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Join this channel to get access to perks: Want to learn more about Periscope Film and get access to exclusive swag? Join us on Patreon. Visit Visit our website This 1950s short film “Treasure in a Garbage Can” was written, directed, and photographed by Richards Hardman and Walter Perkins with the cooperation of the Refuse Collection Division Bureau of Sanitation Department of Public Works City of Los Angeles. This film looks at the process of trash collection and recycling in Los Angeles and seeks to communicate that a good waste disposal system can turn rubbish into treasure for the entire society. The Los Angeles By-Products Company, The Los Angeles County Toy Lending Center, and The Independent Paper Stock Company C.J. Lyons, INC also contributed to the production of this film. Music was composed by Clara Jean Lolmaugh. It was narrated by John Jacobs. The film opens with a scene of a man cleaning a cob of corn and then throwing away the excess (1:04). Clearing food off of dinner plates (1:10). Piles of glass bottles (1:17). Throwing rubbish into a tin trash can (1:26). Breaking glass bottle (1:28). Piles of unwanted furniture and trash (1:38). Chicken eating feed off the ground (1:50). Row of trash cans (1:53). White cat on top of trash cans (1:58). Dog trying to eat out of overturned trash can (2:01). Many trash cans filled up to the brim with trash (2:13). Garbage collectors going to work (2:20). African-American garbage collector directs garbage truck (2:27). White garbage collector drives the truck (2:33). Garbage truck leaving for the day (2:40). Father carries trash with son following him (3:02). Food scraps in one tin trash can and one box with bottles (3:07). Woman carrying trash can to the curb (3:17). Garbage truck moving down the street (3:28). Garbage collector prepares his truck to accept trash (3:39). Garbage collector riding on the edge of the garbage truck holding the tin trash can (3:54). Boy breaks a piggy bank (4:11). Garbage collector collecting garbage (4:31). Boy gives trash can to the garbage collector (4:50). Weighing the amount of garbage collected (5:14). Dispatcher records info (5:18). Map of Los Angeles (5:20). Garbage truck backs into the emptying area (5:36). African-American garbage collector attaches the trash container to the hanger (5:51). The container with trash is lifted (6:02). White garbage collector flipping switch (6:07). Trash being dumped into a trash pit (6:13). Garbage truck is washed down with water (6:24). Garbage being transferred to a different vehicle (7:09). Garbage truck emptying glass and metal (7:57). Man sorts through the rubbish (8:05). Sorter finds a baby doll (8:24). Magnetic roller attracts everything made of iron (8:38). Glass bottles are set aside (8:58). Trash sorters sorting the trash (9:20). Pile of saved toys (9:35). Metal cans being dumped into a sea of metal cans (10:05). Furnace (10:32). Cans move in a bucket elevator (10:46). Bluky metal (riff raff) is handled by a large claw (11:04). Metal going into shredder (11:19). Shredded metal (11:36). Piles of discarded metal (12:00). Mountain of discarded glass (12:05). Glass is washed (12:28). Workers sort through broken glass (cullet) (12:42). Pile of broken glass (13:04). Storage area for discarded items such as toys (13:14). Diverse force of female volunteers repair discarded toys (13:23). Leg gets attached to doll (13:45). Babydoll face painted (14:21). Doll’s hair is brushed (14:38). Doll styled and dressed (14:50). Shot of repaired dolls (15:00). Toy trucks (15:27). Boy plays with toy garbage truck (15:32). Pig (15:58). New glass from the disposed bottles (16:11). Copper plant benefits from recycled tin cans (16:13). Repaired doll (16:17). We encourage viewers to add comments and, especially, to provide additional information about our videos by adding a comment! See something interesting? Tell people what it is and what they can see by writing something for example: “01:00:12:00 -- President Roosevelt is seen meeting with Winston Churchill at the Quebec Conference.“ This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit
