Scrap metal prices per kg in Hong Kong
| Scrap type | Price (HKD) | Change | Global reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-ferrous (per kg) | |||
| Copper Scrap | HK$96.00 / kg | ▲ +2.30% | $5.78 / lb |
| Aluminum Scrap | HK$13.45 / kg | ▲ +1.25% | $0.81 / lb |
| Brass Scrap | HK$58.13 / kg | ▲ +1.45% | $3.50 / lb |
| Stainless Steel Scrap | HK$9.47 / kg | ▲ +0.00% | $0.57 / lb |
| Lead Scrap | HK$9.80 / kg | ▲ +0.00% | $0.59 / lb |
| Zinc Scrap | HK$14.95 / kg | ▲ +0.00% | $0.90 / lb |
| Battery Scrap | HK$3.82 / kg | ▲ +0.00% | $0.23 / lb |
| Radiator Scrap | HK$55.14 / kg | ▲ +2.15% | $3.32 / lb |
| Wire Scrap | HK$46.34 / kg | ▲ +2.20% | $2.79 / lb |
| Cable Scrap | HK$30.89 / kg | ▲ +2.20% | $1.86 / lb |
| Electronic Scrap | HK$13.29 / kg | ▲ +2.56% | $0.80 / lb |
| Ferrous and bulk (per tonne) | |||
| Steel Scrap | HK$2,491 / tonne | ▲ +0.00% | $300 / ton |
| Iron Scrap | HK$2,192 / tonne | ▲ +0.00% | $264 / ton |
| Car Scrap | HK$2,990 / tonne | ▲ +0.00% | $360 / ton |
| Cast Iron | HK$2,392 / tonne | ▲ +0.00% | $288 / ton |
Indicative dealer prices for clean, sorted scrap. Global reference is the US board in US dollars; the Hong Kong figure applies the exchange rate (1 USD = 7.85 HKD) and a local market factor of 0.96.
Recyclers quote in Hong Kong dollars per kilogram, and reputable ones state that the rate is the metal market price on the day. Prices here are derived from the exchange settlement, converted to Hong Kong dollars, and adjusted by a market factor of 0.96, our assessment of a high-cost entrepot market where handling and access charges are real and most material is re-exported. The factor is published on the editorial policy page and is open to challenge.
Hong Kong scrap price chart (HKD)
Daily open, high, low and close for the most traded scrap metals in HKD per kg or per tonne. Scroll to zoom and drag to move along the timeline.
Price history could not be loaded.
- Current Price
- Daily Change
- Weekly Change
- Monthly Change
- Yearly Change
Copper scrap prices by grade in Hong Kong
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 HKD.
The scrap market in Hong Kong
Hong Kong prices scrap the way every market does, by metal, purity and weight. Then it adds a factor almost nowhere else has to think about: how the material gets out of the building.
Recyclers here list the moving scenario openly among their pricing factors, alongside metal type, impurity content, the London Metal Exchange and quantity. Stairs or lift, and whether there is parking, are part of the assessment. In a city built vertically on land that runs out, carrying a bath of copper pipe down six flights is a cost, and it comes off your price.
The trade itself runs through several layers. At street level are the sau maai lou, the collectors who work door to door and buy small quantities. Above them sit the yards, most of them clustered in the New Territories where there is room for a weighbridge and a truck. Above those sit the exporters, because Hong Kong consumes very little of what it collects.
- Currency
- Hong Kong dollar (HKD)
- Units
- Kilogram
- Market factor
- 0.96 (our assessment, published on the editorial policy page)
- Local term
- sau maai lou, the door-to-door collector
- Access matters
- Stairs, lift and parking are stated pricing factors here
- Official directory
- Collector and Recycler Directory, Waste Reduction website
The most valuable scrap by weight in Hong Kong today: Copper at HK$96.00 per kg, Brass at HK$58.13 per kg, Radiator at HK$55.14 per kg, Wire at HK$46.34 per kg, Cable at HK$30.89 per kg.
How much is scrap metal worth in Hong Kong?
Scrap metal in Hong Kong is bought per kilogram and quoted in HKD. Typical ranges are Copper: HK$ 84 to HK$ 108 per kg; Brass: HK$ 51 to HK$ 65 per kg; Aluminium: HK$ 12 to HK$ 15 per kg; Zinc: HK$ 13 to HK$ 17 per kg; Lead: HK$ 8.6 to HK$ 11.0 per kg; Stainless steel: HK$ 8.3 to HK$ 10.6 per kg. Across common non-ferrous grades that puts most material between HK$ 8.3 and HK$ 108 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 HKD and adjusted by our published market factor of 0.96. 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: HK$ 84 to HK$ 108 per kg
- Brass: HK$ 51 to HK$ 65 per kg
- Aluminium: HK$ 12 to HK$ 15 per kg
- Zinc: HK$ 13 to HK$ 17 per kg
- Lead: HK$ 8.6 to HK$ 11.0 per kg
- Stainless steel: HK$ 8.3 to HK$ 10.6 per kg
Selling scrap metal in Hong Kong: rules, ID and payment
Ordinary metal recycling does not require a special licence in Hong Kong. What does require one is anything chemical. A recycler handling material with chemical residue should hold a Waste Disposal Chemical Waste Producer registration and a Chemical Waste Collection and Transport Licence from the Environmental Protection Department.
That matters more than it sounds if you are clearing a plant room, a workshop or an air conditioning system. Oil, refrigerant and solvent residue move your load from ordinary scrap into a regulated category, and a collector without the licence should decline it rather than take it.
The government maintains a Collector and Recycler Directory on the Waste Reduction website, which is the obvious first place to look for an operator rather than searching blind.
Before you sell
- Tell them the access situation before they quote. Floor, lift or stairs, and parking. A quote given without it will be revised on arrival.
- Separate copper, aluminium, stainless and iron. The gap between them is the largest single thing you control.
- Ask whether the weighbridge is certified. Hong Kong operators advertise electronic weighbridges with certificates, so it is a fair question.
- Check the government Collector and Recycler Directory rather than relying on a search result.
- If your material carries oil, refrigerant or solvent, ask to see the chemical waste licence.
- Agree the rate per kilo per metal before anything is loaded, not after it is on the truck.
Scrap prices by city in Hong Kong
City pages for Hong Kong are being added; the country board above already reflects prices in its main hubs: Hong Kong.
Scrap yards in Hong Kong
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 Hong Kong 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.
Hong Kong scrap price FAQ
Why does a Hong Kong recycler ask what floor I am on?
Because it changes the job. Hong Kong recyclers list the moving scenario, meaning stairs or lift and whether there is parking, among their stated pricing factors alongside metal type, purity, the LME price and quantity. Carrying material down stairs is labour, and labour comes out of the price.
What is a sau maai lou?
The Cantonese term for the door-to-door collector who buys small quantities of scrap and waste paper from households and shops, then sells on to a yard. They are the bottom layer of the chain and buy below yard rates because they carry the collection cost.
Do Hong Kong scrap recyclers need a licence?
Not for ordinary metal. Chemical waste is different: a recycler handling it should hold a Waste Disposal Chemical Waste Producer registration and a Chemical Waste Collection and Transport Licence from the Environmental Protection Department.
When does my scrap count as chemical waste?
When it carries oil, refrigerant or solvent residue. Plant room clearances, workshop material and air conditioning equipment are the common cases. A collector without the chemical waste licence should decline that material rather than take it.
How do I find a legitimate recycler?
Start with the Collector and Recycler Directory published by the government on the Waste Reduction website. It lists operators by material and district, which is a better starting point than a search result.
Where are most Hong Kong scrap yards?
Largely in the New Territories, particularly around Yuen Long and the north west, because a yard needs space for a weighbridge and vehicle access. Urban districts have collectors rather than yards.
Is the weighbridge trustworthy?
Reputable Hong Kong operators advertise electronic weighbridges with certification, so asking is reasonable and expected. If a buyer is vague about how your material is weighed, that is a signal in itself.
What goes wrong most often in this trade?
Hong Kong recyclers advertising against their own industry name the recurring complaints: false claims, poor attitude, last-minute cancellations, lateness, arbitrary pricing and non-transparent weighing. Knowing the list tells you what to confirm in advance.
Does Hong Kong use this scrap itself?
Very little of it. There is almost no melting capacity here, so collected metal is processed and shipped. That export dependence is part of why local rates sit below the international reference.
How should I prepare a load?
Separate the metals even roughly, keep the area accessible for a vehicle and crew, and be accurate about access when you call. Recyclers say plainly that simple separation before they arrive speeds the assessment and improves what they can offer.
Sources and methodology
Prices on this page start from the global reference board (US dollars per pound or per ton), are multiplied by a Hong Kong market factor of 0.96 that reflects local demand, freight and trade rules, and are converted to HKD at 1 USD = 7.85 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
- Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department licensing categories for chemical waste
- Hong Kong Collector and Recycler Directory, Waste Reduction website
- Published price factors and service terms from Hong Kong metal recyclers, 2026
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.