All plastics 1-7 now accepted at Cole Park collection center!

[natvrabit]

Every time I go to any of the centers there are people grazing the metals bins. With the price of such gone out the roof (to the degree that in some cities people are stealing pothole covers and storm drainage grates), is the county losing out on revenue by not selling the bin loads of scrap metal vs. a grazing permit...ever how nominal that probably is....Sheesh, what a way to "make a living".

[natvrabit]

Belle, a large part of the centers were to improve a BAD method in the county. For one no recycle. Plus the system use to be woefully inadequate in that a very few dumpsters were scattered about the roadways and it was NASTY and there was far more just dumping stuff wherever along the roadways, like old appliances or whatever. I don't know if the county makes or loses money with the centers, but I do know it has meant that there is a lot less blatant dumping.  I know I pay a nice fee every year to use the centers, but again I will say, I am glad I don't drive by the nasty old sites I once did where it seemed they would collect once in a blue moon.

[fletch]

I took a large metal grass catcher for a commercial mower to one of the sites and a guy there said he'd take it. The recycling staff guy was standing right there and didn't say a word. I had NO problem with sliding this thing from my trailer right to his truck. He may actually fix it up or he may scrap it. Either way, it is not going in the landfill. If the county is supposed to get the money for this stuff, I don't think they'd let these guys do this.

so who is removing county property in private trucks, property that should be sold, money to go to the county? has anyone seen these trucks?

I am not talking about the rooms that people leave usable books and clothes and furnature in. I mean scrap metal, like the can containers.

i

[seavey]

Well, scrap metal is worth money.  In fact, your pennies and nickles are worth more as scrap than as money.  Huh.  http://demonstrations.wolfram.com/ScrapMetalPriceOfCoins/  So if the county is not selling its scrap metal, it may be losing out on a revenue stream.  I really have no idea if, on the scale the county works at, it could actually make a profit once costs like labor, storage and transport are factored in. 

[dkemom2]

Make a living?

Well maybe not, but scraping metal has bought my son a car, sent us on every vacation we've had for the last three years and is getting ready to pay for my husband finger surgery.
And he only takes a load about once a month...sort of a hobby.

Don't knock it.  One man's trash is another mans.....week at the beach, ocean front, paid for with scrap metal.(one load)  Works for me.

(but we don't dumpster dive at the collection centers) 

I will give the guards at the center first pick of what I have on my truck if I think they might be interested.  That is my prerogative. Belongs to me.
If it's not going in the landfill, I don't care who takes it.  These guys make NOTHING.  If they want what I don't, so be it.

[natvrabit]

Belle, I in no way meant to sound like I was talking down to you.  I am sorry if you took it that way, it was not my intent.

[Beckysews]

Wow, dkemom2, I am impressed with your family's industriousness!!  I do good to recycle and haul the trash away once a month or so.  Not sure I'd ever have the patience to collect and sell metal stuff. 

I'm curious, can you tell us about the process, without revealing "trade secrets" of course!  What, where do y'all collect?  Where does one take this stuff to sell?  Are you talking a pick-up truck load or a big truck?  Seriously, I am impressed!

[srvfan]

Make a living?

Well maybe not, but scraping metal has bought my son a car, sent us on every vacation we've had for the last three years and is getting ready to pay for my husband finger surgery.
And he only takes a load about once a month...sort of a hobby.

Don't knock it.  One man's trash is another mans.....week at the beach, ocean front, paid for with scrap metal.(one load)  Works for me.

I hope that income has been properly reported on all applicable income tax forms 

[Big Mo]

As a plumber's son, every one of my railroad tickets from Colorado to/from college in NY state was paid for by me selling scrap copper and brass that I salvaged from my dad's business, including tearing the old brass linings out of wooden toilet tanks....  Had to drive it 90 miles north to sell to a scrap dealer....  used to bring home about $90-120 each load - which covered the RR ticket and a meal in Chicago!

And, No!   I did not report that on my taxes from my summer job(s) .... 

[dkemom2]

It's not like it used to be.

A few years back, folks threw out everything.  Now EVERYONE wants scrap so badly they are stealing it from power stations (copper has been $4/lb)

My husbands a plumber, there's always something thrown out he can scrap.

He gets all the credit.   I just have to deal with a yard that looks like Sanford and Son half the time.  He takes it to Raleigh about once a month or somewhere near Burlington sometimes.  Water heaters, old appliances, stuff no one wants.
But like I said, it's harder and harder to find.

[Beckysews]

Well, we'll keep you in mind over the next couple of years as we replace appliances (fingers crossed.)  I'm getting ready to replace the kitchen faucet, suppose he wants the old one?

[natvrabit]

I guess what I was asking is if the county is now losing by offering some minimal "dumpster diver" permit to the metals bin since the price of scrap metal has gone up so much and once overflowing bins are now empty.
Can't do the numbers of incoming, outgoing, and attendants time on the cost basis, hopefully someone in the county may be able to with the changing market/recyclable rate markets. I just know that the center fees continue to rise and if the markets change for certain products are those entities being followed closely enough?

[seavey]

I'm not sure that the handling cost matters that much (even though I was the one to raise it), except for the cost to prevent scavenging.  There will be about the same handling cost whether the county sells the metal or allows someone to scavenge it.  Revenue stream for scrap is more than zero and that stream could be used to defray the inevitable expense of disposing of scrap metals.  Though you may be on to something in selling dumpster diving permits! 

[natvrabit]

The markets change on any of the goods received in the recycle centers there I am sure. I have to wonder still if the price of scrap metal is so high that it would make people "dangle" into the bins, if the county is not losing money by such vs. dangling vs.selling some nominal permit fee to some to dive vs. the county selling/hauling off a load and just wondered if this should be revisited.

[Silk_Hope]

I took a junk car I owned to Bish today, weighed over 3000 lbs. I walked away with a nice payoff. I can see why scrap metal is so popular.

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