After months of waiting, Maui has another place that will recycle metal. People with junk cars will not be able to bring them to the site, however, but will need to have them towed by a tow truck company.
SOS Metal Inc., is a major Southern California based metals recycling and sales company. It is is now open for business in the Maui Baseyard facility in Puunene.
The centerpiece of the SOS operation is a $400,000 Sierra Car Baler. The vehicle is processed by a device which drains all fluids. These materials are then stored. The Freon in the vehicle air conditioning system is also captured and shipped to a Freon recycler.
The cars are fed into the baler by an excavator, a giant mechanical claw. Then the hydraulically operated crusher does its job and spits out a neatly compacted mass of metal just one fifth the size of the vehicle.
The recyclable metals are shipped off island, with most of Maui’s metals destined for the mainland or Asia, however that can change as market conditions change.
According to SOS Vice President Sandy Shadrow, “In virtually any town in Southern California 12 cars a day is insignificant, nobody would even notice. But here on Maui it is a major problem, a problem that has been overwhelming the ability of the community to deal with it.”
This fact is what drove Shadrow and his brother, Don, to invest over $1 million or so in the Maui operation. In addition to cars, SOS plans to handle other recyclable metals.
Bruce Mizel will manage the Maui operation.
For more information call 808-280-8844 or go online to www.sosmetalsmaui.com.