Join Jon Rolston, a junkman with a knack for finding hidden treasures in trash, as he takes us through the lucrative world of reusable junk. From valuable items like gold rings to the intricate process of recycling scrap materials, Jon reveals the economic insights hidden in our discarded goods.
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Quick takeaways
Understanding the junk market can reveal significant economic trends.
Junk can be repurposed for profit with expertise in identifying valuable materials and markets.
Deep dives
Exploring the Value of Junk
John Ralston, a junk collector, sees discarded items not as trash, but as economic indicators and potential money-makers. By understanding the junk market, one can grasp various economic trends. Through his expertise, John turns trash into treasure by selling valuable materials like copper, aluminum, and lead to recycling centers, demonstrating the financial potential hidden in what others may perceive as junk.
eBay Adventures and Market Analysis
John leverages eBay to sell items salvaged from cleanouts, using specific criteria to determine their worth. He delves into peculiar yet valuable objects like vintage items and assesses competition, sell-through rates, and market demand to ensure successful sales. By acting as a matchmaker between items and buyers, John unlocks value in unexpected treasures, turning seemingly useless items into profitable sales.
Turning Trash into Profit
Despite facing the overwhelming burden of being the last hope for discarded items, John's efforts pay off as he successfully earns over $900 in a day through scrapping and eBay sales. His meticulous approach to identifying valuable materials and finding suitable markets showcases how dedication and knowledge can transform junk into a profitable business venture, breathing new life into items destined for disposal.
On today's episode, we ride through the streets of San Francisco with a long-time junkman, Jon Rolston.
Jon has spent the last two decades clearing out houses and offices of their junk. He's found all sorts of items: a life-time supply of toilet paper, gold rings, $20,000 in cash. Over the years, he's developed a keen eye for what has value and what might sell. He's become a kind of trash savant.
As we ride with Jon, he shows us the whole ecosystem of how our reusable trash gets dealt with — from metals (ferrous and non-ferrous) to tires to cardboard. And we see how our junk can sometimes get a second chance at life.
If you can understand the junk market like Jon, you can understand dozens of trends in our economy.
This episode was hosted by Erika Beras and James Sneed, and produced by James Sneed with help from Emma Peaslee. It was edited by Jess Jiang. Engineering by Josh Newell. It was fact-checked by Sierra Juarez. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer.