Alabama City Partners to Save Electronics from Landfills; Local Treasure Hunter Claims Artifacts Belong in a Museum

"It belongs in a museum!" Indy Jonze Mobile, AL.

MOBILE, AL — In a groundbreaking collaboration, the city of Mobile has joined forces with Ransom Solutions, a Chickasaw-based recycling company, to keep toxic electronic waste out of landfills. However, not everyone sees this as a purely environmental effort. Local legend and self-proclaimed “garbage archaeologist” Indy Jonze weighed in, claiming, "That old toaster? That’s history. It belongs in a museum, not some fancy recycling facility."

The initiative allows Mobile residents to drop off their unwanted electronic devices—anything from phones and computers to blenders—at three designated recycling centers. Large relics like ancient tube TVs are directed to Ransom Solutions’ Chickasaw headquarters, where they are meticulously dismantled for reusable materials.

“There’s mercury, lead, all sorts of nasty stuff in electronics,” explained Ransom Solutions founder Matt Armbruster. “We separate and sell these materials to put them back into the supply chain. It’s better for the planet, and frankly, better than finding them in a ditch somewhere.”

Treasure Hunter Weighs in

But Jonze remains skeptical. "Every old laptop has a story. Sure, it’s not the Ark of the Covenant, but it’s still sacred to someone. What if we’re recycling our heritage?" Jonze also lamented that modern recycling lacks the “romance” of dumpster diving, a pastime he believes should be considered an Olympic sport.

Despite Jonze’s objections, the city is forging ahead, hailing the program as a win for both environmental health and public safety. “This isn’t just trash,” added Mayor Sandy Stimpson. “It’s an opportunity to make Mobile cleaner and greener, one ancient hairdryer at a time.”

"Chum" A Self portrait by Chum Scrumly.

Local full time beer drinker and part-time “scrap metals entrepreneur” Chum Scrumly expressed his disapproval of the city’s electronics recycling program. “Listen,” said Scrumly, cracking open his third Busch Light of the morning, “I find a lot of good precious metals in our dumps. It’s how I keep my beer fridge stocked. If they take this from me, I’ll be forced to go back to ripping copper out of city hall or children's daycares or something. And nobody wants that again.”

As residents begin emptying their attics of forgotten gadgets, Jonze vows to continue his crusade, muttering, “Recycling is fine, but history will judge us. And history belongs to the trash hunters.”

Waste Today Article

#alabama #treasure #landfill #satire #true.