Solving The Metals Theft Problem?
Recycling businesses across the country need to unite together to get a workable metals theft bill through the federal government. It appears one is well on its way and it currently has provisions that are detrimental to the scrap industry. Here are some of the provisions which make it seem like scrap dealers are the problem:
• Be required to keep records of secondary metal purchases, including the name and address of the seller, the transaction date, the amount and description of the metal purchased, and the number from the seller’s driver’s license or other government-issued ID card;
• Maintain these records for a minimum of two years and make them available to law enforcement agencies to assist them in tracking down and prosecuting metal thieves.
• Perform transactions of more than $75 by check instead of cash; and,
• Not pay cash to the same seller within a 48-hour period to dissuade sellers from trying to circumvent the check payment requirement.
The wide majority of scrap dealers in the country are trying to work with law enforcement to reduce the amount of stolen material being processed simply because it makes good business sense. There is also a strong move to increase recycling in this country and yet this type of legislation hampers a recycling center’s ability to do business. A good way to reduce the amount of recycling going on is to pass legislation like this.
We need better. Write your senators and representatives and let them know that you want to see a bill passed but one that doesn’t restrict recyclers from doing business honestly.
To contact your senators, go here: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
For House of Representatives, go here: https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
Tags: legislation, metals theft, recycling, scrap metal
February 21st, 2009 at 8:05 am
“• Be required to keep records of secondary metal purchases, including the name and address of the seller, the transaction date, the amount and description of the metal purchased, and the number from the seller’s driver’s license or other government-issued ID card;”
This has law in North Carolina for a few years and not a problem for our recycling business.
“• Maintain these records for a minimum of two years and make them available to law enforcement agencies to assist them in tracking down and prosecuting metal thieves.”
Also already a law in NC and not a problem.
“• Perform transactions of more than $75 by check instead of cash; and,”
Company policy for myself and most of my competitors is to write checks for amounts in excess of $100.oo so dropping it to $75.oo wouldn’t be a big deal. Fact is: I wish I could write checks for all my scrap purchases so that I wouldn’t have to walk around my office and yard with a .357 Magnum Smith & Wesson strapped to my side. (Not that I’ve got anything against guns
“• Not pay cash to the same seller within a 48-hour period to dissuade sellers from trying to circumvent the check payment requirement.”
Again, let’s start writing checks to all of our vendors. Writing checks to every vendor would end 99% of scrap metals theft and make it a whole lot easier to catch the few who make the rest of us look bad. It would also solve my biggest headache: the guy who comes walking in with .65 cents worth of scrap metal whose business isn’t worth the cost of doing the transaction.
Also, here in Greensboro, NC our local police and sheriff’s department has teamed with licensed salvage yards and recycling centers and is currently writing a software program that will give them all the info we collect on vendors as quick as you can say, “USB.”
If it’s not a problem for a tiny company like Salvage America then surely an industry giant like Pacific Recycling can handle the changes.
February 21st, 2009 at 8:35 am
We already have several of these laws on the books in Florida, and it is not only time-consuming to implement and track, but creates additional expense for the recycling center. The push is for the reporting requirements to be maintained electronically, yet the average scrapyard cannot spend $20,000.00 for the top-of-the-line software!
We believe in assisting our local law enforcement at all times, and hope that our efforts are useful. But the truth of the matter is that scrap thefts are down not because of the laws, but in the majority because of the world economic meltdown in metals pricing.
We at AwcA thank Pacific Steel & Recycling for bringing attention to this issue. We hope everyone in the industry will respond to their representatives with interest in a viable solution that will be a worldwide model, made in America!
February 23rd, 2009 at 11:08 am
In response to RecycleBill:
Being a larger organization actually makes it more difficult. We have seven states to contend with and each has different ideas of what the legislation should look like. Also, our systems are larger and more cumbersome to change. It isn’t that we can’t implement the changes and, in fact, we know that some changes would definitely be beneficial. It just seems that lawmakers are intent on making the laws without input from the scrap industry. When it is all said and done, I do think our industry will have a better image if we do what we can to be involved in and support legislation that will deter crime and that is why it is critical that as many people as possible let the legislative bodies know our side as well.
February 23rd, 2009 at 11:16 am
To S. Renee’ Mayne:
Unfortunately, our industry has been tainted over the years by enough unscrupulous characters that we are looked upon as part of the problem. We need to be active on all fronts, including with lawmakers but also in how our yards look. It’s a total image transformation that is needed. Pacific will continue to do our part in bringing about industry-favorable legislation while at the same time promoting an image overhaul for our industry. That way, when the next wave of possible legislation is being considered, both law enforcement and law makers will see us as part of the “good guys”, not part of the problem.
March 3rd, 2009 at 2:57 pm
[...] I posted this about metals theft legislation, in large part because ISRI (Institute of Scrap Recycling [...]
March 5th, 2009 at 10:52 am
I agree getron. We are trying to reverse the image of one of those very ‘recyclers’ from our facility. As I work another job with local law enforcement, they know we are trying to implement these laws in such a way as to assist their efforts. But with more input from those in the industry, the statutes would not be so cumbersome and repetitive. Efficient recording and timely monitoring of yard records can help all involved to become partners in thwarting criminal activity. This is what we are striving for and I hope it happens in a uniform way on a national level!