Source: Malia Wollan, Associated Press [Baltimore Sun] ( Free Registration )

SAN FRANCISCO - Every Wednesday night, Bruce Johnson dutifully puts his garbage and recycling on the curb for pickup, and every week he fumes as small trucks idle in front of his home and strangers dig through his bins stealing trash they aim to turn into treasure.

Glass breaks, paper flies—the loot’s gone hours before the waste company even arrives. “They’re like an army out there,” said Johnson. “They’re in trucks. They’re on cell phones. It’s a business.”

With prices for aluminum, cardboard and newsprint going up and an economic slowdown putting added pressure on people’s pocketbooks, curbside refuse has become a hot commodity. A truck piled high with mixed recyclables can fetch upward of $1,000; newspapers alone can grab about $600.

Read Full Article: Cutting down recyclables theft