Scrap Metal Collection & Recycling

What metals are collected

• Non-ferrous: copper, brass, aluminium, lead, zinc, stainless steel, nickel, tin (highest value).
• Ferrous: steel, cast iron, mild steel, white goods (washing machines, fridges, cookers).
• Cable: insulated copper and aluminium cable (priced by recoverable metal weight).
• End-of-life vehicles: cars, vans, motorbikes, tractors.
• Catalytic converters (heavily regulated due to theft — full ID and vehicle proof required).
• Industrial scrap: machinery, beams, pipework, fabrication offcuts.

Will you get paid? How pricing works

Yes — but never in cash. Under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013, all payments in England, Scotland and Wales must be made by cheque or BACS bank transfer, and the dealer must record your name, address and verify your photo ID (driving licence or passport) before paying. Anyone offering you cash is operating illegally and almost certainly unlicensed.

Pricing is set daily based on the London Metal Exchange (LME) — the global benchmark. Rates fluctuate with global commodity markets and copper, in particular, can move 5–10% in a single week. A reputable dealer will quote you the day's rate per kilo for each metal stream and weigh your load on a calibrated scale in front of you.

Legal requirements for scrap metal dealers

• Hold a Scrap Metal Dealer Licence from the local council (mobile or site-based).
• Hold an Environment Agency Waste Carrier Licence for transport.
• Pay only by cheque or BACS — never cash.
• Verify and record seller ID for every transaction.
• Keep transaction records for at least three years.
• Display the licence number on vehicles and at the yard.

Old boilers, cars and white goods

Old combi boilers and back boilers contain valuable copper heat exchangers and brass fittings — most scrap collectors will take them for free and many will pay £20–£60 depending on size and copper content. Make sure the gas supply is capped before removal.

End-of-life cars must go to an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF). The ATF will issue a Certificate of Destruction (CoD), which you send to the DVLA to officially scrap the vehicle and stop being liable for tax and insurance. Never accept a 'cash for cars' deal from someone who can't issue a CoD — the car remains legally yours and any later fly-tipping is your problem.

White goods (washing machines, fridges, freezers, dishwashers, cookers) are accepted as scrap, but fridges and freezers contain regulated refrigerant gases that must be degassed at a specialist facility under the WEEE regulations. A licensed scrap collector will handle this; an unlicensed one may simply rip the compressor off and leak refrigerant into the atmosphere — illegal and environmentally damaging.