What’s your scrap brass worth? As with other types of scrap metal, the value of scrap brass depends on a few factors. For one, fluctuations in the global scrap metal markets will affect how much you can earn from selling old fixtures, piping and other kinds of scrap brass. Then there’s the type and condition...Continue Reading

Cleanouts and salvage is not thought of as an industry that is likely to be rocked by shifting priorities or technological advancements over the next decade. The demand for commercial cleanout services should remain fairly consistent as long as there are businesses renovating, moving and closing down locations. Floods, fires and other catastrophic events will...Continue Reading

There are many sources for locating scrap copper. If you are an electrician or plumber, you handle this material every day. But do you know how to obtain the best value for your unused or scrap copper? Following these basic guidelines will ensure you will obtain the best value for your scrap copper.  Preparing Scrap...Continue Reading

You know that scrap metal recycling is good for the planet. But what about the economic benefits of recycling scrap metal? In other words, how does scrap metal affect your business’s bottom line?  There are two general ways to look at the economic benefits of recycling scrap metal. First, how scrap recycling benefits you/your business...Continue Reading

How to manage electronics waste (e-waste) has emerged as a big and ongoing recycling challenge for a lot of American businesses. State and federal regulations around recycling seem to shift all the time. Many Massachusetts businesses are still adjusting to the food and textile waste bans that were implemented a few months ago. So, it...Continue Reading

Nearly everyone touches plastics every day. Plastic film, for example, is used to make the thin bags for bread, produce, dry cleaning, newspapers and takeout food boxes. Cases of water bottles and multi-packs of paper towels are shrink-wrapped with plastic film. The plastic air pillows that are used as cushioning in packages are made from...Continue Reading

The commercial food disposal ban here in Massachusetts isn’t new, but a lot of Massachusetts businesses that weren’t affected by it before are now navigating the ban for the first time. Complying with its disposal requirements might create some new recycling challenges for those organizations.   MassDEP expanded its waste disposal bans in November 2022, as...Continue Reading

Back in 2016, I shared a blog about the current state of the recycling industry and some of the factors that were creating challenges for both recyclers and consumers. A lot has happened since then, most notably the pandemic, inflation and the enactment of China’s National Sword policy. Recycling in Massachusetts and throughout the U.S....Continue Reading

If what happened recently in the recycling markets happened in the stock market, we wouldn’t be in a recession; we would be in a depression. Markets for low-grade recycled fiber, such as cardboard and mixed paper, have taken a dramatic fall in recent months. During the pandemic, the economy managed to stay strong, despite the...Continue Reading