In large cities, productive homeless people often collect $300 bucks in bottles and cans each night. I saw a picture of one guy with a garbage bag that was filled to about 12’ in height.
In my city, I’m aware of one guy that pays the homeless bring him bottles and cans. He gives half the cash upfront, because he’s doing it at night. He bought himself a really nice $100,000 Ford with his proceeds.
Not possible, two regulation sized garbage cans full of collapsed aluminum cans, will get you about $12 from recyclers. You need semi loads to make any money.
In Lynchburg, Virginia there was a man named Johnny that came back from the war in Korea not quite right in the head. Couldn’t hold down a job, wife kicked him out so he lived wherever he could. Usually in an abandoned house or something.
Back in the day Johnny would pick up returnable bottles and turn them in at the store for eating money and whatnot. He would collect cans from bars and save that money for long term use. He had two bars that fed him every night for mopping up for them.
Once a week someone with a truck would take Johnny and his cans to the recycler and he would put that money in the bank. Johnny saved enough to put both of his kids through the Community College.
Unfortunately when Johnny died his kids showed up and ripped through the old house he was living in looking for more money. Not finding any they went home, leaving his body unclaimed.
The businesses that knew johnny put out collection jars and we all gave the old fella a grand send off. He had a nice casket and the preacher gave a fine service and the fella was laid to rest with a beautiful headstone.