Pile of Scrap Ep. 52: Back and Better Than Ever with Robin Wiener

Back and better than ever, the 2022 National ISRI Convention is, once again, a face-to-face event in Las Vegas, Nevada! As we all prepare for the biggest show in the recycling industry, ISRI President Robin Wiener discusses the victories ISRI has had over the past two years since the COVID-19 pandemic began and doubles down on what needs to change going forward. Although the organization is doing all it can to represent “responsible recycling,” initiate a change in verbiage to create a better narrative and provide resources to members to create a more sustainable and resilient planet, Robin says that ISRI can’t do it alone without the help of membership.

Pile of Scrap Ep. 51: Buckling Down for 2022

With how fast the economy changes, we’ve invited Jason Schenker, one of the most accurate financial forecasters and futurists in the world, back again for his third time on the podcast. Being so close-knit with the recycling industry, Jason gives us the full rundown on the labor market, what’s going on in the metal commodity sector, and issues such as shortages in manufacturing equipment. Jason also discusses some major talking points, such as the global debt and the Russian-Ukraine crisis and how these issues can slow growth for recyclers in 2022.

Pile of ScrapEp. 44: The Recycling Solution with Balcones Resources

Experts in recovering resources through recycling since 1994, Balcones Resources leads the charge for a cleaner recycling stream in Austin, Dallas, and Little Rock, Texas. CEO Kerry Getter and Vice President of Strategy, Richie Getter, discuss the multitude of changes needed to create a greener environment, including educating the public, increasing curbside programs, and adequately recycling small-format packaging. As Richie says, there’s a long way to go in North America, but getting a grasp on these significant issues is a tremendous start.

Pile of Scrap Ep. 43: Let’s Talk Recycling with NFL Quarterback Mark Sanchez

Recycling doesn’t stop at the recycling bin. As recyclers, we know that, but do consumers? After touring Sierra Recycling & Demolition, former NFL quarterback and current ESPN Analyst Mark Sanchez got valuable insight into the recycling industry, the common misconceptions, and steps consumers must take to recycle correctly. Sanchez then discusses the life-altering moments crucial to gaining the confidence he needed to become the sports icon he is today.

Pile of Scrap Ep. 42: Packaging the Right Way with Atlantic Packaging

As someone who’s spent his entire youth and most of his adult life as an avid surfer, President of Atlantic Packaging Wes Carter has seen the damages that plastic pollution has had on our oceans firsthand. When approached about what the packaging industry is doing about it, a lightbulb finally went off. Since then, Wes is leading the charge in advocating for better ways to clean up landfills and save our oceans’ wildlife, all of which includes getting consumers and packaging manufacturers to join the conversation, get the Elon Musks and the Bill Gates of the world to believe in this initiative, and altogether address the misconceptions of plastic recycling.

Pile of Scrap Ep. 41: Sierra's Young Guns

The service technicians over at Sierra bring a new light to the term, “Young Guns” as they sit with John Sacco to talk all about how this industry has transformed them from “boys to men” seeing as their maturity levels have grown over the years. Ricardo Diaz, Angel Mariscal, and Arturo Madrigal (Jr.) together discuss the common mistakes all the way to the impressive attributes they see at their customers’ yards, the importance of having smart, young and talented individuals in the industry, and their experiences on the job.

Pile of Scrap Ep. 35: Walk the Yard - Scrap is Not Waste

Walking through Sierra’s scrapyard, John Sacco realizes he has a few things he needs to get off his chest. Although touching on topics all across the board, he doubles down how exactly government legislators are silencing those in the recycling industry when it comes to how recycled commodities should be labeled. John says enough is enough! It’s time to speak up and get our message out there: Scrap is not waste.

Pile of Scrap Ep. 34: Mr. Foontastic!

Surprise! John Sacco packs his bags and heads to Sterling Heights, Michigan to pay his good friend, Mikey Foon, an unexpected visit. As the fourth-generation owner of Admiral Metals, things are a bit different for Mikey than when his great-grandfather owned the place during the horse-and-buggy days. Through mastering social media, putting plans in place for a second location, and learning to cope with the toll COVID-19 has taken, Mikey still expresses his excitement for this business every day.

Pile of Scrap Ep. 33: Dave Wolf of JWR - The Jack of All Trades 

Initially establishing itself as a small welding and repair shop in 1972, JWR has evolved into a national waste and recycling equipment company offering additional services over the years, such as sandblasting, painting, truck and hoist repair, and container repair. Traveling to Johnson Creek, Wisconsin, John Sacco joins Dave Wolf, Owner of JWR, to talk about the lack of recycling in rural America, how COVID-19 has affected business, and present safety concerns.

Pile of Scrap Ep. 32: Reuse & Recycle with Bulrushed Books

Back in Moscow, Idaho, John visits the Beauchamp’s to hear how a Pile of Scrap episode influenced their company, Bulrushed Books. For a business that began its start in repairing old, abused books, Mark and Kristen Beauchamp have since made quite the impact within the recycling industry… All thanks to the insight of Pile of Scrap guest Leonard Zeid, President of Paper Stock Industries. Figuring that books are incredibly tricky to recycle due to their binding, Mark and Kristen developed the idea to debind their books to help maintain a clean recycling stream, which ultimately assisted their company’s growing success.