Scrap Metal Prices in California, United States
Price Updated on 2026-08-19
Current scrap metal prices from scrap buyers in cities across California. Scrap pricing depends on metal grade, purity, and location of the metal.
- Aluminum scrap prices range from 0.05 USD/LB for contaminated aluminum scrap to 3.5 USD/LB for aluminum bronze scrap.
- Brass scrap prices range from 0.05 USD/LB for brass breakage to 4.1 USD/LB for red brass scrap.
- Copper scrap prices range from 0.05 USD/LB for electric motors scrap to 5.1 USD/LB for bright/shiny copper.
- Electronics scrap prices range from 0.06 USD/LB for cellular phones scrap to 50 USD/Ton for appliances.
- Glass cullet price is 10.2 USD/LB for CRV Glass
- Iron scrap prices range from 70 USD/Ton for #2 hms unprepared iron scrap to 130 USD/Ton for cast iron.
- Lead scrap prices range from 0.01 USD/LB for lead wheel weights scrap to 0.51 USD/LB for lead scrap.
- Others price is 180 USD/NT for Clean Auto Cast
- Paper stock prices range from 0.03 USD/LB for newspaper (with inserts, junk mail & magazines) to 100 USD/Ton for cardboard.
- Plastic scrap prices range from 0.02 USD/LB for #1 pet plastic to 5.69 USD/LB for ps crv plastic.
- Stainless steel scrap prices range from 0.02 USD/LB for stainless steel scrap to 105 USD/NT for magnetic stainless steel scrap.
- Steel scrap prices range from 0.02 USD/LB for tin to 185 USD/NT for unprepared structural scrap.
- Tin prices range from 50 USD/Ton for tin to 70 USD/Ton for tin scrap.
- Zinc scrap prices range from 0.05 USD/LB for zinc die cast w/ fe to 0.4 USD/LB for zinc scrap.
The prices listed below are average prices paid by scrap yards in California, United States. Prices are collected from scrap yards directly and updated bi-weekly.
Aluminum Scrap
| Material | Average Price | High Price | Low Price | Price Unit | Price Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACSR Wire Scrap | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Al/Cu Radiators /Fe Scrap | 1 | 1 | 1 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Al/Cu Radiators Scrap | 2.45 | 2.53 | 2.37 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Aluminum Cans Scrap | 1.75 | 1.75 | 1.75 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Aluminum Old Sheet Scrap Clean | 0.55 | 0.55 | 0.55 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Aluminum Radiators /Fe Scrap | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Aluminum Radiators Scrap | 0.45 | 0.45 | 0.45 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Aluminum Scrap | 0.9 | 1.25 | 0.55 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Aluminum Scrap Dirty | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Aluminum Transmissions | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Aluminum Wheels Clean Scrap | 1 | 1 | 1 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Chrome Wheels Scrap | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
Brass Scrap
| Material | Average Price | High Price | Low Price | Price Unit | Price Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auto Radiators Scrap | 3 | 3 | 3 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Brass Scrap Dirty | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Dirty Auto Radiators Scrap | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Plumbing Brass Scrap | 1.6 | 1.95 | 1.25 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Red Brass Scrap | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.2 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Yellow Brass Scrap | 2.87 | 2.95 | 2.78 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
Copper Scrap
| Material | Average Price | High Price | Low Price | Price Unit | Price Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Copper Scrap | 4.75 | 4.75 | 4.75 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| #1 Copper Tube Scrap | 4.7 | 4.95 | 4.45 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| #1 Insulated Copper Wire | 3.15 | 3.45 | 2.85 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| #2 Copper Scrap | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| #2 Copper Tubing Scrap | 4.5 | 4.75 | 4.25 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| #2 Insulated Copper Wire 50% Recovery Scrap | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.6 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| #3 Insulated Copper Wire Scrap 35% Recovery | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Alternator Scrap | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Bright/Shiny Copper | 5.03 | 5.12 | 4.95 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Copper Electric Motors | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Electric Motors Scrap | 0.25 | 0.3 | 0.2 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Harness Wire Scrap | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Heater Cores Scrap | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.6 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Insulated Copper Wire Scrap 80% Recovery | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.6 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Romex 65% Copper Wire | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.6 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Romex Wire Scrap | 2.45 | 2.75 | 2.15 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Starters Scrap | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
Electronics Scrap
| Material | Average Price | High Price | Low Price | Price Unit | Price Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cellular Phones Scrap | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 | USD/LB | 2026-07-29 |
| Laptops | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 | USD/LB | 2026-07-29 |
| Tablets | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 | USD/LB | 2026-07-29 |
Glass Cullet
| Material | Average Price | High Price | Low Price | Price Unit | Price Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glass Bottles | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
Iron Scrap
| Material | Average Price | High Price | Low Price | Price Unit | Price Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cast Iron | 90 | 90 | 90 | USD/Ton | 2026-08-19 |
Lead Scrap
| Material | Average Price | High Price | Low Price | Price Unit | Price Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lead Scrap | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Lead Wheel Weights Scrap | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
Others
| Material | Average Price | High Price | Low Price | Price Unit | Price Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clean Auto Cast | 180 | 180 | 180 | USD/NT | 2026-01-29 |
Paper Stock
| Material | Average Price | High Price | Low Price | Price Unit | Price Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newspaper (with inserts, junk mail & magazines) | 0.03 | 0.03 | 0.03 | USD/LB | 2025-08-05 |
Plastic Scrap
| Material | Average Price | High Price | Low Price | Price Unit | Price Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 PETE Plastic Scrap | 1.27 | 1.27 | 1.27 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| #2 HDPE Plastic | 0.56 | 0.56 | 0.56 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
Stainless Steel Scrap
| Material | Average Price | High Price | Low Price | Price Unit | Price Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prepared Stainless Steel Scrap | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Stainless Steel Scrap | 0.25 | 0.3 | 0.2 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Stainless Steel Unclean | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
| Unprepared Stainless Steel Scrap | 0.12 | 0.12 | 0.12 | USD/LB | 2026-08-19 |
Steel Scrap
| Material | Average Price | High Price | Low Price | Price Unit | Price Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tin | 30 | 30 | 30 | USD/Ton | 2026-08-19 |
Zinc Scrap
| Material | Average Price | High Price | Low Price | Price Unit | Price Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zinc Scrap | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | USD/LB | 2026-04-28 |
| Zinc Scrap Dirty | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | USD/LB | 2026-04-28 |
- "Average Price" indicates the average price paid by all scrap yards in California
- "High Price" indicates the average for the highest prices paid by all scrap yards in California
- "Low Price" indicates the average for the lowest prices paid by all scrap yards in California