Accepted Materials

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

  • Tool Steels

    H-13

    M-1

    M-2

    M-42

    T-1/T-2

  • Household Items

    Ovens

    Dishwashers

    Washers / Dryers

    Water Heaters

    Metal Tools

  • Refrigerants

    No cut refrigerant lines allowed. If brought in evacuated, refrigerant containing items must be professionally evacuated and a “Refrigerant Certification” form completed.

    $15 fee per appliance

Prohibited Material

  • Non-Metallics

    Tires, Dirt, Wood, Asbestos, Insulation, Fiberglass, Roofing & Solid Waste

  • Corrosives

    Lead-acid, Lithium-ion & NiCad Batteries

  • Radioactive Materials

    Industrial Gauges, Medical Isotopes & Oilfield Pipes

  • Hazardous Liquids

    Antifreeze, Oil, Paint, Septic & Medical

  • Compressed Gas

    Propane, Oxygen & Acetylene Tanks

  • Explosives

    Fireworks, Ammunition & Blasting Caps

  • Flammable Materials

    Gasoline, Solvents & Thinners

  • Electronics

    PCBs, Capacitors, Transformers & Ballasts

  • Freon / CFCs

    No Cut Refrigerant Lines
    $15 Fee Per Appliance

  • Other Hazards

    Pesticides, Oil Filters, Air Bags, Lead, CRTs, Mercury Switches & Fluorescent Lights

Materials we accept if prepared as described

  • Aerosol Cans

    Must be punctured and drained

  • 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

  • Refrigerants

    Refrigerant containing items that are intact ($15 cash fee) or professionally evacuated. Customers must fill out a “Refrigerant Certification” form for all evacuated items.

  • Steel Cable & 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.

Our Policy For Electronic Materials

Customers must be licensed businesses. We currently do not accept electronics from the general public. Please contact your local government for information about dropoff locations and special e-recycling collection and disposal events in your area.

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.

    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.

  • 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.