The Dirty World Of Scrap Metal

The Dirty World of Scrap Metal in The Eyes of A Scrapper

By Larry D Hollifield

**Opinions vary, what might seem reasonable to one my appear completely unreasonable to another. After reading this article you decide for yourself what works best for you.

The world's a tough place, but I'm not telling you something you don't already know. But hey, nobody promised you life would be easy.

As someone who has actively been associated with the scrap metal industry for 35+ years I tend to be very opinionated when we talk scrap. Quiet frankly I don't think that those who collect and sell metals to a “scrap yard” are treated very fairly. Whether these scrappers are to blame or not we will explorer a little further into this article.

How society views a scrapper

The public tends to look down on scrappers, often thinking that they are a “dirty” breed that live on the outskirts of society. They lump sum all scrappers into an uneducated, unrefined, desperate category of people who they believe can't find a decent job or make it in any other industry. Some pity them, some find them disgusting and some just plain ignore them. Those that ignore the scrappers are the ones I pity. I mean, let's face it, life must be tough for someone who believes they are so far up on the evolutionary scale that GOD has to take a seat behind them!

In reality nothing could be further from the truth than what the public thinks. Some of the smartest, most educated, well informed people I have ever met are scrappers. I will even bet that if you randomly pulled 10 scrappers from different areas of the country, 10 “ordinary” citizens from different areas of the country and tested both groups, then added and averaged their scores, the scrappers would have a higher IQ average than the “ordinary” citizens. Yeah, I know, unless you are a scrapper you are probably not buying this. But I gotta ask, what do you base that on? I mean, how many scrappers do you actually know? I mean really know?. I bet I know your answer.....NONE!

How scrap yards view a scrapper

The yards that the scrappers sell their merchandise to tend to look down on scrappers also. I don't know if that's because they buy into the public view of scrappers or if they think they're so much better or smarter than the scrapper or if they're just so ate up with greed that they would steal the pennies from a dead persons eyes (yeah, I know, that's kinda harsh but just bare with me here).

Now I gotta say this before I go any further, I have a very negative view of all scrap yard owners. I've written more than one article voicing my opinion that they (the yard owners) are a thieving, low life group of people who walked on the dark side of the street. They hold no respect for the law, are void of any honor and can not even spell the word “integrity”, much less define it. Their number 1 objected is to put money in their pockets and their vehicle of choice is to steal it from those whose very merchandise is what keeps them in business in the first place, from the scrappers.

Now remember, I opened by saying I've been selling scrap for 35+ years in the Richmond / Hampton Roads area of Virginia. In this area we have a lot of different scrap yards scattered around, many more than you have fingers and toes x2. I don't know why so many but if I had to guess I would put my money on the fact we set on the Atlantic Ocean coast line and have the deepest deep water port in the entire country. If it floats, no matter how big it is, you can float it in (or out) on the channel that leads to Norfolk. The way I view all scrap yards and yard owners is based entirely on my experience over those years with the yards in this area. Right or wrong, that's all I have to judge by.

Who's too blame?

OK, so the public thinks those of us who scrap are on the lower end of the evolutionary scale; the owners of the yards (where I live) think we are as “dumb as dirt” and they can steal from us whenever they so choose, and we who scrap are having a pity party wonder, “Why Me”. Like I said, no one ever promised life would be easy!

But wait a second, are we who scrap, the Scrappers of America, blameless, without fault, for how we're thought of or treated? Are we? Hell No! We must share in the blame and accept the fact that we, the Scrappers of America, the majority of us, are as much to blame for the yards decision to steal form us as the yards are for stealing from us in the first place. We, the scrappers of America. made/make it possible for the yards to steal from our pockets and line theirs with that money. We made it possible from the start, we still make it possible today and, unless each and every one of us wise up and make a few changes, will continue to make it possible far into the future. Is that what you want? To have someone steal from you, know that they're stealing from you and do nothing to make them stop? Is that what you want? Is that what you REALLY WANT?

Does it matter? Do you care? Are you ready to set things straight?

If that's not how you want to be treated, then read on, if you don't care then no need to read any further, Matter of a fact, if you don't care then forget everything you've read up to this point and move on to something else! This article is not aimed at you or written for you and there is nothing you can take away or gain from it, so good by and have a great life!

If you do care then listen up, you have to make some changes with the way you run your business, They're not hard changes or difficult to make, fact is they're very easy and if you make them I guarantee you will start to put more money in your pocket and keep the yard owner from having a “night on the town” at your expense. Like how that sounds? I do!

Time for a change!

Here's what you gotta do:

1. Always weight your material prior to delivering it to the yard, ALWAYS! Why? Simple when the yard weighs your material and totals out the ticket how do you know if the weight they write on the ticket is the same weight as what you delivered? You don't! How could you if you didn't weight it in the first place before delivering it to the yard. Failure to weight your material before delivering it to the yard is like writing on your forehead in big red letters “I Have No Clue”. If you fail to weight your material before a trip to the yard then you deserve to be taken advantage of!
2. Let the yard know in advance before they decide to cheat on the weights that you know what you have and how much it weighs. How? Simple, if your material is in buckets make sure you write the weight of the bucket in big red letters on the outside of the bucket. Something like “Bucket weighs 1.5 lbs” and make sure the person working the scales see it. If you're using a box, same applies. If using tubs or bins to carry your material, same applies. In other words, leave nothing open to chance.
3. Whether using buckets, boxes, tubs, bins or any other type of container, take a piece of cardboard and write on it in big red letters.
1. what's in that container 
2. how much the material weighs 
3. how much the container weighs.

     Make the cardboard so the it takes up most of the open space on top of

     your material in that container. That way it's impossible for them not to 

     see it. Something like, “#1 Copper, material weight 25 lbs, container 

     weight 1lb”. When that container is set on the scale, before the scale

     operator has an opportunity to record the weight of your material, point 

     out the cardboard, tell them the purpose of the cardboard and make sure 

     you tell them that. 

“If you disagree with my material classification, my material weight or my container weight then let me know up front so I can pull that material and take it somewhere else”

I guarantee you will get their attention. Guess what, you just took a wash 

cloth and removed the big red words “I Have No Clue”   from your 

forehead! Guaranteed!

4. Always demand to see the weights as the attendant is weighing the items. Most yards will try to turn the scales so you can't see the weight but it's your right to view the item weights as they weigh them. If you can't see the weight on the scale tell them to turn the scale so you can see it. DO NOT BE TIMID AND AFRAID TO ASK THEM TO TURN THE SCALES SO YOU CAN SEE THEM! The yards rely on that fear to manipulate the weights. If they refuse, pull your scrap and take it elsewhere.
5. ALWAYS call ahead to the yard you are going too and do a price check before you go there. Make sure to get the name of the person who quoted you the prices. NEVER GO TO ANY YARD TO SELL SCRAP UNTIL YOU KNOW WHAT THEY ARE PAYING FOR THE SCRAP YOU ARE SELLING ON THAT DAY! NEVER! Lets face it, how do you know if the price they write on your ticket is a fair price, the going rate for that material on that day if you don't do a price check before you go there? YOU DON'T. How could you if you don't check.
6. When the attendant hands you your ticket, before you leave the area of the scale, take the time to look the ticket over. Make sure the weights match up and make sure the price on your ticket matches the price you were quoted for that material. Don't walk away before you do this! If there is a problem point it out to the person operating the scale immediately and tell them who quoted you the price earlier. Speak loud and clear so not only does the attendant hear you but the next few people in line also here what you have to say. Let me tell you, nothing rattles an attendant more then you making a fuss at the scales because they played with your weights or try to pay you less then the going rate for that material on that day and everyone behind you in line hears it. All of a sudden everyone in line is going to be on guard and looking for any foul play on the part of the attendant. His day just got real complicated!

Don't let anyone push you around! Stand up for your rights

Look, don't be intimidated and let them do what they want. It’s your scrap, not theirs! Not until they pay for it and no one says you HAVE to sell it to them. And don’t let the attendant try and hurry you through. You don’t want to unnecessarily delay the process but you definitely don’t want the attendant to push your items through before you and they agree to the weight and classification. You have rights, demand they respect those rights.

Bottom line, take control of the process, don't let the yard control the process. If the yard is honest and up front, they will not object; if they are looking to screw you they will yell like a hit dog!

It's time too “man” (or “woman”) up! Realize that you share in the blame for how things are and how you're getting robbed over and over again each time you take a trip to the yard. Accept responsibility and don't let it continue! If you take the time to make the 6 changes I recommend above it will stop! You will no longer be a victim, you will become a winner and you will profit from those changes. None of the changes, nothing I have recommended above takes any time to start doing, you just have to start doing them.

Choice is yours, you decide, what's it going to be? If you ask me, it's a “no brainier”

When I first got involved with e-scrap I knew nothing about the industry, and when I say nothing, I really mean nothing! The different electronic components were all Greek to me but I wanted to learn. I spent the next two and a half years reading, researching and learning all I could about the electronic components and the materials they are made of. Some of that information was not easy to find, almost like it was a secret hidden away for only a few to know.

I wrote everything down and, as a result of my research, the “E-Scrap Parts Manual” came into existence. Everything I learned, everything I discovered, ended up in my book “E-Scrap Parts Manual”. At first the information was intended for my use only but then I decided, what the heck, why not share it with everyone who wants to make money by e-scrapping. So, that's what I've done. “E-Scrap Parts Manual” is available as a free .pdf download for any and all who want a copy, no strings attached! You want a copy, it's yours, just that simple! Just click on the link below and download your free copy:“E-Scrap Parts Manual”