Types of Materials

Not all scrap is worth the work. Some metal is worth more simply because it's easier to sell as scrap metal. These include semiprecious metals like copper, brass, and aluminum but don't forget that aluminum, steel, and stainless steel are just as viable. 

Aluminum is especially popular because it’s lightweight and easy to forge. Copper is another that is very popular because of its conductivity for electrical wiring and is a great choice for plumbing. Don’t forget that Brass is just as popular since it’s used in making everything from musical instruments to decorative door knockers. With Stainless steel, it has a unique ability to resist corrosion for things like kitchen utensils and knives.

When it comes to steel, this is appreciated for the resilient strength that is sought after for making structures like bridges and tall buildings. 

The Art of Scrapping

But the biggest part of this type of recycling is determining and locating the specific shops that recycle these metals. Some shops only deal with large-scale scrapping, while smaller recycling shops accept smaller amounts.

The real trick is finding a business that will buy your scrap, or at least negotiate a deal for the best price in return. Locating a steady amount of scrap is key if you're looking to turn a consistent profit. One of the most common ways to do this is to seek out metal fabrication shops that end up with a lot of left over scraps. Often times,  you can negotiate to remove their scrap for free if they agree to give the scrap at no cost. If they already have buyer that pays for the scraps you may need to offer to pay something lower than market value for your effort to take away the scrap. 

Sorting and transporting scrap will be the majority of your work. You'll need to be sure you have a truck and or trailer that's up to the task of moving large amount of materials. And since you'll need to sort metals by type you'll need to have a good amount of work space where you can layout all the various types of metals you collect prior to hauling them off to the recycling centers.

Recycling centers are real sticklers for keeping their metal free from contaminants like paint, plastic, and particles that don’t belong there. As long as all of your scrap is consistent and clean, they’ll be happy to do business with you. This is where you’ll have to do some digging to find recycling centers that may not be listed publicly to find a yard that will give you a better price than the publicly used recycling yards.

Selecting a Scrap Yard

If you want the best prices for your scrap, you need to look at the large-scale scrap recyclers. They will pay better but will have a minimum amount that you need to offer for them to accept. This can work out better if you want bigger profit rather than selling to smaller recyclers who will likely pay you less because you have minimum amounts of scrap to offer.

Metal scrapping isn't for everyone but is a rewarding and potentially profitable business for those who like a challenge. It's also a great way to recycle items instead of it creating waste. 

If you’re still having trouble finding good recycling companies then you can also check our favorite scrap metal yards and recyclers in Phoenix. And though this type of business opportunity may not reap the rewards of recycling gold, platinum, or silver, it’s more likely that you can feel better about the sustainability and recycling aspects of scrap metal. If you're clever and persistent with a keen eye for saving the earth differently, then perhaps metal scrap recycling is for you.