Where to sell scrap and recyclables at a good price per kg
Why scrap buyers' prices differ so much
Waste paper, PET, glass, batteries or metal scrap are taken in many places, but rates per kilogram differ: they depend on cleanliness, quantity and whether the buyer collects from your place. Visiting five yards with a load in the boot is unrealistic, so it is smarter to find out the terms first.
On BlaBlaPrice you describe what you have, and scrap dealers and collectors write in themselves with what they are ready to pay and whether they will come. It is free for you.
What is important to state
A buyer values a specific lot, not “iron in general”. The more precise the description, the more realistic the price:
- type of material — ferrous metal, non-ferrous (copper, brass, aluminium), paper, PET, glass, batteries, plastic;
- quantity — approximate weight in kg or tonnes;
- condition — clean or mixed, sorted, insulated or with impurities;
- pickup — whether you will bring it yourself or need the buyer's vehicle;
- loading — whether it needs cutting, dismantling or loading;
- address — the city and area where the material lies;
- payment — cash or bank transfer, documents needed for a company;
- desired price per kilogram or overall.
Example: “I have about 500 kg of insulated cable and some brass parts in a garage in Toronto. I need pickup, and I can cut it myself. Payment in cash, and I want the best rate for clean copper.”
How to prepare the material
It is better to sort metals: copper apart from aluminium, brass apart from iron. A mixed heap is usually priced at its worst item. A buyer prices insulated cable by the percentage of metal recovered, so offers usually explain how they calculate it. With glass and PET, cleanliness, colour and whether the containers are pressed matter.
For batteries and electronics, ask whether the buyer is allowed to accept them: such waste needs separate handling.
How to compare replies
Buyers reply in the chat: price per kg, terms, timing, whether they come to your address. BlaBlaPrice shows first the most useful offer, with reviews beside each one. Compare not only the price but also the details:
- whether the price is fixed or final after weighing and grading;
- whether there is a minimum weight for a pickup;
- whether a collection charge is deducted from the sum;
- whether they issue a receipt for the material if your accounts need one.
Buyers see where their offer stands and can improve their terms to get your lot. Only the buyer you choose sees your contacts.
Common mistakes
The most common is to give the weight “by eye” and not check that the weighing happens in front of you. The second is mixing metals in one sack. The third is not asking who loads, and then paying for extra labourers.
If you work with a large volume of industrial material, see also raw materials, and large lots can be moved through transport and delivery.
