Scrap Yards E-Waste

I wanted to ask some of you guys a question about the scrap yards you deal with. All the scrap yards I come in contact with that purchase e-waste all do the same thing with it. Ship it to china for .40-.50 per lbs. Because of this, it is becoming increasingly difficult to make deals that are profitable on whole CPUs. Since the yards themselves aren't dismantling, only stacking and wrapping their cost of labor/handling is extremely low. They are capable of paying more for the material with little to no work involved. However, they are smart enough to price themselves competitively in the market so they don't lose out on profit.

The question I am asking is how some of you have consistent pick-ups from scrap yards for CPUs when they are perfectly capable of shipping it direct to china for more than you can pay them? I guess this might have something to do with the fact that I am on the coast and they have better access to exporters. Just wanted to see if anyone else has run into this dilemma.

example: 1 scrap yard I did a test load for was moving 40000 lbs of CPUs/Servers every 10 days. After dismantling, my margin was so small for a lot of work and they were still upset with their payment.

Try dealing with computer stores. Just walked into one today and traded 6 of my working machines for 40 old Pentium 1/2 Machines. He was happy just to get rid of the stuff, but Im not one to just take for free and make ALL the profit. So now we are both happy.

My partner and I still buy computers at $5 each and offer free pickup, but you must diversify on how you get your towers.

I am very well diversified. In my area, we must charge for collection of small (and sometimes) large amounts of e-waste due to the expense of doing business in and around Manhattan. So, I have fairly sizable accounts that provide me with weekly pick-ups. My trucks go out daily. However, trying to expand and buy large quantities of Towers to increase my operation has become difficult due to their competition.

It just pains me to see these scrap companies having access to extremely large amounts of e-waste on a daily basis and shipping it directly out of the country. Those 40k lbs of towers represents about 4-5 full time jobs that are being shipped else where. Know what I mean?

Simple answer there is no way to make money off the yards shipping over seas. Like Andrew said your best bet is computer stores. Keep all dual core and above machines that work and trade them in on there junk. Most computer guys pay between $35-65 for dual core machines depending on the specs. Triple and quad core may be even more but I doubt you will come across many at scrap value.

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Originally Posted by technologyrecycling

It just pains me to see these scrap companies having access to extremely large amounts of e-waste on a daily basis and shipping it directly out of the country. Those 40k lbs of towers represents about 4-5 full time jobs that are being shipped else where. Know what I mean?

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They are in business to make money not create jobs. Its sad but that's what every industry has come down to. Theres more money to be made when you outsource work to countries with lower labor rates.

Sort of makes you wish you could take an add out on the front page of the paper that says: "Dont take your computer to the scrap yard! They will sell it to China along with all your personal information, and dump toxic parts into rivers!" :)

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Originally Posted by CarolinaEwaste

Simple answer there is no way to make money off the yards shipping over seas. Like Andrew said your best bet is computer stores. Keep all dual core and above machines that work and trade them in on there junk. Most computer guys pay between $35-65 for dual core machines depending on the specs. Triple and quad core may be even more but I doubt you will come across many at scrap value.
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I have a company that I already trade with. They refurbish computers all day long and send me the non-working/scrap computer parts..

Just trying to break the cycle of feast and famine. Some months I see a single pick up of 500-1000 towers... other months I am only processing 75-100 a week. Consistent flow like theirs is hard to come by...

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Originally Posted by shendog

Sort of makes you wish you could take an add out on the front page of the paper that says: "Dont take your computer to the scrap yard! They will sell it to China along with all your personal information, and dump toxic parts into rivers!" :)

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Well that's the other thing.. I have the DEC and DEP stopping by once a month to see "how things are going..." and to make sure that I am keeping proper records and everything is going where I am saying it is going.. while a quarter of a mile down the road scrap yard is taking in a lot more than I am and exporting it irresponsibly..

Do you mean a tower rather than a CPU? I am thinking so.

My sentiments entirely Parrot. It isn't a deal breaker or anything TR, I've been in lots of places where they referred to a computer as a CPU, or even as a "hard drive". I humored them in not pointing out their lack of specifics, but in reality, a CPU is a CPU, a hard drive is a hard drive, and a computer(hopefully) is a complete computer. A computer tower stands upright, and a desktop computer sits flat

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Originally Posted by technologyrecycling

Well that's the other thing.. I have the DEC and DEP stopping by once a month to see "how things are going..." and to make sure that I am keeping proper records and everything is going where I am saying it is going.. while a quarter of a mile down the road scrap yard is taking in a lot more than I am and exporting it irresponsibly..

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have you informed the dec and dep people that the scrap yard ships stuff over seas?

Sounds to me that these yards/businesses are taking advantage of a loophole in the system, since they dont have the ewaste certifications all they are doing is loading containers and shipping it out of the country. There basically making more money than a escrap certified facility staffed by workers that are paid fairly. Just another loophole in the system that allows companies to outsource jobs.

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Originally Posted by jghilino

Sounds to me that these yards/businesses are taking advantage of a loophole in the system, since they dont have the ewaste certifications all they are doing is loading containers and shipping it out of the country. There basically making more money than a escrap certified facility staffed by workers that are paid fairly. Just another loophole in the system that allows companies to outsource jobs.

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All this is true, but I also see how things could change in the near future. We as a nation are becoming more "green-aware" and people are careful about who/where they get their products from. The whole R2 project is growing as awareness grows, and it is not implausable to think that with a little enlightenment people will choose not to do business with non-green companies that export. My suggestion earlier wasnt all tongue-in-cheek. However, there is a huge downside to this in regards to gov regulation and oversight which usually follows.

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Originally Posted by technologyrecycling

Well that's the other thing.. I have the DEC and DEP stopping by once a month to see "how things are going..." and to make sure that I am keeping proper records and everything is going where I am saying it is going.. while a quarter of a mile down the road scrap yard is taking in a lot more than I am and exporting it irresponsibly..

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Nothing like a good news story to go with something like that, especially right along about election time. "Wellll, Hello there DEC and P! Come on in hyah! Have you met my friends from news channel (fill in the ____). WE were just discussing you fellas! :D

Just waiting for a guy to post a video on youtube of a truck running over monitors to shut down this industry. We are getting to the point where something is going to happen and every transaction will have to be monitored and recorded between buyers and sellers.

Guess what... its already happening. Here in Denver there is a landmark case that is going to trial within the next month. The guys that are being tried owned and operated an electronics recycling business when 60 minutes did an expose on them. They shipped a container of CRTs to Canada, and then their downstream shipped the container to China. They are now being charged with a felony and face 20+ years in jail! Ohhh...did I mention that 20 years is what the DA tried to get them to take a plea bargain for?

Here is the complete 60 minutes episode:
The Wasteland - 60 Minutes - CBS News