In West Oakland, a decades long conflict between recycler King Glass, better known as Alliance Metals and the City of Oakland seems to be coming to a head with the facilities threatening closure August 20. Having operated for over 20 years, Alliance Recycling is a mainstay for many low-income, homeless and disabled residents of Oakland as a primary source of income. Some have called this a proxy battle for the wider gentrification in Oakland, saying recyclers have no safety net if the facility closes. Others in the community say the company has been a bad neighbor for decades.
Reported by Corinne Smith in Dogtown, Oakland.