Empire Steel

Review: We took CRV recyclables,some expired copper wire&misc metal items to Empire Steel in Yuba City.The weighmaster [redacted] said we were only allowed to recycle 100lbs of glass bottles per day but that he could break it up into 3 transactions(1 for myself,1 for my husband and 1 for my daughter).We were only able to recycle 300lbs of glass bottles from our load.Instead of bringing the rest of the load home we asked if we could just leave it there.He said to go ahead.After we unloaded the glass bottles,2 workers started emptying the bottles into cans and weighing them which I found odd.When I got home I found out the limit is 1,000lbs per day so we were totally misled.When the copper was weighed,we were told that there was 100lbs(which we knew there was becuase we weighed it before we took it in)&it would be paid at $2.23 per pound.However the total was only 59lbs paid at $1.49.We did not catch this until after we left because in they office they started talking about the glass limit&that there is a 3 day waiting period to be paid on copper so we told them ok we'll wait but instead [redacted] said that due to the inconvenience of the limit on the glass they'd give us the check that day.I noticed the discrepancy as well as we were only paid for 9lbs of dirty aluminum for a copper radiator on the invoice once we were on the way home.My husband called&spoke to [redacted].He just denied saying that there was 100 lbs of copper as well as that the radiator was not copper.I spoke to the owner,[redacted],she said that she was sorry for the mix up that the employees were confused due to the new regulations of 100lbs for aluminum&plastic.She said that [redacted] had made up another tag for the remainder of the bottles &he thought we were coming back another day.Not once did he mention coming back to us&I think he only did it after my husband called to speak to him&said that we would be contacting the recycling board.[redacted] said she'd mail check for glass but didn't say how much&that she couldn't do anything about copper.Desired Settlement: I would like to be paid for the difference between the $2.23 we were told we'd be paid and the $1.49 we were actually paid as well as the missing weight of copper.We were told 100 lbs but only paid on 59lbs.As well as they only paid $0.13 per pound for 9lbs of copper from a copper radiator because they paid us for dirty aluminum.

Business

Response:

The CRV issue has already been explained and resolved, both with the customer and here at the business with my employees. Non Ferrous grading (copper, brass, aluminum) is a difficult thing for the average customer to understand and when a customer has copper they may not understand how it is priced. We have 10 different categories for copper depending on whether is has a coating or not and how thick each individual strand of wire is. The Poes asked how much #1 copper is and were told $2.23 per pound but what they brought for recycling was #2 copper and they were paid accordingly. The radiator was an aluminum radiator, not brass as they may have thought. When they called after being paid and leaving [redacted] asked them to come back to the yard so that he could show them why it was graded this way, or take their material back. They became increasingly angry over the phone and refused to come back. [redacted] called and spoke to me two days later requesting that we pay her the difference in price for copper and that they were owed more weight. I told her that it was too late, there was nothing we could do this far after the fact. Regarding the weight discrepancy, I told her that we have been in the community for 16 years and wanted the repeat business, not a one time score. They were paid 3.4 pounds of #1 copper @ 2.32 and 59 pounds of #2 copper @ 1.49 and 9 pounds of dirty aluminum sheet (radiator) @ .13 cents per pound. The difference in what they were paid and what they are asking for is $131.29. I am willing to pay this to them because I think this could have been settled amicably at the time of the transaction if it wasn't for the confusion over the new crv law by either educating them about the non ferrous grade or they could have taken their material back with them.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to my concern, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me if she in facts sends the check since she told the weight &measures dept she would send the check last Mon(4/28)but we have not received it.

However I do not agree with all that was stated.Yes I did receive a check for some of the glass CRV but [redacted] said that [redacted] had made the tag up the day we were there but the tag was dated 2 days later and had a different weighmasters name on it as well as just estimates for the weight.As for the radiator it was copper not aluminum.When [redacted] said we could come back it seemed pointless because he refused to admit he was wrong but below I have included the response from the local weight & measurements dept that clearly states they were in the wrong.Thank you for time.