As you may know, different types of scrap metal are worth more than others. The value of a certain metal is determined by a few different factors. The first factor is the ease in which the metal can be recycled and ready for a new use. An example of this is that aluminum is much easier and cheaper for scrap metal recycling companies to recycle and process for reuse than steel is – therefore making aluminum more valuable to the recycling plant, in turn putting more money in your pocket per pound than steel would. The next factor that determines the value of a scrap metal is the abundance of supply of the metal. This principle simply comes down to the rarity of a metal. For example, there is much more iron in the world than there is gold, which is why gold is so much more expensive and companies are willing to pay more for it. One final factor that determines the value of a certain type of scrap metal is how useful that material is. For example, copper is extremely valuable because it’s used in many different types of electronic products because of its conductive properties. For this reason, along with the other factors mentioned, companies are willing to pay more per pound of copper than they are for aluminum, for example. When all these factors are taken into account, scrap metal recycling companies can determine how much they’re willing to pay for each different type of scrap metal.
The Most Valuable Types of Scrap Metal
With the factors that affect the value of each type of scrap metal in mind, you may be wondering which types of metal are worth the most when you sell them to a scrap yard. While these values may change depending on the recycling company and the ever-changing economy, below is a general guide that lists the types of scrap metal and what our team at Middleboro Recycling pays for them. For a more in-depth look at what your scrap metal is worth, check out the pricing page on our website!
- #1 Prepared: $280 per gross ton
- #1 Unprepared: $260 per gross ton
- Light Iron: $180 per gross ton
- Cars: $180 per gross ton
- Car Batteries: $8.00 each
- B&S Copper: $3.30 per pound
- #1 Copper: $3.20 per pound
- #2 Copper: $3.00 per pound
- #1 Heavy Wire: $2.60 per pound
- Rainbow Wire: $2.30 per pound
- Romex Wire: $1.90 per pound
- Brass: $1.90 per pound
- Lead: $0.50 per pound
- 304 Stainless Steel: $0.45 per pound
Contact Middleboro Recycling Center!
If you have any questions about what your scrap metal is worth or if you’re looking to recycle scrap metal in the southeastern Massachusetts area, don’t hesitate to contact us! Give us a call at (508) 946-2383 or fill out the contact form on our website and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible!