What Scrap Metal Buyers Look for: Guide on Maximising Its Value

A few months ago, a small plastic manufacturer from Victoria faced a frustrating experience. After selling scrap metals to a recycling company, he received a payment that barely covered his lunch. That too, when he disposed of a big pile of leftover metals from a machinery upgrade. 

Confused and anxious, he later discovered that his scrap had rusted iron and concrete-laid steel in one bin. The buyers didn’t pay much because they are cutting the time and effort required for sorting and cleaning those junks.

Many industry sellers and homeowners repeat this mistake. And if you’re on the same page, it’s time to turn your waste into a ready-to-recycle metal. In this guide, you will discover what scrap metal buyers are looking for and how you must prepare a junk metal before recycling. 

Each Scrap Metal is Different 

Most of us see old metal as junk and assume a fair price for the better volume. But scrap buyers see it as a potential to invent another metal. The better the quality is, the more value it brings. 

For this reason, the value of your scrap metal depends on following things:

• Type of Metal: Copper and brass are worth more than steel or aluminium.

• Condition: Clean and rust-free metal is easier to recycle and reduces time & effort.

• Purity: Uncontaminated or sorted junks attract better prices.

• Weight: More volume of loads only matter when it is of a premium quality. 

If you’ve ever earned lesser value for obsolete metal, any of the above factors could be a reason. This is why, preparing your junk metal well before sending it to scrap metal buyers is the best approach. 

Junk Metal Preparing Tips That Actually Pay Off

Whether you’re a commercial owner clearing out old machinery parts or a homeowner cleaning a garage, here are a few ways to enhance the quality of your old and damaged metal. 

• Sort it Out:

Use a magnet to assess the kind of metal you have. Steel is the only metal that pulls magnet while copper, brass, or aluminium does not. Once you find the metal type, separate each of them in an individual bin. Sort all the aluminium scraps from copper or steel from brass. Buyers consider sorted metal as valuable and will pay more for making their job easier. 

• Clean it Up:

Cleaning junk metal might seem like doing the actual cleaning (not until you discovered that your metal is unrecognisable). But, in this context, it means removing plastic fittings, oil cans, paint boxes, and rubber seals from the junk. Scrap metal buyers factor in the grade of your scrap to determine its final value. 

• Lower the Weight of Heavy Junk Metals:

If the junk contains long frames or heavy equipment, your buyer will eventually slice the waste into a measurable quantity. Dismantling or cutting the heavy metal parts makes storing, transporting, and weighing easier. This is highly relevant for commercial business owners who might have large volumes of obsolete metal. 

• Use Proper Containers:

Don’t toss everything in a garbage bin or cardboard box. Use crates or tubs and group similar items together. If you don’t have one, some recycling companies also offer free metal collection bin service. This allows you to order a large size of bin and dispose of clean and sorted junk in one bin. When the bin is full, you can call a representative of scrap metal buyers to collect the same. 

• Label your Metals:

This isn’t mandatory, but some sellers do label each metal with tape. This helps in understanding the metal type and streamlines the metal weighing process. For a seller like you, you get paid fairly well and quickly for reducing the buyer’s effort. 

It might take you an hour or two to do this preparation but every effort is worth it for maximising the return. 

Few Overlooked Items to Prepare and Sell 

You might not realise the value of the metal waste until it provides a considerable value. Here are a few commonly overlooked (but valuable!) items scrap metal buyers look for:

• Old copper pipes 

• Brass taps and fittings

• Aluminium window or door frames

• Appliance wirings

• Car batteries or radiators

• Broken power tools

• Old fencing

Costly Mistakes to Avoid When Preparing the Junk Scrap

Lastly, let’s quickly run through a few mistakes that occur when preparing a junk metal for recycling. Along with this, you will know how to fix them. 

• Mixing metals together whether in a bin or outside of it is the most obvious one. This increases the buyer’s time and energy and consequently increases the sorting cost and reduces the junk return value. 

• Selling metal waste at the wrong time is a costly mistake too. Scrap prices go up and down every week and sometimes daily. Knowing the pricing before unloading the waste from your location helps in getting the right value for money. 

• Selling small pieces of scrap over the days instead of considering the bulk rates. Many scrap metal buyers pay more for large and clean loads than the other way around. Plan for storage and get the better value for the exchanged metal. 

• Including banned or dangerous items (like gas cylinders or asbestos-contaminated metals) lowers the worth of the metal too. 

Scrap yards are always willing to pay the metal-worth if you are considering each of the factors. 

Final Words

We hope you found this blog useful. As you see, preparing your junk metal before selling makes  a real difference in getting the right money for every disposal.

Even when you are a busy professional or a homemaker, taking out some time to meet the buyer’s expectations is the key to establishing a long-term relationship. If you need advice on how to sort your metal? Want a fair price for your junk metal? Reach out to any of your local trusted scrap metal buyers. 

Union Metal Recycling is a decade-old company which is known for sourcing all kinds of junk metal coming from commercial and residential owners. Contact the team today to learn more.