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John Sacco reveals how recycled metals are the unsung heroes fueling everything from hospitals to highways, and yes—even your car.

John Sacco, owner of Sierra Machinery International, joins Paul J Daly, Kyle Mountsier, and Michael Cirillo to unpack the surprisingly central role of recycled metals in modern life. With his signature food-and-wine finesse, John dives into the art of recycling—from molten aluminum forklifts on Toyota’s factory floors to copper’s critical role in electrification—while keeping it casually riveting.

They take us behind the scenes of Repurposed Season 3, where John partners with Toyota to spotlight green manufacturing at its finest. His passion—to change the face of an industry often dismissed as “garbage”—shines when he reminds us: you can’t build a single American-made vehicle today without recycled aluminum. Expect insights on Kaizen manufacturing, international standardization, EV battery waste, and why nobody’s asking the right questions—until now.

0:00 – Why recycled metals matter more than you think

0:45 – How fine dining and recycling connect

2:18 – How to land a Toyota docuseries deal

4:05 – How Toyota makes aluminum manufacturing green

7:30 – Why Toyota standardizes cylinder heads worldwide

14:21 – Why recycled metals may be greener than EVs

16:15 – Why EVs aren’t as recyclable as you think

17:45 – How Toyota stays green without going full EV

19:34 – Why rare earths are a big problem for EVs

20:25 – How EV batteries are creating a recycling bottleneck

22:00 – Why copper demand is exploding with EV growth

23:30 – How electrification affects everything—from lawnmowers to golf courses

Connect with John Sacco at https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-sacco-8a8a1b10/

Learn more about Re:purposed at https://therepurposedseries.com/

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