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    March 15, 2026

    SMU Community Chat: SA Recycling's Adams 'overflowing' vision for US

    Written by Ethan Bernard

    George Adams is CEO of SA Recycling, an Orange, Calif.-based company with over 150 yards in over a dozen states, and around 4,000 employees. But it wasn’t always that way. When he began working with his father in 1977, the firm had one “tiny, little yard.” He sat down with SMU Editor-in-Chief Michael Cowden on Wednesday for a Community Chat to talk about the journey and what he’s seeing out in the market now. And how he predicts an unprecedented upcoming golden age.

    “When I started working full time with my father, my job was just to drive to the dump every day. I had a crew of guys up there, and we picked recyclables out of the trash and I would drive it back every day,” Adams said. “And we started building from there.”

    Ethan Bernard

    Ethan Bernard is managing editor for Steel Market Update. He previously worked for American Metal Market as a copy editor in the New York office for two years, starting in 2008. Later, he copy edited AMM’s monthly magazine on a freelance basis from 2015 until 2017. With experience in financial copywriting and textbook publishing, he holds a BA in Comparative Literature from UC Berkeley, and an MFA in Creative Writing from New York University. He can be reached at ethan@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-759-7871.

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