World Economic Downturn "Decycles" Reclaimed Materials
by John Laumer, Philadelphia 
on 11.13.08
In just months we went from common thieves stealing power cables and iron fences to a market that couldn't care less for reclaimed materials. The price for scrap anything is in the toilet, and likely to stay there for a few years. No more green washing about recyclable water bottles - please.
On the good side: you no longer have to worry about your catalytic converter disappearing.
A sudden collapse in worldwide demand for re- cyclables, particularly from China, has scrap dealers from Sacramento to San Diego stockpiling curbside collections as never before and charging walk-in customers for their throwaways...Stacks of baled paper, plastic and metal are mounting at the Sacramento Recycling & Transfer Station plant on Fruitridge Road because market prices are too low to turn a profit or, worse, no buyers can be found, its operators said.Via:Sacramento Bee, As world demand falls, prices for recyclables go in dumper
This is a classic cycle of course. Give it two or three years and the meth heads will be back after your downspouts.
Only a strong resurgence in oil prices will bring back the value of relcaimed plastic.
Image credit:Saving Advice, Scrap Heap
Background From The TreeHugger Scrap Heap
Where Are Their Scruples? Thieves Steal Copper from Windfarm ...
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One of the sad facts of WWII on the USA homefront...for all the materials they did manage to collect for recycling...not much got recycled - the dumpster still! But still they put on a face to encourage saving...
On the bright side new stuff isn't being made from old stuff. Instead people are fixing the stuff they already own and consuming less. This is far better than recycling.
Not so fast on the drinking bottles, I think these guys are still buying loads of them.
http://www.mohawkgreenworks.com/
This is a huge problem nationwide. Sure, your catalytic converter won't be disappearing, but your recycling collection will be. Without demand for these items, I wouldn't be surprised if many municipalities start reducing recycling collection. The market affects everything.
I am not even sure if developed domestic markets would be able to do anything about this, but at least we would know more about how our materials are recycled.
Recycling is a sham anyway. It should be called down-cycling.
we need "cradle to cradle" reconstituted materials out of safe reusable polymers! Google "cradle to cradle" book.