Choosing Where to Sell Copper in Lancaster, PA

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Copper may not quite be the “new oil,” but it is trending to be one of the most valuable materials of the new economy.  

That’s something customers of Sahd Metal Recycling have known for years: scrapping copper pays very well at our scrapyard! Whether it is bare brite copper, #1 copper tubing, #2 copper, copper aluminum radiators, brass, insulated copper wire, sealed units, electric motors, or ballast, there are countless items you can recycle with copper content. And Sahd Metal Recycling offers the most competitive pricing, upfront information, and tips to help you get the most value for your metal.

The first factor to look for in choosing where to sell copper is the pricing, and more importantly, how transparent the pricing is at a scrap yard. Sahd Metal Recycling always has current scrap metal prices on our website, so you always know where you stand. For industrial customers, Sahd Metal Recycling offers formula pricing for materials, meaning we give an index to the copper market that can be found publicly at kitcometals.com. So, if copper is at $2.00 on the LME and your company would get 35% for insulated wire, translating to .70/lb. At $4.00, the insulated copper wire would be $1.40. The price bounces with the publicly published price, that way, everyone knows the value of the metal before the customer chooses to sell. Because we believe in that transparency, there is never a concern that our customers don’t know the current value of their metal.

Sahd Metal Recycling also has a customer loyalty program that allows members special privileges such as a 3% price bump every time they come in to sell metal to us. There are also promotions like a special $4.00 bare brite day, that apply only to members.  

Another major factor to consider when choosing a scrap yard to sell your copper to is if they are willing to help you maximize the value of your metal. #2 copper can become #1 copper if you cut off the solder or joint ends, and often it is very easy to bend tubing to make that happen. We often work with our customers to clean the metal to get the $.20 per pound bump on pricing. For insulated copper wire, cutting off transformers and excess cords leads to a better price per pound, and all of our insulated copper wire is priced based on copper content–if we see areas we can upgrade you, we will. If your tubing comes in with mixed brass, copper #2 and some straight ends, we will grade it as #2 and work with you to estimate the brass content and pay you each separately, we will do the work of shearing off the brass and cleaning the metal later giving you the upgrade. One other point to consider with brass is cleaning off the excess steel valves giving you clean brass–often, it is just a matter of wrenching off a little nut to clean the metal.

A good indication that a scrap yard follows best practices is membership in ISRI (a membership group of scrap recyclers (https://www.isri.org/)). At Sahd Metal Recycling, we follow all industry standards and give you the transparency you deserve, so you will always know the value of the metal even as the market continues to display volatile turns.  

If you ever have any questions on the value of your metal, as always, pictures are worth a thousand words!! Feel free to email Dan Sahd dan@recycleyourmetal.com or Mike Sahd michael@recycleyourmetal.com with photos and any notes so we can have a good handle on what you have. Often we can give you tips before you come to help you maximize the value of your metal, and we will negotiate based on the quantity of metal. The more you have, the more we will pay!

In summary, you need to find a scrap yard you trust when selling any metal, let alone the valuable copper scrap you have. Sahd Metal Recycling offers transparent pricing, industrial formula pricing, picture evaluation, and tips to maximize the value of your metal, and we give you all of that before you show up, so you have all the information you need to make a good decision and don’t feel locked into working with someone because you showed up with the material. In this way, we want to build a relationship with our customers to make them lifelong customers!

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Acceptable Materials

Appliances including:

  • Stoves
  • Microwaves
  • Washers and Dryers
  • Dishwashers
  • FOR A $20 FEE—Air Conditioners

End of Life Items Including:

  • Hot Water Heaters
  • Machinery (all fluids,pans and cylinders removed)
  • Farm Equipment
  • Farm Machinery
  • Lawnmowers
  • Cast Iron Patio Furniture
  • Cast Iron Outdoor Railing
  • Sheet Metal
  • Steel Wheels
  • Steel

Nonferrous Scrap:

  • Aluminum
  • Aluminum Cans
  • Aluminum Pots and Pans
  • Aluminum Siding/Gutters/Downspouts
  • Aluminum Patio Furniture
  • Aluminum Wheels
  • Aluminum Wire
  • Auto Batteries
  • Brass Fixtures/Lamps Decorative items
  • Cable, Fence and Wire
  • Christmas Lights
  • Copper
  • Copper and Brass Plumbing Pipes
  • Copper and Brass Plumbing Valves and Connectors
  • Copper Tubing
  • Copper Wire
  • Electric Motors
  • Insulated Wire
  • Radiators
  • Screen Doors/Windows (glass removed)
  • Stainless Steel

Prohibited Materials

  • Any Scrap Containing Refrigerants (CFC or HCFC). This includes Freezers and refrigerators. Air Conditioners are accepted for a $20 fee
  • Acetylene Cylinders
  • Asbestos or Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM)- applies to both fibrous and solid materials
  • Cathode Ray Tubes (CRT/tube-style computer monitors or televisions)
  • Closed Compressed Gas Cylinders – high pressure cylinders with valve intact
  • Combustible or Flammable Materials – fuels, paints, degreasers, unpunctured aerosol cans
  • Corrosive Materials – highly acidic or caustic materials (battery acid, caustic soda, etc.)
  • Explosive Materials, Munitions, Shell Casings – includes suspect military scrap
  • Free Flowing Liquids (including water)
  • Hazardous Waste – toxic or poisonous materials or wastes
  • Infectious Materials – blood-soaked or biohazard items
  • Liquids or Scrap Containing Free Flowing Liquids – fuels, antifreeze, oils, hydraulic fluid, paints
  • Mercury Containing Materials – mercury-containing thermostats, switches or fluorescent light bulbs
  • Non-Metallic Items – concrete, wood, asphalt, dirt, debris, tires (more than 5 per auto)
  • PCB-Containing Materials
  • Whole tanks uncut
  • Radioactive Scrap – anything exhibiting radiation levels above background
  • Scrap with Small Capacitors that contain 50 ppm of PCBs