Scrap Metal Recycling in Delaware: What's Worth Money
Most people in Wilmington find out about scrap metal recycling the same way: they drag an old washer out of the basement and wonder if there's cash inside it. Some of it is, some absolutely isn't. Scrap Squad sees every flavor of metal coming out of homes across New Castle County, and the crew has a clear sense of what pays and what just needs to be hauled.
What "Scrap Metal" Actually Means at the Curb
Scrap metal is anything mostly made of metal that has reached the end of its useful life: copper pipe, aluminum siding, old grills, bed frames, broken lawnmowers, rebar from a torn-out patio. Recyclers sort it into two buckets: ferrous (anything magnetic, mostly iron and steel) and non-ferrous (copper, brass, aluminum, lead, stainless). Non-ferrous is where the money lives.
Yards pay by category, by weight, and by how clean the metal is. Mixed loads get downgraded, and copper wire still wrapped in insulation pays a fraction of what bare bright copper does. Wilmington homeowners usually lump everything into one pile because that is how it comes out of the basement. The sorting is most of the job.
The Metals Worth Real Money
Prices move daily, but the pecking order has been steady for years. Here is what consistently puts cash in your pocket at a Delaware scrap yard in 2026.
Copper, Brass, and Aluminum
Copper is the headliner. Bare bright copper wire trades around 3.50 dollars per pound in 2026, and even messy insulated wire pays around a dollar per pound after the yard derates it. Brass (faucets, fittings, old valves) runs 1.50 to 2 dollars per pound. Aluminum wheels, gutters, storm doors, and clean siding move at 50 to 80 cents per pound and add up fast on a renovation.
Lead, Stainless, and Specialty Stuff
Lead from old plumbing and roof flashing pays 30 to 40 cents per pound. Stainless steel sinks, restaurant equipment, and dryer drums hit 30 to 50 cents if they are clean. Catalytic converters have been a theft target for years across Wilmington, Newark, and Bear, so most yards now require ID and a vehicle title before they will buy one.
Watch: how scrap yards sort copper, aluminum, and steel
The Metals That Are Borderline or Worthless
Steel, Iron, and Appliances
Regular steel and iron (old appliances, bed frames, swing sets, the carcass of a washing machine) pays around 9 to 11 cents per pound. A washing machine weighs roughly 150 pounds, so the math is about 15 dollars at the yard. After a trailer rental, gas, and two hours of driving, you lost money.
Things the Yard Won't Touch
Tin cans, paint cans, aerosols, and most kitchen-grade junk metal are basically zero. Some cannot go in regular scrap at all because of hazardous content, the same reason there are items that can't legally go in a dumpster in Delaware.
What Delaware Law Says About Scrap Metal Disposal
Delaware does not let you do whatever you want with this stuff. The Universal Recycling Regulations (7 DE Admin Code 1305) and Solid Waste Regulations (7 DE Admin Code 1301) cover how metal moves through the waste stream. Anything mixed with hazardous content (refrigerants in fridges and AC units, mercury thermostats, lead-acid batteries) has separate handling rules through DNREC Recycling. Refrigerants must be reclaimed by a certified technician before the appliance can be scrapped.
Delaware illegal dumping fines run up to 25,000 dollars and six months in jail. Code enforcement in New Castle County (302-395-5555) responds fast, and a neighbor with a phone is all it takes. Scrap metal on the curb of an empty rental in Brookside or Elsmere counts as illegal dumping if it sits past collection day without arrangement.
Why Most Homeowners in Wilmington Just Call a Crew
The math gets ugly fast. A typical basement or garage cleanout produces maybe 40 dollars of scrap value across 800 pounds of mixed metal. The yard does not pay for your time, your truck, gas, or the tetanus risk of dragging rusty bed frames across the floor. Most homeowners around Trolley Square, Pike Creek, and Claymont call Scrap Squad to handle it as a normal junk haul, and the crew sorts the valuable stuff on the way out.
When the crew handles a hot tub removal in Delaware, the steel frame and copper heating element get pulled and scrapped separately from the shell. The customer never sees that work because the price is already locked.
Where Scrap Squad Takes Metal After Pickup
Loads get sorted at the truck. Non-ferrous metal goes to commercial recyclers around Wilmington, including yards near the Port of Wilmington and along the I-495 corridor. Ferrous metal goes to heavy scrap yards that handle appliances and structural steel. Refrigerant-bearing units get routed through a certified processor first, and non-metal debris drops at Cherry Island Landfill or specialty recyclers depending on the load.
This is the same flow in the post on what happens to your junk after Scrap Squad picks it up. Metal almost never ends up in a landfill. It has too much value to throw away.
Need it gone? Call or text Scrap Squad at (302) 438-0211 for a free same-day estimate. Locally owned, fully insured, and serving Wilmington, New Castle County and all of northern Delaware.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make money taking scrap metal to a Delaware yard myself?
Only if you have real volume of clean non-ferrous metal like copper pipe, brass fittings, or aluminum gutters. A typical mixed-metal load from a Wilmington home cleanout barely covers gas and time once you sort and haul it.
Does Scrap Squad pay me for scrap metal in a junk haul?
No. The crew prices a job on volume and labor, and any scrap value is factored into the quote up front. The customer gets one truck, one price, and no time sorting metal across New Castle County.
What can't go to a scrap yard in Delaware?
Lead-acid batteries, refrigerators and AC units with refrigerant inside, mercury thermostats, wet paint cans, and electronics covered by Delaware e-waste rules. DNREC has a recyclopedia covering most of these.
How fast can Scrap Squad pick up a metal load in Wilmington?
Same-day or next-day across the Wilmington, Newark, Bear, and Kennett Square service area. The crew calls 30 minutes before arrival.
Are catalytic converters worth scrapping in Delaware?
Yes, but the buyer will require ID, a vehicle title, and proof the converter came off a vehicle you own. Delaware tightened these rules to slow theft, which spiked across New Castle County in recent years.
