By Michael Bushnell
Northeast News
January 26, 2012

You’ve seen them. Pick-up trucks prowling the neighborhood on the day prior to trash day, their beds full of every type of metal imaginable, in every shape, size and configuration known to modern man. Most are honest scrappers, scouring area curbs for washers, dryers and aluminum cans. Other scrappers, however, operate in the shadows of the night, preying on vacant properties, parking lots and rooftops, stealing copper, HVAC coils and catalytic converters, all with illegal profit as the motive.

That motive could be slowed greatly this spring if Kansas City’s City Council passes new revisions to the present scrap metal ordinance designed to make fencing stolen metal a lot tougher.

City Council member Scott Wagner is spearheading the ordinance modifications that, among other things, requires secondary scrap metal dealers to keep and maintain an electronic database, complete with photo and video records of each transaction. That system, per the new revisions, would be readily available to the city’s Regulated Industries Division and the police department for regular review. Additionally, a new stipulation would restrict dealers from receiving specific types of metals, including HVAC equipment, copper wire of 25-pair or greater and catalytic converters without a certificate of removal. Lastly, no dealers would be allowed to receive any kind of scrap from anyone bringing it in a shopping or grocery cart.

According to Wagner, neighboring municipalities are waiting for Kansas City to pass the new ordinance so they can mirror it in their cities.

“Both Independence and Jackson County are very interested in what we’re doing on this ordinance,” Wagner said. “We’re hopeful they will adopt many of the provisions in future ordinances.”

The new ordinance will be heard by the Public Safety and Emergency Services Committee at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 1, in council chambers. According to Wagner, the new ordinance could be adopted as soon as next month.