Tennessee Scrap Metal Recyclers Form New Association

Tennessee Scrap Metal Recyclers Association is a joke. These are the big guys who do nothing to legitimize the buying of scrap metal. They buy metal from unlicensed, non-tax paying, individuals. They won't accept "charged" refrigeration systems, but buy refrigeration systems from yahoos who kick compressors out of refers 100 yards from their entrance. A guy shows up with 10 refers on a beat up old trailer and they buy it, knowing that this yahoo didn't recover the refrigerant. A guy shows up with 100 feet of heavy commercial copper cable wearing shorts and sandals and they buy it, no questions asked. They buy copper wire that has the insulation burned-off. As long as you have a driver's license, they'll buy anything. In reality, they will buy scrap from anyone at anytime, and then play dumb when the cops show up asking questions.
The state is going to have to step in. Scrap haulers need to be licensed, bonded and insured.
Licenses, receipts and logs need to be kept by sellers and presented at the time the scrap is sold. Business tax revenue needs to be collected from all individuals selling metal. The buyers are not going to do this, because it is not in their best interests. Face it, these guys are in the business of buying metal and don't really care where it comes from. Until the state mandates tighter restrictions on buying metal, they will continue to do the bare minimum to cover their butts.

Tomtn1958
Please send me an email to baboek at gmail dot com. I'd appreciate the opportunity to ask you some questions about the Tennessee scrap metal industry, you seem knowledgeable and I'm trying to do some research on the space.

Thanks,

Brent

tomtn1958 wrote:

Tennessee Scrap Metal Recyclers Association is a joke. These are the big guys who do nothing to legitimize the buying of scrap metal. They buy metal from unlicensed, non-tax paying, individuals. They won't accept "charged" refrigeration systems, but buy refrigeration systems from yahoos who kick compressors out of refers 100 yards from their entrance. A guy shows up with 10 refers on a beat up old trailer and they buy it, knowing that this yahoo didn't recover the refrigerant. A guy shows up with 100 feet of heavy commercial copper cable wearing shorts and sandals and they buy it, no questions asked. They buy copper wire that has the insulation burned-off. As long as you have a driver's license, they'll buy anything. In reality, they will buy scrap from anyone at anytime, and then play dumb when the cops show up asking questions.
The state is going to have to step in. Scrap haulers need to be licensed, bonded and insured.
Licenses, receipts and logs need to be kept by sellers and presented at the time the scrap is sold. Business tax revenue needs to be collected from all individuals selling metal. The buyers are not going to do this, because it is not in their best interests. Face it, these guys are in the business of buying metal and don't really care where it comes from. Until the state mandates tighter restrictions on buying metal, they will continue to do the bare minimum to cover their butts.