Sacramento County District Attorney Jan Scully today filed a civil lawsuit against a local recycling company, which operates a facility in Elk Grove, for environmental and business practices violations that made it easier for thieves to unload stolen metal and wire.
River City Waste Recyclers, owned and operated by Bryan Wilson and Gyan Kalwani, collects and recycles wood, metal, batteries and motor vehicles.
“This lawsuit should put all recyclers on notice that we are prepared to make sure these laws are obeyed,” Scully said in a released statement. “I believe aggressive enforcement will reduce the metal and wire thefts that have plagued this community.
“…The environmental problems at these five sites are unacceptable, both to the residents who live nearby, and the county as a whole. By ignoring the rules, RCWR gets unfair advantage over legitimate businesses that do follow the rules.”
Wilson and Kalwani could not be reached for comment.
River City Waste Recyclers has five locations in Sacramento County including a metal recycling facility at 1044 Waterman Road in Elk Grove.
The Elk Grove site does not have permits to store or generate hazardous waste materials such as waste motor oil, automotive fluids and old batteries, according to the district attorney’s office.
Charges included in the civil suit are: unfair business practices, violation of zoning laws, and weights and measurements regulations.
Environmental violations include releasing hazardous waste into the ground, including gasoline, diesel fuel oil, used oil, ignitable liquids, cleaning agents and heavy metals, as well as storing hazardous waste without permits and illegally transporting hazardous waste.
Earlier this year, Scully filed criminal charges against five River City employees, including Wilson and Kalwani, in connection with a string of metal and wire thefts that took place throughout the county.
Regulations require recyclers to document the type of material they buy and sell, as well as the amount and source.
