[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Sign-in] [Mail] [Setup] [Help]
Status: Not Logged In; Sign In
|
Editorial See other Editorial Articles Title: Scrap Metal is the New Gold Rush Scrap Metal is the New Gold Rush With the side effect of cleaning up the countryside. The trucks hauling scrap metal seem to have slowed down a little since the growing season arrived but just a few months ago, during the down time for farmers, the traffic was heavy. I took a small load to the scrap dealer and had to wait in line inside to get it weighed while the trucks were sitting a dozen deep at the scales. The old farmers around here had never sold much scrap before. Pieces of worn out machinery, metal roofing, old trucks, cars and even school buses were often left in place or thrown into gullies. Often barns were full of "junk". Probably had something to do with the depression mentality where no one threw away anything. One farm I know of had over 60 years of scrap sitting around. At last count over $20,000 had been sold this year with an estimated $10,000 worth left. The good news is that many farms are being cleaned up. The eyesores of all of that scrap gone. There's still a long way to go. Some land owners haven't even started. Maybe waiting for the price to go up even higher. The bad news is that a significant amount of this scrap is going to China. Our well made steel from the days when America was actually the world leader in metals production will be coming back to us as $8 crap toasters at Walmart. Most people like their beer in bottles but the trend now is to buy in cans. At about 3 cents an empty when sold, it's like getting a rebate for being a drunk. Of course high prices also bring out the worst in some people called thieves. My uncle, now in a nursing home, had his old non-running car stolen from his property in broad daylight. They are stealing the copper ground from light poles and breaking into cell towers and substations. A few of these idiots have been fried doing this but at least the "bad gene pool" goes down a little when this happens. As of July 1, Tennessee has a new law to fight the scrap theft. A valid ID and thumbprint is required for each transaction with a delayed check payment until the scrap "clears". On the surface this seems like a good idea but what's next. Iris scans, implanted RFID's? Another step towards a cashless surveillance society; for our own good of course. And to think they called us pack rats and junkers. Look who's got the money in their pockets now.
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#1. To: Esso (#0)
Because the copper and other metals used in the alloy to make pennies is worth more than 1 cent, there have been people arrested for collecting thousands of dollars worth in pennies, melting them down, and redeeming their value as scrap metal. And now railroads, construction sites, etc. all need security guards to keep people from stealing everything from rail spikes to copper wire. You used to only see this kind of thing in places like India or Central America.
|
||
|
[Home]
[Headlines]
[Latest Articles]
[Latest Comments]
[Post]
[Sign-in]
[Mail]
[Setup]
[Help]
|
||