Selling scrap seems simple, but small mistakes can significantly reduce what you get. Here are the most common ones.
Not sorting
The number one mistake. Mixed metal is always priced as the least valuable component. A bin of steel with a few copper pieces will be priced as mixed steel — the copper is lost. Sort by type before the yard sees it.
Leaving contaminants on
Plastic coating, rubber hoses, oil, concrete attachments — all reduce the grade and therefore the price. Taking 10 minutes to strip insulation off copper wire or remove plastic fittings from aluminium frames can increase the price by 30–50%.
Accepting the first offer
Without competition, you have no idea if the offer is fair. The first yard you call might offer €3/kg for copper that's worth €4.20/kg. Submit to European Scrap Market and get bids from multiple yards to see the range.
Not knowing the weight
If you don't know roughly how much you have, you can't judge if the weighbridge reading is right. Estimate your volume beforehand — weigh a sample, count the pieces, or use a bathroom scale for small batches.
Selling too small a batch
Small batches get lower per-kg prices and some yards won't accept them at all. If you have 20 kg of aluminium, see if you can wait until you have 100 kg. Or combine with other materials to reach a minimum weight.
Ignoring pickup costs
If you deliver to the yard, you save them collection cost — but you spend time and fuel. If they pick up, they deduct transport from the price. Compare the net amount, not just the per-kg rate.
No documentation
Selling without a weighbridge ticket or receipt means no record. If the payment is wrong or delayed, you have nothing to prove what was agreed. Always get it in writing.