Looking at the current situation of copper wire theft in the state, the lawmakers came up with this new law that made it much harder to do by those who were out there for these kinds of activities. But nah, this Copper Wire Theft Legislation Lawsuit is actually filed by the Minnesota scrap metal industry because they think that these new rules can make it much harder for the actual and legit scap mental players to function.
What Actually Is The Problem Behind the Law?
As a matter of fact, copper wire theft is one of the significant problems, particularly in Minnesota, and it is just growing super fast. And sure enough, it was quite surprising, considering that over the past few years the thief has been cutting power lines, stealing streetlight wiring, and attacking publicly owned infrastructure just because copper even now fetches a handsome price at scrap yards. And this is all just the loss of public money because this extra expense is paid via public money.
In St. Paul, the city alone took a hit of over $1.2 million just last year when replacing stolen wiring, can you even believe that? The loss is already in millions. Minneapolis also declared their losses in the amount of approximately $545,000 over the period of two years. And other than that, since the street lights are out, that presents another danger to drive in the drak, and because of this, many accidents have already happened.
And not a single doubt in the fact that this isn’t the Minnesota only problem, nah, actually, very similar stories can be found in other parts of Washington State. Just to give you an idea of how big of a scale we’re talking here, see, the power went off for more than 1000 homes in Mason County on Thanksgiving, following the breaking of underground wires by thieves.
Why Minnesota Took Action
For this, looking at how serious this whole situation is fastly becoming, no doubt, state lawmakers figured the situation required even greater measures. And here it is, as a result, Minnesota is bringing in a new law from January 1, 2025, that will alter the way copper scrap is sold. The new legislation of copper theft is the first in the U.S., with the goal of copper theft being more difficult and less lucrative. Plain and simple!
If you haven’t gone through the law and what it actually means yet, then just know that, according to the new regulations, anyone who sells copper scrap for their profit is required to have a state-issued license, which is $250. Licensed electricians and contractors are exempt because they already have trade credentials. And to make it more effective, in contrast, scrap dealers and unlicensed sellers will now have to comply with this requirement.
There are just a few exceptions, though. Like, small household items with copper can be recycled. Besides, twice a year, on the first Fridays of April and October, anyone can sell $25 worth of copper without a license. This practice is meant to curb large-scale theft without discouraging recycling of the everyday scrap.
Why the Scrap Industry Is Pushing Back
Sure, when the talks regarding this law were going on, no doubt, the scrap metal industry was in firm opposition to this. And you can pretty much guess why.
First of all, the lawsuit was initiated by the Upper Midwest Chapter of the Recycled Materials Association, or Recycled Materials Association (ReMA). As for now, they claim that the statute is too general and may devastate legitimate recycling businesses.
In this lawsuit, see, one of the issues raised is the meaning of “copper.” Based on ReMA’s understanding, copper is present in various materials, including brass and bronze. As per their argument without more precise wording, even the recycling of ordinary articles could infringe the law.
