Scrap metal prices per kg in Ireland
| Scrap type | Price (EUR) | Change | Global reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-ferrous (per kg) | |||
| Copper Scrap | €10.70 / kg | ▲ +1.22% | $5.81 / lb |
| Aluminum Scrap | €1.60 / kg | ▲ +1.16% | $0.87 / lb |
| Brass Scrap | €6.52 / kg | ▲ +1.14% | $3.54 / lb |
| Stainless Steel Scrap | €1.05 / kg | ▲ +0.00% | $0.57 / lb |
| Lead Scrap | €1.09 / kg | ▲ +0.00% | $0.59 / lb |
| Zinc Scrap | €1.66 / kg | ▲ +0.00% | $0.90 / lb |
| Battery Scrap | €0.42 / kg | ▲ +0.00% | $0.23 / lb |
| Radiator Scrap | €6.15 / kg | ▲ +1.21% | $3.34 / lb |
| Wire Scrap | €5.17 / kg | ▲ +1.44% | $2.81 / lb |
| Cable Scrap | €3.44 / kg | ▲ +1.08% | $1.87 / lb |
| Electronic Scrap | €1.47 / kg | ▲ +1.27% | $0.80 / lb |
| Ferrous and bulk (per tonne) | |||
| Steel Scrap | €276 / tonne | ▲ +0.00% | $300 / ton |
| Iron Scrap | €243 / tonne | ▲ +0.00% | $264 / ton |
| Car Scrap | €331 / tonne | ▲ +0.00% | $360 / ton |
| Cast Iron | €265 / tonne | ▲ +0.00% | $288 / ton |
Indicative dealer prices for clean, sorted scrap. Global reference is the US board in US dollars; the Ireland figure applies the exchange rate (1 USD = 0.86 EUR) and a local market factor of 0.97.
Dealers quote non-ferrous scrap in euro per kilogram and ferrous scrap per tonne. Because Ireland exports nearly all of its ferrous scrap, a yard's steel price reflects the cost of getting a tonne to a port and onto a ship, which is why ferrous quotes sit further below the reference than copper and brass do. Prices here are derived from the exchange settlement, converted to euro, and adjusted by a market factor of 0.97, our assessment of a market with enough non-ferrous buyers to compete but no domestic outlet for its steel. That factor is published on the editorial policy page and is open to challenge.
Ireland scrap price chart (EUR)
Daily open, high, low and close for the most traded scrap metals in EUR 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 Ireland
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 EUR.
The scrap market in Ireland
Ireland does not regulate scrap dealers the way the United Kingdom does. There is no Irish equivalent of Britain's Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013, with its dedicated dealer licence and its statutory ban on paying cash. Anyone buying, storing or processing scrap metal here operates inside the waste management system instead: a Waste Facility Permit or Certificate of Registration from the local authority for the site, a Waste Collection Permit for anyone collecting metal from customers, and an Environmental Protection Agency waste licence once processing passes the scale a council may authorise. For a seller that has a practical consequence. The question is not whether a yard holds a scrap licence, because no such licence exists, but whether the site is permitted and whether the collector at your door holds a collection permit.
The market is small and concentrated. Dublin and its commuter belt generate most of the construction and renovation scrap, Cork, Limerick and Galway carry the regional trade, and a handful of national operators hold collection permits covering every county with processing sites permitted by their county council. Ferrous scrap leaves the country by sea because Ireland has no steelworks of its own to melt it, so the price a yard offers for steel already has export freight inside it. Non-ferrous is priced closer to the European reference, because a container of copper or brass justifies the journey.
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Units
- Kilogram for non-ferrous, tonne for ferrous
- Market factor
- 0.97 (our assessment, published on the editorial policy page)
- Regulators
- Local authorities for site permits, National Waste Collection Permit Office for collection permits, EPA for waste licences
- Main hubs
- Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway
The most valuable scrap by weight in Ireland today: Copper at €10.70 per kg, Brass at €6.52 per kg, Radiator at €6.15 per kg, Wire at €5.17 per kg, Cable at €3.44 per kg.
Selling scrap metal in Ireland: rules, ID and payment
The framework is the Waste Management Act and the regulations under it, principally the Waste Management (Facility Permit and Registration) Regulations 2007 as amended. Site permits come from the local authority, collection permits are issued through the National Waste Collection Permit Office, and larger processing sites need an EPA waste licence rather than a council permit. Metal theft prompted a tightening in 2014: S.I. No. 320 of 2014 amended regulation 19 of the 2007 regulations to strengthen traceability conditions and place an onus on proof of ownership for material being recovered or recycled. Note what that did and did not do. It made traceability a permit condition; it did not create the statutory cash ban that applies in Britain. Industry bodies were still publicly calling for one in 2019. In practice a permitted operator will record who you are and prefer traceable payment, and a buyer who wants no record at all is the risk rather than the convenience.
Before you sell
- Ask for the Waste Facility Permit number for the site, or the Waste Collection Permit number for a collector. These are the documents that exist here; a "scrap dealer licence" is not one of them.
- Separate ferrous from non-ferrous before you go. Ferrous is priced for export, and copper mixed into a steel load is paid at the steel rate.
- Bring photo identification and expect the sale to be recorded. Since 2014 traceability and proof of ownership are permit conditions, so a legitimate yard will ask.
- Get two quotes on anything more than a boot load. The market is small enough that the spread between operators is visible.
- Have an explanation ready for fire-damaged or freshly stripped material. It is a recognised theft indicator and a permitted yard may decline it.
Scrap prices by city in Ireland
City pages for Ireland are being added; the country board above already reflects prices in its main hubs: Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway.
Scrap yards in Ireland
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 Ireland 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.
Ireland scrap price FAQ
Do I need a scrap dealer licence to sell scrap metal in Ireland?
No, and neither does the buyer, because Ireland has no dealer licence. A buyer needs a Waste Facility Permit or Certificate of Registration from the local authority for their site, a Waste Collection Permit if they collect from customers, or an EPA waste licence at larger processing scale. Selling your own metal occasionally requires nothing.
Is it illegal to be paid cash for scrap in Ireland?
Not in the way it is in Britain, where paying cash for scrap is a statutory offence. Regulations proposed in 2012 would have banned cash and required seller identification; what was enacted in 2014 strengthened traceability and proof-of-ownership conditions in facility permits rather than banning cash, and industry bodies were still calling for a ban in 2019. A permitted operator will normally record the transaction and prefer traceable payment regardless.
Why is the steel scrap price in Ireland lower than the reference board?
Because Ireland has no steelworks to melt it. Ferrous scrap is exported by sea, and a yard's quote already carries the cost of getting a tonne to the quayside and onto a ship. Copper and brass do not take the same discount, because a container of non-ferrous justifies the freight.
How do I check that an Irish yard or collector is permitted?
Ask for the Waste Facility Permit number for the site, or the Waste Collection Permit number for a collector, then confirm it with the relevant local authority or the National Waste Collection Permit Office. A legitimate operator will give the number without hesitation.
What identification will an Irish yard ask for?
Expect to show photo identification and to have your name, address and vehicle recorded. Since the 2014 amendment placed traceability and proof of ownership among the conditions attached to a facility permit, a permitted operator has a direct reason to ask.
Can I sell fire-damaged or freshly stripped metal?
You can try, but both are recognised theft indicators and a permitted yard is entitled to ask where the material came from and to refuse it. Proof of ownership is a permit condition, so the question is not the yard being difficult.
Where in Ireland are the scrap yards concentrated?
Dublin and the surrounding counties handle most of the volume, driven by construction and renovation. Cork, Limerick and Galway carry the regional trade, and a small number of national operators hold collection permits covering every county with processing sites in the main centres.
Does the UK Scrap Metal Dealers Act apply in Ireland?
No. It applies in England and Wales, with a separate but similar regime in Scotland. Ireland regulates the same trade through waste permits. A seller crossing the border in either direction is moving between two different systems.
Sources and methodology
Prices on this page start from the global reference board (US dollars per pound or per ton), are multiplied by a Ireland market factor of 0.97 that reflects local demand, freight and trade rules, and are converted to EUR at 1 USD = 0.86 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
- Waste Management (Facility Permit and Registration) Regulations 2007 and amendments, including S.I. No. 320 of 2014, Irish Statute Book
- Environmental Protection Agency, waste legislation index
- The Irish Times, November 2012 and October 2019, on proposed scrap payment rules and industry calls for a cash ban
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.