The blue “charity” bookbins, run by for-profit Thrift Recycling Management (TRM), have been removed from Safeway locations in Berkeley, according to spokesperson Susan Houghton. As reported on Berkeleyside, the collection bins had been criticized by the Friends of Berkeley Library for diverting needed donations. The bins remain at Andronico’s locations. Safeway had organized a special collection system so no books were sold, unlike other TRM bins. Safeway has also removed the bins from Lafayette and Orinda, and Houghton said that in other locations, such as Sunnyvale, it was working with local library friend groups on collections.
