Where to Sell & Recycle Scrap Metal

Most scrap yards buy metal and pay by weight, with prices that move daily with global commodity markets. Non-ferrous metals (copper, brass, aluminum) pay far more than ferrous steel and iron. Call ahead or open a yard's page for the day's rate, and bring a photo ID — many states require it and pay by check for regulated metals.

“Dirty” or contaminated copper still has attachments — paint, solder, fittings, insulation or other metals mixed in. It pays less than “clean” bright or bare copper, so stripping wire and removing fittings before you sell usually earns a higher per-pound price.

You can, but you shouldn't — metal is valuable and endlessly recyclable, and many transfer stations divert it anyway. Taking it to a scrap yard keeps it out of the landfill and often pays you cash. Small steel and aluminum cans are also accepted by many curbside programs.

Most common metals are recyclable, but yards usually won't take radioactive or hazardous-contaminated metal, heavily leaded items, or pressurized containers (propane tanks, aerosols) unless they're purged, and they pay little for pieces with a lot of non-metal attached. Call first about appliances with refrigerant or anything unusual.

Yards sort metal by type, then shear or shred it and sell it to mills that melt it down into new product. Steel and aluminum can be recycled over and over using a fraction of the energy needed to make metal from ore — which is exactly why there's a paying market for your scrap.