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Planet Money
Planet Money

The junkyard economist

May 24, 2024 · 25m
AI Summary
  • Profiles Jon Rolston, a San Francisco junkman who has spent two decades understanding which discarded items have resale value or second-life potential
  • Maps the entire ecosystem of how recyclable trash—metals, tires, cardboard—gets processed, valued, and redistributed in the economy
  • Demonstrates how understanding the junk market reveals broader economic trends and the hidden value in what society discards

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