The Recycling Mafia of Taipei

I have watched the recycling activity in Taipei since late last year and find it fascinating.  The Taipei city government is involved in recycling, however the private enterprise street level recycling handles the majority of the materials, and it is big business.  From what I can tell, it is run very similar to the mafia.

At the bottom of the recycling  process is the Piciotto which are the lowest ranking soldiers.  This group is made up of thousands of elderly people that have been assigned an extra wide wagon that is pushed around the neighborhood, collecting recyclables.  The elderly can often barely walk, but yet they find a way to push the wagon up hills and over curbs.  Every night the city government sends their musical garbage recycling trucks to the neighborhood, but the Piciottos are ready to intercept you as you attempt to place the recycling in the city truck.  I refer to this activity as freelancing.   Why would someone be opposed to letting an old lady take your plastic milk jugs and cardboard containers to make some money?  Because they are your next door neighbor and the hoarders that allow garbage to ferment in the apartment below you, if you live in the slums.

The next level up is the Sgarrista .  These mafia soldiers ride bicycles and motor scooters.  They are younger and more prosperous.  You see them riding through the city with stacks of cardboard or bags of bottles attached to their bikes.  If you don’t behave well as a Sgarrista, you will be banished to Piciotto level.

Caporegime or Lieutenant gets to drive a vehicle suitable for hauling materials and doesn’t have to perform too much physical labor.  Caporegime pick up the materials from the Sgarrista and deliver them to the Capo Bastone.

The Capo Bastone is second in command and the person that moves the material to recycling yard.  These Capos are well entrenched in the mafia and get to drive large trucks, that compete in size with the city vehicles.   Capo Bastones are respected in Taipei and cause fear among the Piciottos.  If a Capo Bastone wants to double park their truck without using their emergency blinkers, who will argue with them?

At the top of the food chain is the Capo Crimini.  This guy moves the recycling materials to the end user.  This guy owns Taipei recycling and causes the city government to wonder why they even bother.  If you are lucky to witness the recycling yards where materials are ready to be loaded onto a boat, you may find a sleeping Asian.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRvgmLLlhp0&feature=player_embedded