recyling costs us millions?

[kelpdiver 2]

Over the weekend there was a 3500 gallon spill of toxic chemicals into the San Francisco bay. It will cost a quarter million to handle. The cause? Someone stole the brass valves from holding tanks - $10 worth of metal.

The damage being caused by thieves has gotten so high that I wonder if we'll have to take extreme measures to stop it - like killing the recycling market beyond aluminum cans and glass bottles. The above incident is typical - asshole pulls out wiring and does damage that costs 1000x as much as the metal is worth. Of course, he isn't paying that.

[Andrewwhyte 1]

The recycling market for brass has been around as long as there has been brass. How would you implement it? Require all users of...everything... to provide proof that they are first time users of the material? Do you really think the Chinese give a damn whether the copper or aluminium they buy is first use or not?

[kelpdiver 2]

Any intervention would have to be done at the level of those who accept the raw materials for processing.

options
1) require affidavitts is one answer

2) register those who bring in materials, record all of their sales

3) eliminate the industry alltogether.

4) allow shoot on sight for vandals.

None are very workable, but the problem has gotten very serious very fast. Unattended buildings are being strip mined - it's much much harder to put wiring back into a standing building than it is to remove it.

[Fast 0]

Quote

2) register those who bring in materials, record all of their sales

There are a lot of places that are already requiring some form of this so I am to understand.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[LongWayToFall 0]

When I recycle copper, they take your drivers license and record the info. Although, they don't specify very clearly what it is that you are recycling, if police showed up and pointed to something and said, who brought this in? They wouldn't have a friggin clue.

[kelpdiver 2]

Quote

When I recycle copper, they take your drivers license and record the info. Although, they don't specify very clearly what it is that you are recycling, if police showed up and pointed to something and said, who brought this in? They wouldn't have a friggin clue.

This would easily be defeated anyway - you just don't go to the nearest center with your stolen wire.

[lawrocket 3]

Around here people are stealign copper wire from streetlights. It's a HUUUUGGGGEEEE problem.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[mr2mk1g 10]

The UK has a problem with pikeys stealing lead roofing from churches. I say "pikeys" deliberately as it's almost universally "travellers" aka "gypsies" who are doing it... apparently.

Causes the churches huge problems because they just don't have the budget to replace the roofing and after the second or third time the lead goes missing, their insurers are refusing to pay out.

[PhreeZone 20]

Here in Ohio they just changed the law so that you have to present ID and complete a detailed listing of all items you are selling. In terms of large quanities they also are making the sellers fill out additional information and I thought I even heard they were stopping all purchasing of sheethed copper over a certian size. The recycling centers are also on the hook now too if they purchase materials with out askijng basic questions and can be charged with recieving stolen property. There was a huge bitch session about that since they felt it was undue risk for them but it turns out not to be that bad since if someone brings in 500 pounds of copper still on a roll its pretty likely its stolen and they just need to have him fill out paperwork and then notifiy the police.

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