Scrap metal price is determined by the type of metal, location, quantity, and current market value. Copper sells for more than aluminum; scrap metal sells for more here in Dallas than in Mumbai, India; and a ton of scrap metal will sell for more than a few pounds. As for current market value, you can follow the "spot price" of a given metal. Spot price is the price that companies pay for pure ingots of a metal.
Not only is scrap metal recycling a responsible thing to do as natural resources become depleted, it can also be a profitable endeavor for scrap metal recyclers. Businesses often find it more profitable to create products from recycled materials, and a scrap metal recycler forms a valuable link in the supply chain to divert these materials from landfills back into the manufacturing cycle.
After you've finished a demolition or other project, you may wish to recycle your scrap metal. Scrap metal is not biodegradable, so it's ideal for recycling. And while Encore Recyclers will buy your metal when mixed together, you may be able to achieve a better price for your scrap by separating out your scrap metals and doing a little prep work, such as removing plastic, rubber, or other contaminants. Read on to learn how to best separate and prep your scrap materials.
Spoiler alert: NO! We saw a disturbing video of a man advocating the burning of insulated copper wire, purportedly to qualify the wire as Copper #2, which brings a higher sale value when sold as scrap than insulated wire. Please don't do this.
