Materials Handling

All the materials we accept, and those we don’t

Materials we do accept

  • Ferrous Metals

    Cast Iron

    Rebar

    Steel

    Tin

  • Non-Ferrous Metals

    Aluminum

    Brass

    Copper

    Lead

    Stainless Steel

    Insulated Wire

  • High Temp Non-Ferrous Metals

    Inconel

    Monel

    Moly

    Nickel

    Cobalt

    Hastelloy

    Cupro Nickel

    Titanium

  • Electronic Waste

    Computers (desktops and laptops)

    Batteries

    Household appliances

  • Tool Steels

    H-13

    M-1

    M-2

    M-42

    T-1/T-2

  • Other

    Refrigerators and AC units (if properly evaluated of fluids)

    Cardboard and wood

Materials we do not accept

  • • Asbestos-containing items

    • Ni-Cad, Alkaline, and Lithium Batteries

    • Capacitors

    • Monitors: computer monitors, LCD monitors, laptops, TVs

    • Fluids (oil, gasoline, antifreeze, etc.)

    • Tires

    • Hazardous materials

  • • Hydraulic accumulators

    • Items with mercury (thermometers, fluorescent lights, etc.)

    • Munitions

    • Radioactive materials or items with a radioactive label

    • Sealed transformers (contact us for decommissioning and PCB testing requirements)

  • • Items with refrigerants that have not been properly evacuated (refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, etc.). No cut refrigerant lines are allowed.

    • Unpurged fire extinguishers (visible opening required)

    • Items with PCBs (light ballasts, capacitors, transformers, etc.)

    • Unpurged propane tanks (valve must be removed)

Materials we accept if prepared as described

  • Aerosol cans

    Must be emptied and punctured

  • Barrels & tanks

    Must be triple rinsed with large opening

  • Chain-link fencing

    Must be rolled up with slats removed

  • Hydraulic cylinders

    Must be cut open and drained

  • Paint cans

    Must be emptied and dried

  • Refrigerant containing items

    Refrigerant containing items that are intact ($20 cash fee) or professionally evacuated.  Customers must fill out a “Refrigerant Certification” form for all evacuated items.

  • Steel cable and wire

    Must be cut in 3-ft lengths or 3-ft diameter coils banded professionally 6-8 times

  • Transformers

    Dry, open-winding type only (contact us for decommissioning and PCB testing requirements for wet or formerly wet transformers)

The materials listed here are what we generally buy and do not buy. Each Metro Metals location may have different policies for metal acceptance based on local laws, facility equipment capabilities and local conditions.

FAQs

  • Yes! We drive to your location and can pick-up once or drop-off boxes for regular collection. Learn more in our transportation and logistics page.

  • Pricing varies widely and fluctuates rapidly based on material type and international metal market conditions. The best way to find out the value of your metal is to give us a call or send us a message with a description of the material, quantity and location. You’ll get current, competitive pricing on the spot. Contact our buying team.

  • Our boxes range from a 4’x3’ to 40 yard roll-off boxes. All the options are detailed in our transportation and logistics page.

  • No, we pick-up for free. But you must meet our minimum requirement for 6,000 lbs. of material. Otherwise, we may need to charge a fee.

  • We accept ferrous, nonferrous, and electronic materials according to the specifications above.

  • The maximum amount is about 10 tons.

  • It depends on the material and weight. Please call for an estimate. Note that to qualify for free pick-up, your material must weigh a minimum of 6,000 lbs. Otherwise, we may need to charge a fee.

  • You may receive cash immediately or a check in the mail depending on the material you’re recycling. Note that metal theft prevention regulations require that payment for certain commodities be held for three days.

Zero tolerance for theft

Materials theft has become an overwhelming problem across the country. Its impact on the metal recycling industry is significant. Recyclers have become both the victims of theft and the target for legislative efforts to solve the theft problem.

As a member of the Recycled Materials Association (ReMA), we work to minimize our risk of purchasing stolen metal and support industry-wide attempts to stem the tide of material theft.