Maxwell Street Scrapper

This fellow gets a big haul every week.

Hot Items for Thieves: Recyclables

Interesting article in the New York Times.

Scrap metal, like the bed frame taken by Mr. Bosque, can be sold for up to $250 a ton, five times the price of a decade ago, according to a widely recognized index of commodity prices published by Waste News, a trade publication. Bundled paper or cardboard, the most commonly stolen of New York’s recyclables, can bring in $90 to $120 a ton, more than double what the city receives under long-term contracts with its own brokers and processors.

Scrap The Steel

I turned in some cans this Friday and only got 55¢/lb. On the other hand, steel scrap was up to 4¢/lb. While it's not much, if you get a heavy piece of steel, it might be worth your while to drag it down to a scrapyard that accepts ferrous metals. Both the items above weighed almost 200 lbs!

Scrapping at the New Maxwell Street Market

This guy will yell at you if you try to take any of the abandoned fruit north of Roosevelt.



My scrapping mentor Tyner White in background while one of the locals examines some overripe fruit.



A couple of scrappers compare notes.



One of the regulars examines some abandoned plums.



Interested cyclist takes in the scene.



View of the market's aftermath looking south.



A well-equipped cyclist makes another pass.



Workers picking up rental tables.



The party's over. See you next week!

No Trash For You!

I always enjoy stopping by the baseball diamond at 18th & Wentworth. I can usually get at least a few cans and sometimes softballs, baseballs, and golf balls. However, it's sad to see people use so many wasteful plastic water bottles. I try to take as many as I can around the corner to the ward recycling facility, but it's a Sisyphean task. It's bad enough that the city doesn't have a recycling bin on the premises, but on Monday, they took away all the garbage cans!

Tyner White Video

Here's an interview I did with Tyner White of the old Maxwood Co-op that used to be located on Maxwell Street. His various inventions are mostly made from found materials.

Family Recycling Back in Business

Scrappers rejoiced at the grand reopening of Family Recycling following the City of Chicago shutting them down for a week. The only differences I could see were some new bins and shorter hours. I did my part by bringing in 30 lbs. of aluminum cans!