What Scrap Yards Buy: Metals, Appliances and Car Parts
What scrap metal yards usually buy and refuse, and what to bring when you sell.
Short answer: Scrap metal yards buy almost anything that is mostly metal: cars, appliances, copper pipe and wire, aluminum cans and siding, brass, cast iron, steel and old engines. U-Pull-It.com is a directory of yards, not a buyer. Use the list below to see what yards usually take, then find a yard near you and call before you load the truck, because each yard sets its own rules and prices.
Ferrous or non-ferrous: why it changes the price
Ferrous metals contain iron. Steel and cast iron are the common ones, in car bodies, appliances, beams and food cans. A magnet sticks to them, and yards pay for them by the ton.
Non-ferrous metals have no iron: aluminum, copper, brass, bronze, lead and zinc. Most stainless steel in sinks and cookware is not magnetic or only slightly. These pay far more per pound, so sort them away from the steel before you go. A mixed load is often paid at the price of its cheapest metal.
For current ranges by grade, see scrap metal prices.
What do scrap yards usually accept?
This is the list most general scrap yards work from. The yard's inspector decides on the day, and the condition in the right-hand column often decides the price.
| Item | What the yard usually asks for |
|---|---|
| Cars, trucks, golf carts | A title or the proof of ownership your state accepts; many yards want fluids drained |
| Engines, transmissions, motors | Oil and fuel drained |
| Alternators, starters, electric motors | Loose units; no steel brackets attached |
| Radiators, car and house | Coolant drained; steel brackets off for the brass and copper grades |
| Washers, dryers, stoves, water heaters, dishwashers | Empty of water |
| Refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners | Refrigerant recovered first. The yard has to make sure it was, so many ask for a signed statement or charge to recover it |
| Copper pipe, wire and gutters | Bare wire kept apart from insulated wire |
| Aluminum cans, siding, gutters, awnings, ladders, wheels | Free of steel screws, plastic and tires |
| Brass and bronze fittings, faucets | Steel handles and plastic removed |
| Cast iron tubs, sinks, radiators, grills | Nothing special; very heavy items may need the yard's loader |
| Steel beams, rebar, pipe, fencing, drums, sheet metal | Drums empty and open; no concrete on fence posts |
| Stainless steel sinks, pots and pans | Kept apart from regular steel |
| Lawn mowers, tractors, bicycles, exercise equipment | Gas and oil out; tires off mowers |
| Light fixtures, fuse panels, electric meters | Ballasts removed, since older ones can contain PCBs |
| Transformers | Oil-free only |
| Lead wheel weights and flashing | Kept apart from other metals |
What do most yards refuse?
Expect a no for tires, motor oil, antifreeze, paint, closed or full fuel tanks, propane and other compressed gas cylinders, household batteries and old tube televisions. Sealed containers and anything still holding fluid are a fire risk in the shredder. Car batteries are the exception: most yards buy lead-acid batteries.
What to bring when you sell scrap
Many states require scrap buyers to record who they buy from, so bring a government photo ID. For a car, bring the title or the paperwork your state accepts in its place. Some states require yards to pay by check for certain metals, copper and catalytic converters in particular, so do not count on cash on the spot.
Selling a whole car?
A complete car usually brings more sold whole than stripped and weighed as steel. See what cars bring as scrap on scrap car prices, compare offers through cash for cars, and read what to remove before scrapping a car. To find a yard, start with junkyards near me.