjorie Torelli, Western Finger Lakes Solid Waste Management Authority

Textile Recycling in Other Municipalities Thompkins County: We have a drop off location at our Solid Waste Center, and there are a couple

other private drop off locations as well. We have been using St. Pauly for about 1 year+, and used Cyntex previously.

There are also a variety of second hand stores/thrift stores and consignment

shops, and Salvation Army locations. We also have Sew Green in Ithaca teaching sewing classes—how to refashion

existing clothing for reuse, as well as a lot of informal clothing swaps in the area.

Kat McCarthy, Thompkins County

Textile Recycling in Other Municipalities Ulster County/New Paltz Currently we are using Planet Aid but another company

(USAgain) has just offered to pay 4 cents a pound; minimum $50 month. As a municipality we coordinate with SUNY New Paltz for a large dorm collection at the end of the school year. Materials are sorted by volunteers and put out for anyone to take. Last year over 4 tons was diverted from the waste stream (clothing, bedding, electronics, non-perishable food, etc.). The school has been discussing opening a clothing pantry on campus for any students in need; currently the only other option throughout the year are the Planet Aid drop boxes.

Laura Petit, Ulster County

SMART’s “Donation Box Code of Conduct” SMART member donation drop box operators agree to: 1. Ensure donation receptacles identify the name and telephone number of the company

responsible for maintaining the bin(s); 2. Clearly mark donation bins with the names and telephone numbers of the sponsoring

organization and charities receiving benefit; 3. Refrain from using deceptive or ambiguous labels/logos on bins that imply donations will

go to support a particular cause if there is no underlying affiliation with a charitable organization and clearly disclose the for profit nature of your business on your bins;

4. Obtain written consent from a property owner and/or representative prior to placing and/or moving

donation drop boxes on any private property; 5. Service drop boxes as often as necessary to avoid accumulation of donated items or debris

around said bins; 6. Provide the property owner and/or representative with a working phone number and

commit to responding to any complaints regarding box maintenance within 24 hours of receiving

notification during regular business hours; 7. Comply with any applicable zoning and or permitting requirements, including state, local

and municipality requirements.

SMART’s “Donation Box Code of Conduct” Cont. SMART encourages donation drop box operators to perform due diligence

to ensure the legitimacy and good standing of any potential 501(c)(3) charity partner. To accomplish this, drop box operators may wish to ask

charitable partners to furnish: o A letter of determination from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

indicating valid 501(c)(3) tax status; o Documentation indicating satisfactory completion of an independent,

third‐party review verifying compliance with any applicable IRS requirements;

o A copy of the charity's completed IRS Form 990 for the most recent tax year;

o Any other form of acceptable documentation demonstrating that a nonprofit meets recognized standards for charitable accountability.

Council for Textile Recycling (CTR) “We are the only non profit 501 C3

organization in existence that is trying to increase awareness about keeping post consumer textile waste out of our landfills while simultaneously providing a platform for suppliers of pctw (municipalities) to find solution providers (private sector and charities).”

Textile Recycling Issues and Potential Solutions

Lack of existing options and/or public awareness

of the options

Inventory and map donation bins and

other existing options

Conduct education campaign for residents

and businesses

Lack of transparency and perceived

reputability of collection organizations

Research organizations. Adopt “donation box

code of conduct”

Revise zoning laws to address donation bins

Take over the collection process at the

municipal level.

Low textile diversion rate in your community

Partner with vendor or directly with textile recycler. Set target diversion rates for

municipality in first year; subsequent years

Utilize one or more other reuse or recycling

options (see chart on next page)

Textile Reuse and Recycling Options

Municipality

Help residents connect with reuse

options --Direct donation to local

charities

Partner with vendor that will

service collection and brokering, and

pay a rebate

Clothing drives and other special collection events

Collect at municipal level

and sell directly to fiber, wiping and

used clothing companies

Reuse as rags or craft /sewing at

home. Cotton can be cut up and composted.

Consignment shops; Informal clothing swaps,

garage & rummage sales, Craigslist

Textile Recycling Resources:

Education and Industry Organizations Council for Textile Recycling (CTR)

www.weardonaterecycle.org Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles (SMART)

www.smartasn.org

Municipal Textile Recycling Program Vendors American Clothing, Glens Falls, NY

http://blueclothingbox.com St. Pauly Textile Inc., Farmington, NY

http://st-pauly.com Trans-Americas Trading Co., Clifton, NJ

http://www.tranclo.com USAgain www.usagain.com/ Wearable Collections (clothing drive events) http://wearablecollections.com/ Others through NYS Recycling Markets Database:

http://appcenter.nylovesbiz.com/esdrecycling/

Resources for Investigating and Evaluating Programs News articles and media reports IRS Tax Records Charity Evaluation Organizations like Charity Navigator and Charity Watch Watchdog groups such as www.tvindalert.com and www.planetaid-alert.org

This slideshow was developed by Dan Rain. Special thanks to Dianne Woske and Debbie Jackson. For more info. on recycling in the Town of Bethlehem: Dan Rain, Recycling Coordinator Town of Bethlehem 518-439-4955 ext. 1510 www.townofbethlehem.org

Q & A