Clothing and Shoes "For Profit Bins" (Charlotte: 2013, buyer)

[GCharlotte]

Have you ever "donated" clothing and shoes in those red "recycle" bins you see scattered around town? WCNC has a follow-up report and several things disturb me. First, I never trusted them but figured it was "buyer beware" or at least "donor beware" and wasn't illegal. Ends up they might actually be illegal. The state requires any collection device that is not charity plainly state that it isn't a charity. The company says the current stickers point out that they are a recycling company and that doesn't imply for profit.

The story says that the company makes money selling these goods to "third world countries". I think that might bother a lot of people not smart enough to think that for profit companies would have as part of their business model their goods given to them free. It appears to me from their website that the space is probably free.

I also wonder how the landlords handle this. Are they paid for the space or do they let them leave the bins there for free because it's a good cause? Might be a good way to put pressure on them to go out of business. The jist of the story is that they keep delaying changing the signage I figure because it will eat in to their donations.

NC goes after 'for profit' donation bins | WCNC.com Charlotte

Better World Recycling - Home is the company's website. It doesn't go in to details about who is behind the organization or same much at all. Strangely, in order to search their web for closest bins you are asked for your e-mail address.

Through the magic of the Internet Archive you can see what their website looked like in February when they posted a reply to the original story: Better World Recycling - Home

The story also alleges that the company stated that it had relationships with charities like the Salvation Army and even had their logos on the website. I can't see that in the archives but apparently they took them down.

[brokensky]

Yes, I was aware they are "for profit" so have never used their recycling bins. I give to other organizations.

And that is correct - at one time - several years ago - they did use other organization's logos or wording that made it appear they were associated with various other not-for-profit organizations.

I think the public is "tricked" into thinking they are donating to Goodwill.

I didn't see the TV segment you mentioned, but several years ago, one of the stations ran a segment on this issue and I am thinking maybe the CO did some kind of report on them, as well.