Scrap metal prices per kg in Ukraine
| Scrap type | Price (UAH) | Change | Global reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-ferrous (per kg) | |||
| Copper Scrap | UAH 465.69 / kg | ▲ +2.30% | $5.78 / lb |
| Aluminum Scrap | UAH 65.26 / kg | ▲ +1.25% | $0.81 / lb |
| Brass Scrap | UAH 281.99 / kg | ▲ +1.45% | $3.50 / lb |
| Stainless Steel Scrap | UAH 45.92 / kg | ▲ +0.00% | $0.57 / lb |
| Lead Scrap | UAH 47.54 / kg | ▲ +0.00% | $0.59 / lb |
| Zinc Scrap | UAH 72.51 / kg | ▲ +0.00% | $0.90 / lb |
| Battery Scrap | UAH 18.53 / kg | ▲ +0.00% | $0.23 / lb |
| Radiator Scrap | UAH 267.49 / kg | ▲ +2.15% | $3.32 / lb |
| Wire Scrap | UAH 224.79 / kg | ▲ +2.20% | $2.79 / lb |
| Cable Scrap | UAH 149.86 / kg | ▲ +2.20% | $1.86 / lb |
| Electronic Scrap | UAH 64.46 / kg | ▲ +2.56% | $0.80 / lb |
| Ferrous and bulk (per tonne) | |||
| Steel Scrap | UAH 12,085 / tonne | ▲ +0.00% | $300 / ton |
| Iron Scrap | UAH 10,635 / tonne | ▲ +0.00% | $264 / ton |
| Car Scrap | UAH 14,503 / tonne | ▲ +0.00% | $360 / ton |
| Cast Iron | UAH 11,602 / tonne | ▲ +0.00% | $288 / ton |
Indicative dealer prices for clean, sorted scrap. Global reference is the US board in US dollars; the Ukraine figure applies the exchange rate (1 USD = 45.12 UAH) and a local market factor of 0.81.
Yards quote in hryvnia per kilogram, and by the tonne for volume. Prices here are derived from the exchange settlement, converted to hryvnia, and adjusted by a market factor of 0.81, the second lowest on this site, reflecting a market with a zero export quota in force and domestic mills as the only legal buyers. The factor is published on the editorial policy page and is open to challenge.
Ukraine scrap price chart (UAH)
Daily open, high, low and close for the most traded scrap metals in UAH per kg or per tonne. Scroll to zoom and drag to move along the timeline.
Price history could not be loaded.
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Copper scrap prices by grade in Ukraine
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 UAH.
The scrap market in Ukraine
Ukraine spent seventeen years escalating a scrap export duty and then abandoned it. The story is worth following because it shows what happens when a restriction meets a loophole.
After joining the World Trade Organization in 2008 the state progressively tightened control. The export duty began at 25 euros a tonne, was reduced at one point to 10, and eventually rose to 180. On paper that is prohibitive.
In practice it was not, because the free trade agreement with the European Union sets a zero rate on scrap exports to the EU. Traders exported duty-free into the Union, principally to Poland, and re-exported from there to Turkey. The industry association described it plainly as a scheme for avoiding the duty rather than a trade in its own right.
The numbers show how well it worked. Ukrainian scrap exports rose 53 percent in 2025 against 2024, reaching 448,680 tonnes, the highest in four years. That surge is what ended the argument.
- Currency
- Ukrainian hryvnia (UAH)
- Units
- Kilogram, and by the tonne for volume
- Market factor
- 0.81 (our assessment, published on the editorial policy page)
- Current rule
- Zero export quota from 1 January 2026
- Previous duty
- 180 euros a tonne, with a zero rate to the EU under the free trade agreement
- Duty history
- Began at 25 euros a tonne after WTO accession in 2008, reduced to 10 at one point
- 2025 exports
- 448,680 tonnes, up 53 percent on 2024 and a four-year high
The most valuable scrap by weight in Ukraine today: Copper at UAH 465.69 per kg, Brass at UAH 281.99 per kg, Radiator at UAH 267.49 per kg, Wire at UAH 224.79 per kg, Cable at UAH 149.86 per kg.
What you can expect to be paid in Ukraine
Scrap is weighed and paid by the kilogram in Ukraine, in UAH. Typical ranges are Copper: UAH 410 to UAH 520 per kg; Brass: UAH 250 to UAH 315 per kg; Aluminium: UAH 57 to UAH 73 per kg; Zinc: UAH 64 to UAH 81 per kg; Lead: UAH 42 to UAH 53 per kg; Stainless steel: UAH 40 to UAH 51 per kg. Across common non-ferrous grades that puts most material between UAH 40 and UAH 520 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 UAH and adjusted by our published market factor of 0.81. 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: UAH 410 to UAH 520 per kg
- Brass: UAH 250 to UAH 315 per kg
- Aluminium: UAH 57 to UAH 73 per kg
- Zinc: UAH 64 to UAH 81 per kg
- Lead: UAH 42 to UAH 53 per kg
- Stainless steel: UAH 40 to UAH 51 per kg
Selling scrap metal in Ukraine: rules, ID and payment
From 1 January 2026 the government set a zero quota on scrap exports. That is an administrative closure rather than a tariff: there is no rate to pay, because there is no permitted volume.
The stated reason is that the material is needed by Ukrainian enterprises for defence production, for reconstruction and for the domestic market. The head of the industry association Ukrmetalurgprom has said the restriction removed a raw material shortage, and that in the previous year some companies could not produce planned volumes because they could not obtain scrap at competitive prices.
The debate now is about what replaces the quota. The extractive industry association has proposed extending the existing 180 euro duty to all destinations without exception, including the European Union, on the grounds that the budget lost revenue and mills lost scarce material under the previous arrangement. The Ukrainian chamber of commerce position is that exports should not reopen at scale without a demonstrated domestic surplus, a full economic calculation and transparent control of export operations.
Anyone trading here should verify the position currently in force rather than relying on any summary. This is a policy in motion.
Before you sell
- Do not plan an export route while the zero quota is in force. There is no rate to pay because there is no permitted volume.
- Verify the current rule before contracting. The quota, the duty and the EU exemption have all changed, and the replacement is under active debate.
- If you sell domestically, understand that mills are now the only legal buyers and price accordingly.
- Documentation matters more than usual in a market where the export route was recently used for re-export schemes.
- Watch the EU question specifically. Whether the duty is extended to EU destinations is the single variable that decides whether the loophole returns.
Scrap prices by city in Ukraine
City pages for Ukraine are being added; the country board above already reflects prices in its main hubs: Ukraine.
Scrap yards in Ukraine
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 Ukraine 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.
Ukraine scrap price FAQ
Can scrap be exported from Ukraine?
Not at present. The government set a zero quota on scrap metal exports from 1 January 2026. It is an administrative closure rather than a tariff, so there is no rate to pay because there is no permitted volume.
What was wrong with the 180 euro duty?
It did not apply to the European Union. Under the free trade agreement, scrap exports to the EU carry a zero rate, so traders shipped duty-free into the Union, principally to Poland, and re-exported to Turkey from there.
How much scrap was leaving?
Exports rose 53 percent in 2025 against 2024 to 448,680 tonnes, the highest figure in four years. That increase is what prompted the zero quota.
Why does Ukraine need the scrap domestically?
The stated reasons are defence production, reconstruction and the domestic market. The industry association has said that in the preceding year some mills could not produce planned volumes because they could not obtain scrap at competitive prices.
How did the duty change over time?
It began at 25 euros a tonne after WTO accession in 2008, was reduced at one point to 10, and later rose to 180 before being superseded by the quota.
What happens when the quota ends?
That is being argued now. The extractive industry association has proposed extending the 180 euro duty to all destinations including the EU. The chamber of commerce position is that exports should not reopen at scale without a demonstrated surplus and transparent control.
Who gained and who lost?
Mills gained feedstock. Collectors and procurement businesses lost their export market, and Ukrainian business press has described the sector as facing its deepest crisis in years. Both descriptions come from the same reporting.
What does this do to the price I am offered?
It lowers it. With no export route, domestic mills are the only legal buyers and no longer have to match what a Turkish mill would pay. That is the intended effect rather than a failure of your negotiation.
Is this the same as the Russian quota?
No. Russia permits 2.2 million tonnes a year at a reduced duty and taxes the rest heavily. Ukraine permits none. A quota with a volume is a different instrument from a quota set at zero.
Should I expect this to stay the same?
No. The duty, the EU exemption and the quota have all changed within a few years, and the replacement regime is under active debate. Confirm the rule in force before committing to anything.
Sources and methodology
Prices on this page start from the global reference board (US dollars per pound or per ton), are multiplied by a Ukraine market factor of 0.81 that reflects local demand, freight and trade rules, and are converted to UAH at 1 USD = 45.12 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
- Ukrainian government decision setting a zero export quota on scrap metal from 1 January 2026
- Ukrmetalurgprom statements on the duty, the EU zero rate and the effect of the restriction
- Ukrainian business press analysis of the export ban and its effect on collectors and mills
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.