The salvage clock: what runs out first and what lasts
Which useful things spoil first (food, fuel, medicine, batteries) and which last for years (tools, metal, books, seed), and the order of work.
Quick answer
Use what spoils first, secure what lasts (tools, metal, glass, books, seed, solar panels), learn to make what runs out, and teach repair skills while there is salvage to practise on. Check buildings and chemicals before taking anything.
Part of Day Zero, the plan for an AI-related crisis that gets out of control. Why it exists. General information, not medical advice: how these guides are reviewed.
The salvage clock
For a few years after the stores close, the world is full of useful things nobody is making any more. They are a loan, not an income. Use the things that spoil first, collect the things that last, and learn to make what runs out.
What expires first
| Item | How long | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh and frozen food | days | eat or preserve at once |
| Medicine, antibiotics, insulin | months to a few years past date | store cool; check each type |
| Petrol and diesel | 1 to 2 years if untreated (diesel often longer) | use first; keep sealed and cool |
| Batteries (alkaline, lead-acid) | a few years; lead-acid die faster if not kept charged | keep charged and dry |
| Tinned food | often years past the date if the can is sound | discard swollen or leaking cans |
| Dry rice, beans, flour (sealed) | years to decades | keep dry and sealed |
| Rubber, tyres, plastics | degrade in sunlight over years | store in the dark |
What lasts
- Metal tools and sheet steel, nails, bolts, wire, pipe. Rust is the enemy: oil and keep dry.
- Glass, ceramics, bricks and stone.
- Cloth and rope if kept dry.
- Books and printed paper if kept dry.
- Seed if stored well.
- Solar panels (decades), copper wire, magnets and electric motors (long-lived).
Order of work
- Use what spoils first, carefully.
- Secure what lasts: tools, metal, books, seeds, panels. Keep an inventory.
- Learn to make what runs out: soap, rope, cloth, pottery, lime, charcoal, leather.
- Teach the repair skills while salvage is still there to practise on.
Rules
- Check before you take: buildings may be unstable, contaminated, or belong to someone. Do not take from people who are alive.
- Never enter damaged buildings alone. Mark places you have searched.
- Watch for chemicals, gas, asbestos, sharp metal, electrical hazards. Wear gloves, boots, a mask.
- Keep a log: what was taken, from where, and what is left.
Common questions
How long does petrol last?
About 1 to 2 years if untreated, kept sealed and cool; diesel often longer.
What lasts longest?
Metal tools, glass, ceramics, cloth and books kept dry, seed, and solar panels.
Is salvage safe?
Only with care: avoid unstable buildings, chemicals, gas and electrical hazards, and never salvage alone.