Everyone is recycling now!

There is a cable network company dumpster that is less than 2 blocks from my house that has provided me with a lot of wire, steel, and receivers that are mounted on the dish for free for years. Last week I noticed that there the wire has been very limited and no steel or receivers at all. I stopped tonight after work to try to talk to a worker and find out what had changed. He said that the company was now recycling all steel and receivers. Though I was still more than welcome to still take all the scrap coaxial cable I wanted. Gee whiz! Thanks!

Can't understand that they are recycling now. For years they have watched me pick from that dumpster knowing that I was making money on their waste. I probably can't compete with the steel prices but trying to figure out what I can offer for the receivers.

This is like the fourth company that I have been getting free scrap from for years. I have always asked for permission to pick. Though I've learned that as soon as you show interest in wanting something they wanna get paid for it and it's always a unreasonable price.

It has always been that way.
That is why I am always looking for something a little different: something that others are not doing.
That part you have to figure out yourself, though.

That's a good thing, better than everyone wasting! Just think how it would be if everyone wasn't recycling. Scraping is work and like any other business, you have to work at it. Keep working it, find what is your niche, more important what works for you! Look for more opportunities, last year or yesterdays sources may not be there tomorrow or next year. We live in a country that consumes and discards products in far greater numbers than any other place. Trash, recycling and scraping are going to be nothing but new opportunities for those willing to do what others won't.

Be thankful for things you got from them in the past. Don't take it personally. It could be a decision from up the chain. I know a few companies that started doing this but things still get thrown in the trash. They get too much to send back or lazy to pack up so it may still get in the trash. Just wait until gas prices get real high

They want to be "Green" and found out they can make a little cash doing it. Less "trash", may even get them one less garbage pick up fee...

You might approach them and offer to just take the receivers off their hands for free. I contacted a large corp last night asking what they have been doing with their broken flat screen tv's. She told me they paid a company to do ewaste them. I told her I'd gladly do it for free, and now I'm in.

This an the other thread on a dude going through another guys dumpster amuse me. I understand being upset your honey hole is gone, dried up, whatever. Think on this tho..you were getting free for a couple years, didn't go inside to land the deal officially, an then upset when the company decides to recycle, save them selves cash on trash pick up, etc...

Your(General Yours an yous) not entitled to anything folks. Unless you got a contract with the business, you really should be thankful you get it at all. Same with the guy upset over another guy in "His" dumpster. Why? Your secret isn't going to remain a secret forever. Someone, will eventually see you diving in the dumpster, an think to themselves.."If he can do it, so can I!".

Not trying to be rude, but getting upset or even annoyed cause a company decided to recycle their own product (Which I'm with Burt on, lest they are recycling it, an not tossing in the trash for the landfill) that you didn't contract them on, is silly. Or upset cause some other guy is in 'your' dumpster. As Blacksteel said in the thread..."First come first served".

Does it suck for you? Sure does. Worth getting upset over? I don't think so. Capitalize an find another company, and CONTRACT with them. If you can't do that, work a deal with the installers an drivers. If that doesn't work...find a new way to get material.

Change can be a good thing. Makes you think outside of the box. Like Spin said..find a more diverse niche.

You can't ***** an moan over losing something if you never had the rights to it in the first place. Again not trying to be a jerk, but I'm not good at adding sugar to the realities of life. ;) Why beat around the bush when you just go right through it.


oooh..I'm not done yet! ha ha!

This..

This is like the fourth company that I have been getting free scrap from for years. I have always asked for permission to pick. Though I've learned that as soon as you show interest in wanting something they wanna get paid for it and it's always a unreasonable price.

Full article at Scrap Metal Forum: http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/day-l...#ixzz35hGCj4Oe

So your surprised a company is going to do what's best for the company's bottom line vs yours? I hope your kidding. They aren't throwing that stuff away to make you money. They found out how to make money off their trash, an now your upset, despite the fact you've been diving their trash for years? Seriously? If i was a big company throwing out tons of money every year an needed to add more to the bottom line I'd do it to. It's a company. They are more concerned with their investors, banks, employees, an other over head, then they are you. You had a few years of a free ride obtaining your scrap. Time to cowboy up, move on an find new businesses. Hopefully this time you'll take the advice of the folks here, an get it in writing. Offer to pay them something..you might just be surprised.

A lot of you guys say you get in by saying you'll take things for free. What are you going to do when a competitor in your area decides to pay these companies for their scrap? I got a guy down here, he does that free thing. He lost a lot of business cause I offered to PAY for their scrap. Why use him, who wants it for free, when I'm willing to pay? The companies love me, instead of making nothing, they make something.

You may direct all Hate Mail, Fan mail an love letters, well..to me. ;)


Sirscrapalot - Remember you're not entitled to anything. You have to earn your success every day, and you will make mistakes like everyone else. - Harvey Mackay

I should point out...Rolly not picking on you, my post was also to others in a similar situation as yours.

Could've been written better, but I break things for a living, not write. lol.

Sirscrapalot - No quote! Make do!

SSA - that's a point I make to people. If you pay for it, you're entitled to pick and choose; if you have a contract (or in the case around here) a verbal agreement, you're entitled to expect them to live up to the agreement; but if you have neither, you're at the mercy of their whim and basically their errandboy(girl).

Yeah, businesses are becoming smarter about maximizing their profit/income/cash flow through implementing recycling. After all, throwing away recyclables is throwing money away, as us scrappers are well aware!! Who knows, depending on the volume they have and the time/effort needed to recycle it, they may decide it's not worthwhile for their bottomline. You never know…

I still believe there are businesses and individuals who just want stuff gone and dont want to go to the trouble of recycling. They simply want their space back via the quickest/easiest route and are glad to have a scrapper come remove the scrap.

Whatever comes our way, scrappers are some of the most resourceful, out-of-the-box, creative thinkers in existence! Keep thinking and eyes open for the next opportunity~

Not only businesses are recycling more but also Joe Citizen too. I was at the yard with my pickup full of ewaste and this lady pulls up and takes out a CRT monitor and printer (power cords and all) puts it on the scale. She seemed excited about "recycling" however not as enthusiastic about her payout.
People and businesses everywhere are looking to get something for what they have. If that means your "honey hole" ha dried up then so be it. You have to get creative and secure your sources. Get a contract, pay per pick-up whatever.
Get out there and good luck!

Don't like to give away one of my models but I will say this. One of the best things I read on here was to go into a business with some donuts and a price list. Now this is Alabama, so I went into my first business with some sausage biscuits from McDonald's and a pricelist. I was asked to leave a 55 gallon plastic drum at this computer store. Now I have 19 drums throughout Northeast Alabama and another 15 or so in the show waiting on a placement or to be used as a switch-out. I never went into another computer store with biscuits either. These IT guys talk to each other... Treat them right and they will load you down. One of my drums is at a local dish retailer. About three weeks ago they told me that their company was going to start recycling ewaste. Figured they wanted me to come get my drum, nope. It keeps filling up same as always. Moral of the story is not to brag, I promise it's not. Moral is pay 20 bucks for two green 55 gallon plastic drums, clean them up really good and pay another 30 for vinyl logos and phone numbers on the drums and they will be you new honey holes. People know there is value in this stuff, give them a fair price and they'll be throwing it at you

Jeremy

PS: Best quote I've read today...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sirscrapalot

Could've been written better, but I break things for a living, not write.

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The quoter got quoted...Someone bake me a cup cake quick!

Yea, maybe they'll give it up, you never know. Could be a trial thing to see if it's worth it.

Either way, it's not the end of the world, an if it is...then you really need to find other things to stress over. heh.

Sirscrapalot - It's always good to wake up on the same side of the ground, that you went to sleep on.

Cable and Dish providers have the market saturated so they look for ways to squeeze a buck out of what they currently have and recycling will do that. Few companies care about the waste when they are booming.