Scrap metal prices per kg in Malaysia
| Scrap type | Price (MYR) | Change | Global reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-ferrous (per kg) | |||
| Copper Scrap | RM 48.93 / kg | ▲ +2.30% | $5.78 / lb |
| Aluminum Scrap | RM 6.86 / kg | ▲ +1.25% | $0.81 / lb |
| Brass Scrap | RM 29.63 / kg | ▲ +1.45% | $3.50 / lb |
| Stainless Steel Scrap | RM 4.82 / kg | ▲ +0.00% | $0.57 / lb |
| Lead Scrap | RM 4.99 / kg | ▲ +0.00% | $0.59 / lb |
| Zinc Scrap | RM 7.62 / kg | ▲ +0.00% | $0.90 / lb |
| Battery Scrap | RM 1.95 / kg | ▲ +0.00% | $0.23 / lb |
| Radiator Scrap | RM 28.10 / kg | ▲ +2.15% | $3.32 / lb |
| Wire Scrap | RM 23.62 / kg | ▲ +2.20% | $2.79 / lb |
| Cable Scrap | RM 15.74 / kg | ▲ +2.20% | $1.86 / lb |
| Electronic Scrap | RM 6.77 / kg | ▲ +2.56% | $0.80 / lb |
| Ferrous and bulk (per tonne) | |||
| Steel Scrap | RM 1,270 / tonne | ▲ +0.00% | $300 / ton |
| Iron Scrap | RM 1,117 / tonne | ▲ +0.00% | $264 / ton |
| Car Scrap | RM 1,524 / tonne | ▲ +0.00% | $360 / ton |
| Cast Iron | RM 1,219 / tonne | ▲ +0.00% | $288 / ton |
Indicative dealer prices for clean, sorted scrap. Global reference is the US board in US dollars; the Malaysia figure applies the exchange rate (1 USD = 4.08 MYR) and a local market factor of 0.94.
Yards quote in ringgit per kilogram. Prices here are derived from the exchange settlement, converted to ringgit, and adjusted by a market factor of 0.94, our assessment of a market with real processing demand and good port infrastructure, offset by an import regime that adds cost and time to every inbound cargo. That factor is published on the editorial policy page and is open to challenge.
Malaysia scrap price chart (MYR)
Daily open, high, low and close for the most traded scrap metals in MYR per kg or per tonne. Scroll to zoom and drag to move along the timeline.
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Copper scrap prices by grade in Malaysia
Copper is not one price. Yards grade it by cleanliness, coating and gauge, and the spread from the top grade to the bottom runs 25 to 35 percent. These are the same grades used on export contracts, converted to MYR.
The scrap market in Malaysia
Malaysia is widely described as the place scrap goes when China will not take it. That is half true and it is the half people repeat. The other half is that Malaysia restricts both directions, and the restrictions are documented, enforced and unusually specific.
Imports run through SIRIM. Under the Customs (Prohibition of Imports) Order 2023 and its 2024 amendment, metal scrap may only be imported in accordance with guidelines issued by SIRIM Berhad, the government-owned standards and industrial research institute, with SIRIM QAS International acting on its behalf. Every shipment needs a Certificate of Approval, and the importer must either hold a manufacturing licence from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry or have an agreement with a manufacturer who does. Pure traders cannot import scrap into Malaysia.
Exports are also controlled. Scrap metal is a prohibited item under the Customs (Prohibition on Exports) Order 2017, and exports require approval from MITI. That is not a formality on paper: Sarawak Customs halted six containers at Senari Port declared as copper and aluminium flakes, found 158,284 kilograms of scrap metal worth around RM2.17 million with roughly RM205,000 of tax at stake, and arrested the agent and the company owner for false declaration. The consignment had been bound for China.
- Currency
- Malaysian ringgit (MYR)
- Units
- Kilogram
- Market factor
- 0.94 (our assessment, published on the editorial policy page)
- Import authority
- SIRIM QAS International, on behalf of SIRIM Berhad
- HS codes
- 7204 ferrous, 7404 copper, 7602 aluminium
The most valuable scrap by weight in Malaysia today: Copper at RM 48.93 per kg, Brass at RM 29.63 per kg, Radiator at RM 28.10 per kg, Wire at RM 23.62 per kg, Cable at RM 15.74 per kg.
What scrap metal pays per kg in Malaysia
Buyers in Malaysia work in MYR and price by the kilogram. Typical ranges are Copper: RM 43 to RM 55 per kg; Brass: RM 26 to RM 33 per kg; Aluminium: RM 6.0 to RM 7.7 per kg; Zinc: RM 6.7 to RM 8.5 per kg; Lead: RM 4.4 to RM 5.6 per kg; Stainless steel: RM 4.2 to RM 5.4 per kg. Across common non-ferrous grades that puts most material between RM 4.2 and RM 55 per kg, with copper at the top of the range and stainless steel near the bottom.
These are ranges rather than quotes. The band reflects day-to-day movement in the metal market and the spread between one yard and another, which our own research has found can reach 40 percent or more for the same metal in the same city. The midpoint is derived from the international exchange settlement converted to MYR and adjusted by our published market factor of 0.94. Expect a local buyer to sit toward the lower end, because they carry collection, sorting, processing and their own margin. Always confirm the rate per kilo for your specific grade before anything is weighed.
- Copper: RM 43 to RM 55 per kg
- Brass: RM 26 to RM 33 per kg
- Aluminium: RM 6.0 to RM 7.7 per kg
- Zinc: RM 6.7 to RM 8.5 per kg
- Lead: RM 4.4 to RM 5.6 per kg
- Stainless steel: RM 4.2 to RM 5.4 per kg
Cable theft on the rail network
Malaysian cable theft has moved from nuisance to national concern, and the operators have published their losses. Prasarana Malaysia Berhad reported RM20.6 million in losses to cable theft since 2023, with incidents rising 68 percent in 2025 alone. Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad recorded a cumulative 1,300 hours of delays in a single year. The East Coast Rail Link lost RM2.9 million to thieves in Terengganu and Pahang.
It is not confined to transport. In Selangor, cables stolen from flood mitigation pump houses left communities exposed during monsoon season, which is the point at which infrastructure theft stops being a property crime and becomes a safety one.
For a legitimate supplier the consequence is straightforward: expect provenance questions, and be able to answer them. In a market where the trade is under this kind of scrutiny, the ability to show where cable came from is worth more than an extra ringgit a kilo.
Selling scrap metal in Malaysia: rules, ID and payment
For a domestic seller the trade is straightforward and the licensing weight falls on the buyer. For anyone importing, the specifics matter more than in most markets. Non-ferrous shipments must meet a 94.75 percent metallic content threshold, with up to 5 percent ferrous and 0.25 percent other recoverable materials including plastics. Crushed or shredded metal scrap in sizes under 5 millimetres is not allowed. All shipments must arrive by sea, not across the land borders with Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia or Brunei. Inspection runs at Level II with an acceptance quality limit of 6.5, and there are four inspection routes depending on which licences the importer holds, involving pre-shipment inspection, dockside inspection in Malaysia, or both.
Two documents have short lives and catch people out. A pre-shipment inspection report is valid for three months; a Certificate of Approval is valid for one month. SIRIM must also be notified of an inspection at least five working days in advance. Miss either window and the paperwork has to be redone rather than extended.
The Certificate of Approval requires a bank guarantee, and the amount is calculated in a way worth understanding: it is projected on the highest shipping cost including all incidental costs of returning non-compliant material to its country of origin. The guarantee exists to fund sending your cargo back. Non-compliant material triggers a Notification Letter and a Suspension Letter, with return costs borne by the importer under Section 34B of the Environmental Quality Act 1974.
Before you sell
- Confirm your buyer holds a manufacturing licence from MITI, or a supply agreement with a manufacturer who does. A trading company alone cannot import scrap into Malaysia.
- Check the 94.75 percent metallic content threshold for non-ferrous before you grade, not after.
- Do not ship fines. Crushed or shredded material under 5mm is not permitted.
- Ship by sea. Land crossings from Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia or Brunei are not a route for scrap.
- Watch the clock on both documents: three months for the pre-shipment report, one month for the Certificate of Approval.
- If you are moving material out of Malaysia, get MITI approval. Scrap is a prohibited export and mis-declaration has led to arrests.
Scrap prices by city in Malaysia
City pages carry local yard prices and directories for the main scrap markets. Pages that are not live yet are shown without a link.
Scrap yards in Malaysia
Find a yard by region or city, or use your location to see the nearest. Every listing shows where its details came from and when they were checked.
Yard listings for Malaysia are being added from official dealer registers and trade directories. Nothing is published until it has been verified against a named source, which is why this section is not yet populated.
Malaysia scrap price FAQ
Can anyone import scrap metal into Malaysia?
No. The importer must hold a manufacturing licence from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, or have an agreement with a manufacturer who does. A trading company without either cannot import scrap.
What is SIRIM and why does it matter?
SIRIM Berhad is Malaysia's government-owned standards and industrial research institute. Under the Customs (Prohibition of Imports) Order 2023 and its 2024 amendment, metal scrap may only be imported in accordance with SIRIM guidelines, with SIRIM QAS International carrying out the work.
What metallic content does Malaysia require?
Non-ferrous shipments must reach 94.75 percent metallic content, with up to 5 percent ferrous and 0.25 percent other recoverable materials including plastics.
Can I ship shredded scrap to Malaysia?
Not as fines. Crushed or shredded metal scrap in sizes under 5 millimetres is not permitted. Larger shredded material is a separate question to confirm against the current guidelines.
Can scrap arrive in Malaysia by road?
No. All ferrous and non-ferrous shipments must arrive by sea. The land crossings from Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and Brunei are not a route for scrap imports.
How long is a Certificate of Approval valid?
One month. The pre-shipment inspection report behind it is valid for three months. SIRIM must also be notified of an inspection at least five working days in advance.
Why does the Certificate of Approval need a bank guarantee?
Because it funds the return of non-compliant material. The guarantee amount is projected on the highest shipping cost including all incidental costs of sending the cargo back to its country of origin.
Can Malaysia export scrap metal?
Only with approval. Scrap metal is a prohibited item under the Customs (Prohibition on Exports) Order 2017, and exports must be approved by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry.
Is Malaysia really a back door into China?
It is an intermediary channel in the sense that material is cleaned and upgraded there, but both directions are regulated. Sarawak Customs detained six containers at Senari Port declared as copper and aluminium flakes, found 158,284 kilograms of scrap metal worth around RM2.17 million, and arrested the agent and company owner for false declaration.
What HS codes apply?
Ferrous waste and scrap under 7204, copper waste and scrap under 7404, and aluminium waste and scrap under 7602. Ferrous imports are assessed against five HS codes for different grades.
Sources and methodology
Prices on this page start from the global reference board (US dollars per pound or per ton), are multiplied by a Malaysia market factor of 0.94 that reflects local demand, freight and trade rules, and are converted to MYR at 1 USD = 4.08 and to metric units (kilograms and tonnes). The board refreshes daily, with the time of the latest update shown at the top of the page.
Reference sources
- Customs (Prohibition of Imports) Order 2023 and Customs (Prohibition of Imports) (Amendment) Order 2024
- SIRIM QAS International, Guidelines for Importation and Inspection of Metal Scrap
- Customs (Prohibition on Exports) Order 2017
- Royal Malaysian Customs Department, Sarawak, reporting on the Senari Port seizure under Operasi Demeter VIII
Prices are indicative and for information only; they are not offers to buy or sell. Actual yard prices depend on grade, quantity, location and the buyer. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will check it against our sources.