Your Papers Please!

I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised that I was asked for my driver's license at the Eureka City Garbage recycling center yesterday. There's been talk for some time about some way to clamp down on people selling stolen scrap metal such as manhole covers and copper wire. Still, at a time when there's a glut on recyclables you wouldn't think it would be much of an issue.

But they asked for my id when I took my aluminum cans in for redemption. I had to ask the girl running the scale what the reason was for the policy change. She said they'd had instances of people not using their real names when signing the receipts for the stuff they brought in. I can't imagine how they would even of known someone used a fake name unless the police came by asking for information about someone.

I suppose I shouldn't mention this but the system they use for checking id probably doesn't accomplish their goal anyway. The girl at the scale looked at my id, but the cashier gal was the one who had me sign the receipt and paid me. She had no way of knowing whether I signed with my real name. If you're going to do it like that, what's the point?

Hey! Mums a word. I didn't write anything about this. Probably best to let sleeping dogs lie or next thing you know they'll require us to be photographed with the recyclables we bring in.