Reason: "Migran Changulyan and 13 others have been charged by the state of California with fraud and face up to eight years in prison each. What did they do? They recycled cans and bottles, reported the Los Angeles Times. California forces consumers to pay a deposit on beverages sold in glass, plastic, or aluminum containers. That deposit can be redeemed at state collection centers. But Changulyan and others are charged with buying bottles and cans in Mexico and states that don't charge a deposit and bringing them to California to collect money. Discarded aluminum cans can be had elsewhere for about $950 a ton and then sold in California for about $2,490 a ton. Plastic bottles sold for $90 a ton out of state brought $910 in California."
- posted by Sophont @ Saturday, March 13, 2004