A Scrap Life

In this episode of A Scrap Life: Generational Courage, Brett sits down with Clinton, Ryan, and Saren Weinstein to explore how their family built M&M Recycling into a thriving scrap management business in Atlanta. They share their inspiring story of immigrating from South Africa, working through early struggles, and expanding from small-scale metal processing into operating four locations with heavy industrial recycling equipment.

*Note: Please excuse the audio quality on one section of the episode, which experienced technical issues during recording and had to be re-recorded later.

Produced by Recycled Media.

On this episode of A Scrap Life: American Made, Brett interviews Damon Carson, the founder of Repurposed Materials, about his business model of running an "industrial thrift store" that rescues industrial waste and byproducts for direct, high-value reuse. They explore Carson's background in the waste industry and discuss diverse, real-world examples of repurposing materials, such as ski lift cables, conveyor belts, and ballistic glass, to showcase the economic and environmental benefits of the reuse economy. Produced by Recycled Media.

On this episode of A Scrap Life: Generational Courage, Brett is joined by Shon Duty, Montana Duty and Kaila Burkett of ScrapRight. They dive deep into what it takes to run a multi-generational family scrap business, sharing the unique challenges, lessons learned, and the journey of transitioning leadership to the next generation. Produced by Recycled Media.

In this episode of A Scrap Life, Brett and Aldo discuss the volatility and complexities of the copper trade, specifically focusing on how financing costs, speculation, and potential tariffs impact the industry. They also explore the critical role of logistics in managing cash flow and explain the arbitrage between the COMEX and LME exchanges. Produced by Recycled Media.

In this July edition of The Trade, Brett and Chad discuss the sluggish July 2026 ferrous trade and historically low steel inventory levels. This episode explores how tariffs and domestic demand are keeping the U.S. market bullish even as the rest of the world faces economic weakness. Produced by Recycled Media.

In this June edition of The Trade, Brett and Chad analyze the June 2026 ferrous market "standoff," focusing on the balance between strong domestic mill demand and a cooling export market. They explore how infrastructure projects like data centers are driving scrap usage and discuss why most experts predict a "sideways" market for the month ahead. Produced by Recycled Media.

In this May copper episode of The Trade, hosts Brett and Aldo discussing how financial speculation and AI-driven demand are currently fueling a volatile copper market despite rising physical inventories. They offer strategic risk-management advice for scrap yard operators, emphasizing the importance of sticking to fundamentals while navigating the disconnect between paper trading and physical supply.

Produced by Recycled Media.

In this May ferrous episode of The Trade, hosts Brett and Chad analyze the bullish scrap metal market, highlighting record-high copper prices and steady steel demand fueled by the "AI boom" and domestic infrastructure projects. They also discuss the operational challenges of rising fuel costs and inflation while emphasizing the importance of staying disciplined and reinvesting in industrial equipment.

Produced by Recycled Media.

On this episode of A Scrap Life, Brett is joined by John Sacco to engage in a debate over whether their industry should identify as the "scrap" trade or the "recycled materials" industry. The conversation explores whether "scrap" represents a badge of honor and value identifier, or if "recycled materials" is a necessary narrative adjustment to overcome negative perceptions and avoid restrictive government regulations. Produced by Recycled Media.

In this April edition of "The Trade," hosts Brett and Chad discuss the current state of the scrap metal market, specifically examining how the Iranian war has shifted export demand toward Turkey. They further evaluate domestic market health by analyzing steel mill utilization rates, seasonal scrap flows, and the impact of rising freight costs on April pricing.

Produced by Recycled Media.