Tire Recycling at Army Base Would Mean Jobs for Oakland, Says Bishop Williams

Bishop Henry C. Williams spoke with Oakland Assistant City Administrator Fred Blackwell last week to promote to propose a plan for building the a tire recycling center at the former Oakland Army Base that would employ many local residents and become an avenue for job training activities while helping the environment turn resources into usable products.

“We need at least 10 acres of land to house the facility, pickup trucks and equipment,” said Williams. “This land can be used to provide our neighborhoods with job opportunities while being environmentally conscious.”

Williams is president and CEO of the Job Work Development Corporation based in Oakland. He says the goal is to eventually turn the center into a direct manufacturer of clothes made from recycled tires and other materials.

“Some of the working population is coming out of prison, and we’re going to put them to work and school at the same time,” said Williams. “Our community is in desperate need of help and this is one step in the right direction.”

Williams said he and other community leaders plan to meet with Oakland Army Base developer Phil Tagami to discuss the proposal to build the Jubilee Tire Recycling Center. The plan is supported by religious community leaders including Pastor George Anderson of Humanity Baptist Church.

According to the 2011 California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), California Waste Tire Market Report, California has 7 major facilities with waste tire permits.

Oakland has tire drop-off sites, but no recycling center. Two recycling plants will be moving to the former Oakland army base however, neither will focus on tires.

With nearly 8 million waste tires are still being and filled annually, the Jubilee Tire Recycling Center would process 400 tires per hour or 3.36 million tires per year.

The center would focus on tire collection and remediation services as well as scrap tire handling and processing. The Oakland Base Redevelopment Project covers 1,800 acres in total.

For more information, contact Bishop Williams at (510) 507-3424.