JavaScript is disabled
Our website requires JavaScript to function properly. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser settings before proceeding.
Messages
2,895
Reactions
5,454
we were making a metal recycling run to the metal shredder in Port of Vancouver, Wa today

looked like the opocoliptic end of human society

this is a regional metal shredder facility that take in train loads of scrap metal, shred it up, load it on ships and off it goes to India, Malaysia and other countries

as you can see they have this massive claw, then the belt feed into the shredder, then the giant magnet to separate the ferrous metal from others

they shredded our '89 Dodge Mini Van, motor and all

I have seen many industrial facilities in my 72 years of life, but this one was impressive

but they don't ship to China - China quit taking our ferrous scrap medal in 2021

and the good point - they pay us for the scrape by weight

end of society 2.jpeg end of society.jpeg
 
China quit taking any of our recycling period because we kept sending them too much crap vs scrap - especially plastic. They decided it wasn't worth dealing with the crap that they couldn't recycle vs. what they could.
Thats part of it. The rest of it is that they industries are running at a fraction of what they used to be running at due to Covid. They dont need it. The cardboard is probably gone forever. Metal? They'll buy it again someday.
 
China refusing our recyclables? Interesting.

I worked at a paper mill that 100% of our product was made of recycled newspaper. China began backhauling newspapers in their otherwise empty tennis shoe containers, until we could not get newspaper ourselves.

That was the final straw that shut our mill down forever.
 
I have Swedish steel bed that I bought over 30 years ago that broke. It is nicely painted black as well. I sent email to see if the bed was considered garbage since the transfer station takes clean wood and steel. I got a reply that it is considered garbage.
 
Further interesting that some metals are being refused.

In the lovely tweeker zone of 92nd and Flavel, 24 hours a day there are pickups and/or trailers with folks acquiring metal from any and all tweekers that are bringing it to them.

This metal must be going somewhere.
 
I have Swedish steel bed that I bought over 30 years ago that broke. It is nicely painted black as well. I sent email to see if the bed was considered garbage since the transfer station takes clean wood and steel. I got a reply that it is considered garbage.
I can't speak for WA state/counties, but in Orygun (WA county) almost anything metal goes into a bin for metal recycling when hauled to the dump.

I also can't speak for local garbage pickup recycling; I live alone and I have one grocery sack of garbage per week. I am not going to pay $25+/mo to have one small sack of garbage picked up per week. When I worked in Portland I just took a sack into work with me and put it in the garbage in the parking garage. Then afterwards my neighbor let me use his pickup container when it had room (it always does). So over 10 years I have saved about $3K in garbage fees.

If I had a family living with me, with a lot more garbage, it would be different.
 
I can't speak for WA state/counties, but in Orygun (WA county) almost anything metal goes into a bin for metal recycling when hauled to the dump.

I also can't speak for local garbage pickup recycling; I live alone and I have one grocery sack of garbage per week. I am not going to pay $25+/mo to have one small sack of garbage picked up per week. When I worked in Portland I just took a sack into work with me and put it in the garbage in the parking garage. Then afterwards my neighbor let me use his pickup container when it had room (it always does). So over 10 years I have saved about $3K in garbage fees.

If I had a family living with me, with a lot more garbage, it would be different.
Since I a small Nissan pickup I need to cut the head board in quarters since it will not fit in my pickup since I have a canopy on the back. Great to keep the rain off stuff in the rainy season.
 
Since I a small Nissan pickup I need to cut the head board in quarters since it will not fit in my pickup since I have a canopy on the back. Great to keep the rain off stuff in the rainy season.
try Pacific Coast Shredding - In the Port of Vancouver area - that's where we go - have made up to $52 for a pickup full of mixed metal
gave them all the old bicycles the kids had for 30 years, old lawn mowers, BBQs, bent t0poles and several metal bed frames, even cars
 
Thats part of it. The rest of it is that they industries are running at a fraction of what they used to be running at due to Covid. They dont need it. The cardboard is probably gone forever. Metal? They'll buy it again someday.
China quit taking our recyclables before the pandemic, as I recall. The issue was contamination.

Once a year or so our garbage company used to send around a flier listing recyclable and non-recyclable items (used pizza boxes, egg cartons, etc.). I noticed that mostly my "environmentalist" neighbors ignored them. I would often see pizza boxes protruding from the top of their overstuffed recyclables container. Heard 2 of them talking one day about how they always put egg cartons in recycling because they "should" be recyclable, even if the garbage company said no. They knew better. SMH.
 
China quit taking our recyclables before the pandemic, as I recall. The issue was contamination.

Once a year or so our garbage company used to send around a flier listing recyclable and non-recyclable items (used pizza boxes, egg cartons, etc.). I noticed that mostly my "environmentalist" neighbors ignored them. I would often see pizza boxes protruding from the top of their overstuffed recyclables container. Heard 2 of them talking one day about how they always put egg cartons in recycling because they "should" be recyclable, even if the garbage company said no. They knew better. SMH.
Oh yeah carboard they stopped taking paper and carboard long ago. The real reason they have enough post consumer waste in China now that they dont need ours.

I always get in arguments with Karens at parties when I tall them most of their recycling is going to the dump. They wont believe me. Its just a racket any more. I hardly ever get invited back.
 
Last Edited:
try Pacific Coast Shredding - In the Port of Vancouver area - that's where we go - have made up to $52 for a pickup full of mixed metal
gave them all the old bicycles the kids had for 30 years, old lawn mowers, BBQs, bent t0poles and several metal bed frames, even cars
Unfortunately with price of gas I will take my bed to transfer station.
 

Upcoming Events

Tillamook Gun & Knife Show
Tillamook, OR
"The Original" Kalispell Gun Show
Kalispell, MT
Teen Rifle 1 Class
Springfield, OR
Kids Firearm Safety 2 Class
Springfield, OR

New Resource Reviews

New Classified Ads

Back Top