The Business of Brass Recycling

The Business of Brass Recycling

Recycling brass is very much a double-ended process. At one end of the process, there’s the regular and ongoing collection. And at the other end, there’s the processing and recycling. It takes commitment and dedication to collect and to continue collecting. Otherwise, there can’t be a measurable return. The business of brass recycling is only worthwhile with a serious investment of time and effort. The best news is that scrap brass is abundant and available.

Scrap brass is in demand, and for a scrap metal dealer with a good facility, its appropriate for both recycling and re-processing. For the enthusiastic scrap collector, brass is abundant and profitable – and for that, end-of-life appliances and old motors are a viable source. The right tools and equipment are clearly required, as is a reliable vehicle. As well, the serious collector will be computer literate, and able to monitor daily scrap brass prices for the best return.

Scrap brass prices fluctuate daily, making it ever so important to sell high, especially when its time to negotiate with the scrap yard. To this end, sourcing brass is a critical step – finding it, collecting it, and selling it for a good price. Automotive waste is an excellent source of brass, as is construction waste, and renovation waste. In fact, apartment buildings and condominiums are always consistent for end-of-month waste, particularly when people move and trash stuff.

For brass scrap especially, automobile repair shops are a good source of waste car parts. And if a collector can offer free haulage, it’s even better. For the most reliable sources of brass, its good to connect with plumbers, car mechanics, or HVAC installers – they always have waste that contains brass. Finally, when “white” appliances are available (like fridges and stoves and dishwashers) these will all be loaded with brass, and quite valuable to the scrap dealer.

While every scrap metal dealer will promise “top dollar”, pricing is mostly about the quality and purity of the brass. And the less there is to dismantle and process, the better the price. For the collector, sorting and preparing scrap brass (removing impurities) means getting a better price from the scrap yard. However, brass prices always vary according to the market, and the priority is to keep on top of market prices, while comparing individual scrap dealer prices.

A good scrap collector will make sure to have a sound relationship with a scrap metal dealer. Beyond having a reliable and reputable delivery destination, it’s the kind of relationship that has professional advantages: dealers can advise about preparing the scrap for the best price; they can provide information on pricing trends; and they might even offer haulage services that will be of benefit. In short, a good relationship will always result in a better bottom line.

In terms of market pricing, it’s advantageous to be well informed. Today, practically every piece of information is on-line and available. This is particularly important for scheduling scrap collections and making deliveries to the scrap yard. After all, the idea is to sell high.