Scrap Metal Theft on the Rise

Scrap Metal Theft on the Rise

Move over gold market! There are other metals gaining attention today. The cost of scrap metals (such as aluminum, copper, iron and steel) has been on the rise in recent years. As a result, there has been an upward trend in metal theft. Representative Baxter Troutman, during the 2008 Florida Legislative Session, took the lead to help pass a bill strengthening regulations of recyclable metals.¹ Local Governments in Florida are taking steps to further regulate the metal market.

In August 2010 the Orlando City Council adopted an ordinance hoping to make metal sales to secondary dealers more difficult and less desirable. This ordinance “prohibits secondary metals recyclers from entering into cash transactions in excess of $50 (rather than $1,000) with the same seller in a single day and requires any payment to a seller in excess of $50 to be made by check and mailed to a seller’s physical street address.”²

Hillsborough County is taking a step further and requiring secondary metals recyclers to electronically report all purchase transaction information to law enforcement. Hillsborough County’s new ordinance is expected to cause an increase in law enforcement activity, but the County Commission is hoping to see a decline in metal theft.³

Other metal ordinance trends have also been tracked by OrdinanceWatch™. For example the Hialeah Gardens City Council (in Miami-Dade County) recently adopted an ordinance to allow metal as an acceptable residential roofing material.⁴ In Clay County, the Commission recently approved revisions to the Building Code to allow metal in the construction of Accessory Buildings.⁵

Have you taken advantage of the recycled metal materials market? What have you bought or sold recently? Have you been a victim of recycled metal theft? Do you feel that ordinances can make much of an impact on recycled metal crimes? Please comment and share your thoughts!

Listed below are Scrap Metal issue examples tracked by OrdinanceWatch™. Visit our website at www.OrdinanceWatch.com where you can sign up for advance notice of pending local government action.

• Hillsborough County, FL Approves Amendment to the Secondary Metals Recyclers Ordinance

• Orlando, FL Adopts Ordinance Regarding Secondary Metal Recycling

• Hialeah Gardens, FL Adopts LDR Ordinance regarding Metal as an Acceptable Residential Roofing Material

• Clay County, FL Approves Revisions to the Metal Accessory Building Code

• Riviera Beach, FL Rejects Ordinance Regarding Zoning for Scrap Metal Processing Facilities

^{1. Maready, Jeremy. “As Scrap Metal Theft Problem Grows, New Law May Help | TheLedger.com.” Lakeland FL News, Sports, Weather, Classifieds | TheLedger.com | The Lakeland Ledger. 6 May 2008. Web. 22 Sept. 2010. <http://www.theledger.com/article/20080506/BREAKING/898636106>.}

^{2. “Office of the City Clerk.” City of Orlando. 30 Aug. 2010. Web. 22 Sept. 2010. <http://www.cityoforlando.net/cityclerk/citycouncil/ag_min.html>.}

^{3. “Agendas.” Hillsborough County Government Online. 21 Apr. 2010. Web. 22 Sept. 2010. <http://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/agendas/home.cfm>.}

^{4. “Agendas.” Hialeah Gardens City Council. 16 Jun. 2010. Web. 22 Sept. 2010. http://www.cityofhialeahgardens.com/cohg2/.}

^{5. “Clay County Commission.” Welcome to Clay County, Florida. 27 July 2010. Web. 29 Sept. 2010. <http://www.claycountygov.com/>.}

75% Recycling Goal by the Year 2020

75% Recycling Goal by the Year 2020

The Energy, Climate Change and Economic Security Act of 2008 (House Bill 7135) created a statewide recycling goal of 75% by 2020 in Florida.  The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is now required to issue recommendations on how to achieve this goal by January 1, 2010.  The next public meeting held by DEP is scheduled for 11/5/09 in Tallahassee, FL.¹

Some Local Governments in Florida are passing initiatives to promote sustainable waste management systems.  Single Stream Recycling is one example, where businesses and residential customers simply place their reusable products into one container to hopefully encourage more recycling.  Weston, Florida in Broward County just adopted an ordinance to provide for single stream recycling, which will commence on 10/1/09.²

Would you like to see single stream recycling practices in your area?
Winter Park, FL of Orange County has recently approved a request to require a recycling surcharge for special event rental rates in parks.  With a 10% increase in rates, the City Commission now requires recycling for all events that take place in city parks.  The surcharge will help cover the cost of recycling bins.³

In Miami, FL the City Commission is currently discussing possible implementation of a RecycleBank Program, a rewards program that is headquartered in New York City.⁴ RecycleBank participants earn points for recycling and for practicing sustainable efforts.  Points are accumulated for actions such as “using renewable energy, reusing products, digital downloads, recycling your electronic waste, and much more”.⁵ Recycle customers can then redeem their points at over 2,400 participating retailers.  For more information visit www.recyclebank.com.

Do you feel that the recycling goal of 75% by 2020 is achievable?  Would this deter from business development and/or economic growth stimulation in FL?  What are your thoughts on recycling in general?

The following are some examples of recent recycling activity in Florida tracked by OrdinanceWatch™.  Sign up for pending local government action advisories at http://www.ordinancewatch.com/.

• Fort Myers, FL Adopts Ordinance Creating Mandatory Recycling Regulations

• Winter Park, FL Approves Request to Increase Special Event Rental Rates for Parks to Allow for Recycling Surcharge

• Miami, FL to Consider Possible Recyclebank Rewards Program

• Weston, FL Adopts Ordinance to Implement Single Stream Recycling

<sup>1. Florida 75% Recycling Goal. (2009, August 18). Florida Department of Enviornmental Protection.
Retrieved September 10, 2009, from http://www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/recyclinggoal75/
2. City Commission; Agendas/Minutes. (n.d.). The City of Weston [Weston Government]. Retrieved
September 10, 2009, from http://www.westonfl.org/Content.aspx?f=/Content/cityCommission/
agendas_Minutes.aspx#
3. “Winter Park City Commission.” Winter Park City Commission. Web. 10 Sept. 2009. <http://www.cityofwinterpark.org/Pages/Government.aspx>.
4. City of Miami. (n.d.). Retrieved September 10, 2009, from http://www.miamigov.com/cms/
5. Curbside Recycling. (n.d.). RecycleBank :: How It Works. Retrieved September 10, 2009, from
http://www.recyclebank.com/how-it-works</sup>