Los Angeles scrap prices lean on Asia: container exporters at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach compete with domestic consumers, which keeps non-ferrous bids close to the national board. California law is the strictest in the country, with photo ID, a thumbprint and delayed or check payment for many sellers.
Scrap metal prices per lb in Los Angeles
| Scrap type | Price (USD) | Change | Global reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-ferrous (per lb) | |||
| Copper Scrap | $5.81 / lb | ▲ +1.22% | $5.81 / lb |
| Aluminum Scrap | $0.87 / lb | ▲ +1.16% | $0.87 / lb |
| Brass Scrap | $3.54 / lb | ▲ +1.14% | $3.54 / lb |
| Stainless Steel Scrap | $0.57 / lb | ▲ +0.00% | $0.57 / lb |
| Lead Scrap | $0.59 / lb | ▲ +0.00% | $0.59 / lb |
| Zinc Scrap | $0.90 / lb | ▲ +0.00% | $0.90 / lb |
| Battery Scrap | $0.23 / lb | ▲ +0.00% | $0.23 / lb |
| Radiator Scrap | $3.34 / lb | ▲ +1.21% | $3.34 / lb |
| Wire Scrap | $2.81 / lb | ▲ +1.44% | $2.81 / lb |
| Cable Scrap | $1.87 / lb | ▲ +1.08% | $1.87 / lb |
| Electronic Scrap | $0.80 / lb | ▲ +1.27% | $0.80 / lb |
| Ferrous and bulk (per ton) | |||
| Steel Scrap | $300 / ton | ▲ +0.00% | $300 / ton |
| Iron Scrap | $264 / ton | ▲ +0.00% | $264 / ton |
| Car Scrap | $360 / ton | ▲ +0.00% | $360 / ton |
| Cast Iron | $288 / ton | ▲ +0.00% | $288 / ton |
Indicative dealer prices for clean, sorted scrap in the United States, shown here for Los Angeles. Individual yards quote around this level by grade, volume and condition; the derivation from exchange benchmarks and the exchange rate (1 USD = 1.00 USD) is described in the methodology section below.
Los Angeles scrap price chart (USD)
Daily open, high, low and close for the most traded scrap metals in USD, the same series Los Angeles yards price against. Scroll to zoom and drag to move along the timeline.
Price history could not be loaded.
- Current Price
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The scrap market in Los Angeles
Los Angeles is the largest container-export scrap market in the United States. Copper, aluminum, brass and mixed metals move through the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to Asian consumers, and that export bid keeps yard prices honest across the basin.
Ferrous scrap feeds a West Coast shredding and export system rather than nearby mills, so heavy steel prices swing with bulk export demand. Aluminum used beverage cans are a market of their own here because of California's CRV deposit, which is paid separately from scrap value.
- State
- California, United States
- Quoted in
- USD per lb (non-ferrous), per ton (ferrous)
- Yards cluster in
- Wilmington, Vernon, Sun Valley, the 710 corridor
- Demand from
- Container exports to Asia, West Coast shredders
Where the scrap yards are in Los Angeles
- Wilmington and Terminal Island: the port-side heart of the trade, home to the biggest processors.
- Vernon and the industrial east side: dense with yards serving demolition and manufacturing.
- Sun Valley and the north San Fernando Valley: retail and auto scrap.
- South Gate, Compton and the 710 corridor: mixed yards along the freight spine to the ports.
What pays well in Los Angeles
- Clean copper and aluminum export grades in volume.
- Insulated wire, which the port-side granulators buy aggressively.
- CRV aluminum cans, paid deposit plus scrap value at certified centers.
Selling scrap metal in Los Angeles: rules, ID and payment
California requires photo ID, a thumbprint, a photographed load and, for most non-exempt sellers, a hold with payment by check for many metals. Rules tightened again at the start of the year: sellers of scrap copper now need a licence from the Contractors State License Board unless they hold a qualifying trade licence, yards record the seller's legal name, date of birth, address and a signed ownership statement, and the protected items list now covers streetlights, traffic signals and EV chargers. Catalytic converters need documented ownership.
Before any sale, check the live board above, sort by grade and get quotes from two or three buyers; the best scrap price guide covers the routine and the calculator turns a weight into a figure at today's price. To judge whether a local quote is competitive, our note on telling a well-paying yard from a headline rate sets out the benchmark test.
Los Angeles scrap price FAQ
What is the scrap copper price in Los Angeles today?
As of the latest update, the indicative price for clean number 1 copper is about $5.81 per lb in USD. Los Angeles yards typically quote within a few percent of that figure either side, depending on grade, volume and the buyer; the live board above shows all fifteen grades.
Why did the yard pay me by check with a wait?
California law requires a hold and non-cash payment for many metals unless the seller qualifies for an exemption, such as an established business account. It is the same at every licensed yard in Los Angeles, and a yard offering instant cash for restricted items is taking a risk you do not want to share.
Where can I sell scrap metal in Los Angeles?
Wilmington and Terminal Island near the ports pay well for volume, Vernon and the east side serve contractors, and Sun Valley covers the Valley. For cans, use a certified CRV center so the deposit is paid on top of scrap value.
Are Los Angeles prices different from the national board?
The board on this page is the the United States indicative level, and Los Angeles yards trade around it rather than exactly on it. Local competition, freight to the nearest consumer and the day's export demand set the spread, which is why two quotes in the same city can differ by several percent on the same morning.
Sources and methodology
The Los Angeles board uses the the United States indicative prices: global exchange benchmarks (COMEX copper, CME aluminum and steel, NYMEX platinum and palladium, IMF monthly lead, zinc and nickel) multiplied by typical yard recovery shares, a local market factor of 1.00 and the day's exchange rate. The full method, the recovery shares and the correction policy are on our editorial policy page; local notes on this page are reviewed against published dealer information and reader corrections sent to info@scrappricetoday.com.
Prices are indicative and for information only; they are not offers to buy or sell. Yard quotes in Los Angeles vary by grade, volume, condition and buyer.
Nearby and related
Scrap metal prices in the United States · All countries · Catalytic converter prices