Metal Recycling Rebates
Sell scrap metal legally, safely, and reliably to make money from a wide range of waste metal your business produces. Get rid of empty aluminium drink cans, leftover construction materials, and other metal waste and make money at the same time. Working with licensed scrap metal buyers ensures your waste is recycled and handled properly.
More than 400 million tonnes of metal are recycled around the world every year. Selling scrap metal ensures any type of old products and metal materials you dispose of are reused and recycled to help the environment. At Business Waste we work with licensed scrap metal buyers across the UK to help you get a great price.
Get a free no obligation quote to sell scrap metal anywhere in the UK today. Call 0800 211 8390 or contact us online and find out how much your waste metal could be worth. Find out more about selling scrap metal from your business or home in this guide.
Get a FREE quote
Get a fast FREE quote for metal rebates
- Free quote within 1 hr
- All types of metal
- FREE bins and delivery
- We cover all of the UK
How to sell scrap metal
To sell scrap metal it must be waste items produced by your business. You can only collect and sell scrap metal from others if you have a licence. Store your waste metal away from other rubbish in separate metal waste bins. We can provide a range of free waste metal bins and skips – you only pay for collection.
Roughly estimate how much scrap metal you have to sell and the type of materials. This can affect the price, as aluminium cans will weigh less than old metal sheets and pipes, for example. Contact us for a free quote and we can answer any questions and plan the next steps for selling your scrap metal.
Book a collection of your waste metal at a time and date that suits you once you’re happy with the price. Licensed waste carriers will come and remove your scrap metal and transport it to a recycling facility where it’s checked, weighed, and recycled. You’ll receive payment and documents confirming its responsible disposal and relevant costs.
Scrap metal laws
The Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 was introduced in October 2013. It made it illegal for anyone to buy or sell scrap metal for cash. Instead, you must sell scrap metal and receive payment via crossed cheque, a prepaid card system, or an electronic transfer of funds.
These new scrap metal laws also made it a legal requirement for scrap metal dealers to verify the seller’s full name and address before buying any waste metal from them. This should be done by the seller presenting either of the following when selling metal scrap:
- A photocard driving licence (including your home address).
- A passport and one of these supporting documents:
- Utility bill (not a mobile phone bill)
- Bank or building society statement
- Debit or credit card statement
- Council tax letter
As a business selling scrap metal, you should also ensure the individual or business you sell your waste to has a Scrap Metal Dealers Licence. These new scrap metal laws were introduced to clamp down on the theft of metal that’s then sold and bought illegally. It also helps reduce rogue scrap metal merchants operating illegally.
What can I sell
for scrap metal?
You can sell various types of waste metal as part of recycling rebate schemes in the UK. Sell metal of both ferrous and non-ferrous varieties that will be reused and recycled. Scrap metal buyers may have different criteria for what they accept and buy, which can vary greatly across the industry.
The types of metal and examples of items you might be able to sell as part of a recycling rebate include:
- Steel – handrails, ropes, and coils
- Iron – cast and light iron, like bike frames
- Copper – wire, tubing, and radiators
- Aluminium – drinks cans and trays
- Lead – pipes, weights, and flooring
- Tin – food cans and packaging
- Brass – plumbing parts and door knobs
Scrap metal prices
Prices paid for scrap metal depend on the type of waste metal products and their weight. Other factors such as the current market value (based on supply and demand), your location, and the scrap metal buyers also affect the costs. Most metal recycling prices are done on a per-tonne basis.
Aluminium can scrap prices may vary monthly due to market changes, so it’s best to get a quote close to the time. Some buyers of scrap metal have minimum amounts they accept and might require metal such as aluminium cans to be baled. Others will accept loose metal waste, though it may affect the aluminium can recycling price.
The easiest way to find an accurate metal recycling price for your waste is to get a free quote tailored to your needs. At Business Waste we can assess the types and amounts of metal waste you have, advise on whether you’re eligible for a metal rebate, and provide a no obligation price based on these details.
Benefits of selling scrap metal
Selling scrap metal is a great way to recycle your waste and get paid for it. If your business produces any type of waste metal in bulk then a metal rebate offers a financial incentive and sustainable solution to get rid of it in a safe, legal, and responsible way. The main benefits of selling scrap metal are to:
- Earn money for metal waste – get paid to sell metal that your business no longer needs, whether it’s offcuts from manufacturing or empty aluminium cans.
- Reduce waste management costs – selling metal waste in bulk reduces how many waste collections you need and ensures it’s recycled, which avoids any landfill tax.
- Benefit the environment – all metal waste is recycled and reused, which saves on the energy and resources required to create new metal products.
- Ensure safe and legal metal disposal – we only work with licensed buyers of scrap metal so you can enjoy peace of mind that your metal is recycled responsibly.
Aluminium can recycling rebates
You can sell empty aluminium drinks cans for recycling and receive a rebate. The price of aluminium cans is based on the weight and volume of those that are recycled, as well as the company used and your location. Ensure all cans are clean and dry, and separated from other waste to eliminate contamination risks.
Most aluminium can buyers expect the cans to be baled or compacted. This makes managing them easier by condensing the waste and lowering transportation and fuel costs. All sorts of aluminium cans are eligible for rebates, including soft drinks, beer, and other types of cans.
What happens to metal waste
after it’s sold?
All scrap metal you sell will be transported by licensed waste carriers to an appropriate recycling facility. First, it’s sorted by type, with recyclable and non-recyclable metals separated, and then moved into separate streams based on the material. The quality and condition of the metal are also checked to ensure good new products can be created from it.
In its individual streams, the metal is normally cut down or shredded into smaller pieces. For example, any steel might be cut into smaller sheets. Then it’s put into big furnaces and heated to the relevant melting temperature of the particular type of metal. After this stage, it’s purified, often through electrolysis.
Finally, the molten metal is left to cool and solidify in the chosen shape to form recycled metal products. This could be fresh sheets of recycled steel or new recycled aluminium drink cans. These are then sent to manufacturers to use or sold to retailers and other companies to use.
Get a free quote
to sell scrap metal
Learn how much money you could receive for selling metal waste from your business anywhere in the UK. Get in touch for a free no obligation quote tailored to the type and amount of waste metal items you have. Our national network of licensed scrap metal buyers helps us provide some of the best prices for metal scrap.
Speak to one of our friendly experts if you’ve got any questions or want to learn more about how metal rebates work. They can assess your situation, advise on if you’re eligible for a metal rebate, and explain the next steps to take. Call 0800 211 8390 or contact us online for your free quote to sell metal waste today.
Get a fast and free quote
Get a fast and free quote for metal rebates
- Free quote within 1 hr
- Any type of metal
- FREE bins and delivery
- We cover all of the UK
Selling scrap metal FAQs
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How much money can you make selling scrap metal?
How much money you can make selling scrap metal depends on the amount and type of waste metal you have. Certain types of scrap metal are more valuable than others, while many scrap metal buyers only accept minimum weights. The market value at the time of selling and your location impact the price too.
You can only sell scrap metal that your business creates – not from any other company. To make money collecting and selling scrap metal from others you must apply for a licence to do so legally.
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Where can I sell scrap metal?
You can sell scrap metal anywhere in the UK with Business Waste. Our nationwide network of licensed buyers of scrap metals offers the best prices and coverage to sell metal across the country. We work with local and national scrap metal buyers who provide legal, safe, and reliable recycling rebates for metal waste.
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Can anyone sell scrap metal in the UK?
Anyone can sell scrap metal in the UK that they produced. You can only sell scrap metal from another business or household if you have a scrap metal dealer licence. Only registered scrap metal dealers can buy waste metal and it’s also illegal to sell scrap metal for cash in the UK.
Recycle more waste for money
Find out how to get recycling rebates for any waste cardboard, paper and plastic that your business also creates. Read our other guides to recycling rebates.
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Cardboard rebates
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Paper rebates
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Plastic rebates
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Recycling rebates
