http://ipraudio.interlochen.org/Scrapping.mp3
The gritty business of scrapping metal is gaining popularity, not just because it's the green thing to do, but because it can bring in the green for people who haul it. And with metal prices remaining high, the scrap yards are as busy as ever.
Earning A Living
Randy Pittenger and Ashley Bayless toss twisted scraps of aluminum onto a pile, during a busy day in back of the Louis Padnos Iron & Metal yard in Cadillac. Pittenger's pickup truck is one of four vehicles backed up to the growing mound of salvaged metal.
Gathering the materials is hard work. Pittenger says he makes a living at it. Bayless does it to supplement her job as a bartender.
They both enjoy the freedom of the work schedule.
He: "How hard do you want your paycheck?" Pittenger asks. "Do you want your paycheck today? You go out and work. If you don't want your paycheck. . ."
"You stay home," Bayless completes the thought.
These are good times for the salvagers. Overseas and domestic demand for metals is high, while supply is down. That means a good return on those who are willing to gather it up. And there's a pretty steady supply of old cars, appliances and manufactured homes to be dismantled.
A Tempting Steal
With the booming market, some people are tempted to steal the materials for a profit. Two years ago, someone ripped heavy copper wire out of a radio station tower near Cheboygan.
Ric Lisman, the manager of the Padnos's Cadillac yard, says he keeps a keen eye out for thieves.
"I've been doing it for 15 years and I know that when a guy comes across the scale and he's got 500 pounds of 500 MCM strip copper wire that only belongs in powering heavy industry and heavy power lines and he's got it in the back of his Yugo, you know, where did you come up with this stuff?
"And when they stumble around and ah, ah, ah, don't have the answer, that's when we know. Well, we're sorry, we can't buy it at this time because we need to know where it came from."
Then Lisman calls the police.
A Suntan And Extra Cash
On a sunny day, more than 100 vehicles may drive up to this yard. They take a place in line and stop on the scales before and after unloading. Then, the scrapper goes to the front office for a check.
Glen Bigelow works as a roofer, and comes here about once a week. He collects materials on his job and elsewhere. He figures his pickup load today, filled to just above the tailgate with aluminum, will bring in $30 to $40 dollars.
"This is scrap metal here. That came off a roof. Old drip pads and a tin chimney, an old tin chimney.
"When I see something lying by the side of the road, an old refrigerator or something, I'll grab it. It's an extra 10 or 15 bucks," he says.
While most of the benefits to scrapping are economical and ecological, Ashley Bayless said there are other reasons she likes the outside work.
"It's fun. Free suntan, you can't beat that. It's 30 dollars a month in a salon," she says.