Oakland has long struggled with illegal dumping — and West Oakland in particular has become ground zero for dumped mattresses and other trash. In recent months, the city has launched a number of efforts to try and combat illegal dumping, and in March, Oakland City Attorney Barbara Parker unveiled a plan to reward people who witness and report instances of illegal dumping. In a statement at the time, Parker said “illegal dumping is one of the worst sources of civic blight in our city “and that it “contributes to a perception of our city and an environment that can encourage more serious crime and violence.”
[jump] Dorothy Lenehan, of Lenehan Architectural Glass in West Oakland, posted the YouTube video of the dumping, which happened right outside of her studio. In a brief phone chat today, she said she called Starving Students after viewing the tape and was “stuck in a phone loop and couldn’t get through.” Eventually, she said one of her neighbors was able to reach a manager at the company, who later came and picked up the trash. But despite the pick-up, Lenehan said she was still angry about the dumping, adding that it was disrespectful to Oakland.
Representatives from Starving Students, which was founded in 1973 and is now one of the largest moving companies in the US, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.Â
