prices in SW Georgia/SE Alabama

ALUM .55LB 9LB $ 4.95
#2 COPPER 3.47LB 13LB $45.11
#1 COPPER 3.71LB 5LB $18.55
#2 CU(insulated) 1.37LB 13LB $17.81
STAINLESS .73lb 8lb $ 4.38

TOTAL $127.20

Took in all my computer, microwave, fan and etc carcasses, too. Only about 500lbs, but light steel was up to .10lb....so that paid for a tank of gas.
I have to confess that I am discouraged though. Up until last month I always had plenty of things to break down for the next week, but my sources have started to run dry. My "sources" being the dumpsters in a 10 mi radius of my home and the dumpsters on the way home from the yard. Things just aren't there anymore. I don't see how the economy effects people throwing away things that don't work anymore...cheap stuff I mean. I haven't found a microwave, computer, tv in 2 wks !! Is anybody else feeling this way ?

I know what you mean Dee, not much around here either and if you're not Johnny on the spot it's already gone. People here throw away just as much even with the economy the way it is, it's just that so many people are doing it, it's hard to beat them to it.

A lot of my stuff comes from the side of the road. And I have noticed a big decline in stuff in the last several months. Part of it can be blamed on really high prices on light steel. It brings them out of the woodwork. When you see new trucks from out of state picking scrap, the market may be saturated. But, it's not just that. My other job allows me to watch the patterns of other scrappers. The time they pull into the areas I frequent, and of course what they have in the truck or trailer. To tell the truth, I see a lot of these guys running around with very little in the back. They ain't finding it either. I have to say there probably is not as much being sat out by the curb as there was in the spring. And the spring wasn't great either. I just don't think people are replacing stuff like they were a year ago.

I have not seen more than two or three ceiling fans in months. This time last year I was almost tired of stopping to pick them up. I found a lot of sinks and fixtures last year. Hardly any this year. Lots of lawnmowers in 2010. I've seen three this summer. The only thing I have found in similar numbers to last year are those things that people only replace when they break, like water heaters.

pretty simple answers really: 1. millions out of work, many millions more under employed, 45 million on food stamps, this creats 2 problems. first no disposable income to buy new future scrap, and throw away current scrap. 2. litterly 10 of thousands if not millions of new full time or part time scrppers.

i.e. in your area 2 years ago 10,000 lb scrap per month divided among 2 or 3 full time scrappers + one or two hobbiests. to day scrap is down to 5000 lb per month and now divided among 5 or 6 full time scrappers plus 5 or 6 part timers.

p.s. make them show ID, tqke their liscense plate# dont buy from thieves.

this is both bad and good, . 1 it obviously badly hurts the income from the way you have approched scrap in the past and I predict it is going to get worse maybe much worse. the good news is that some can make lemonaid out of this lemon.

Most of these new scrappers have no idea what they are doing. All you have to do is look in the back of their trucks or in the open trunks of their cars to see this. most of these people dont care who they sell to the quicker and the closer the better. The yards really dont care who these people sell to sell to as long as they eventually end up with it.

If you have access to the right property, or maybe even a rental storage unit, if they arent too particular, you become a broker, or a depot (middle man) in my 30 mile circle AL cans for example are going for 45 cents, rughly 1 cent a piece. 60 miles from me the same cans are 71 cents and it is the same with all other scrap, so the crux of the situation is I dont see problems with all the new scrappers I see OPERTUNITY.

YOU BRING THE ICE i HAVE THE LEMMONS AND THE JUICER. just my .02

Thanks olddude....that's good advice. I will go talk to the owner of our rental units.