At J Davidson Scrap we always aim to pay the best scrap metal prices in Manchester and the north-west, and we work hard to keep track of what other Manchester scrap dealers are paying so that we stay competitive.
But what affects ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metal values and the way that they change over time? And why is it so important to recycle scrap metal of all kinds?
First of all, it’s useful to know the difference between the two main types of scrap metal. Ferrous is metal that contains iron, which is usually magnetic.
Types of ferrous scrap metal include:
• Iron and steel cuttings.
• Steel plate and girders.
• Steel sections, beams, columns, pipes etc.
• Lengths of iron and steel rod.
• (Some) car metal.
Meanwhile, non-ferrous scrap metal is non-magnetic and includes a wide range of metals other than iron and steel, for example:
• Aluminium
• Brass
• Copper (including gunmetal).
• Lead
• Zinc
The market value of ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metal changes over time due to supply and demand, and a few other factors; recent legal changes have also had an effect on how much you are paid for scrap metal, and how you receive the money.
What type of scrap metal is worth the most?
Non-ferrous scrap metal prices are usually quite a lot higher than ferrous scrap metal prices, but it’s not all about the price per tonne.
There’s a lot more ferrous metal out there, and if you’ve ever held similar quantities of steel and aluminium, you’ll know how much heavier ferrous metal typically is.
Because of this, it’s more common to have a larger, heavier load of ferrous scrap metal, which can make it worth much more than the per tonne scrap metal prices would seem to suggest.
Get paid for scrap metal legally
Whatever type of scrap metal you want to sell, it’s important to get paid for scrap metal legally under modern legislation, which has banned cash payments from scrap metal dealers.
This aims to make selling scrap metal more traceable, and eliminate scrap metal theft in the process. It also means there are fewer unscrupulous scrap metal dealers who pay cash.
This also makes it easier for legal scrap metal buyers in Manchester like J Davidson to offer you the full market price, as those illegal scrap metal dealers are not out there undercutting the market for a cash sale.
Other benefits of selling scrap metal
When you sell scrap metal to a Manchester dealer, you help to put end-of-life metals back into the supply, which keeps the prices of new materials lower.
Remember, ultimately all metals are a finite resource that must be mined out of the Earth, but recycling allows that finite resource to be used again and again, often with no need for new ore to be added.
In some cases, such as gunmetal, impurities actually strengthen the finished product; in others, they can be removed through careful processing, while still offering better overall value than producing virgin metal from its ore.
And finally, recycled metal from scrap helps the environment, with energy savings ranging from around 60% for zinc and lead, up to around 80% for copper and steel and as much as 95% for recycled aluminium.
