"Americans produce more junk than any other country, providing a good living for metals dealers like Mark Lewon who specialize in old copper wire, pipe and parts. Most of the stuff fed voracious demand in China, where for years it was recycled and used to build office towers, cars and appliances. Not anymore."

"In early May, China implemented a 30-day ban on all scrap-copper imports, part of wider limits on all sorts of imported waste like paper, plastic and scuttled ships. The government wants to clean up decades of pollution from heavy industry and jump start domestic recycling. But without the world’s biggest buyer, U.S. prices dropped and inventories ballooned. Scrap dealers are offering discounts to spark sales at home and lure new buyers in places like Turkey, India, Japan and Malaysia."