Insulated copper wire scrap · buyers, suppliers and prices
Insulated copper wire scrap: verified buyers and sellers
Insulated copper wire scrap is copper wire or cable that still has its plastic or rubber coating. Recyclers and scrap yards sell it, and cable granulating plants and scrap traders buy it, paying on the recovery: the share of copper left once the insulation is removed. On Copper Supply you can post a free requirement or offer and deal only with members who have passed an ID check.
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Post it freeHow insulated copper wire scrap is priced
Insulated wire scrap is paid on its recovery: the share of copper left after the insulation is removed. The buyer prices that copper as a percentage of the LME or a discount per tonne, then applies it to the recovery. A lot with 60% recovery is paid on about 600 kg of copper per tonne, less the cost of processing it and of disposing of the plastic.
The cable type, the tested recovery, contamination, location, freight and import rules all move the price. Copper granules made from the cable later sell close to the price of clean No. 1 scrap.
Payment is usually TT after inspection at loading, with the final price adjusted to the recovery tested at the buyer's plant. On Copper Supply you can price a listing as a % of LME on the Cu content, LME − US$/t, a fixed price, or open to offers.
Find a counterparty
Typical insulated copper wire scrap specification
- Material
- Copper wire or cable still in its insulation: PVC, PE, rubber, paper or lead sheath
- Recovery
- Copper yield after stripping or granulating; from below 40% to above 80% by cable type
- Cable types
- Power cable, building wire, telecom and data cable, car harness wire
- Contaminants
- Aluminium, steel armour, lead sheath, tinned wire, oil-filled cable
- Testing
- Strip or granulation test on a sample, with weights before and after
- Packing
- Bales or loose in containers
- Rules
- May be treated as waste under Basel Convention and national rules; check both countries
Where it usually comes from
- United States
- United Kingdom
- Germany
- Netherlands
- France
- Japan
- United Arab Emirates
- Saudi Arabia
Where it usually goes
Documents you'll see
- SCO or FCO with cable types and recovery
- Proforma invoice and SPA with a recovery testing clause
- Recovery test report with sample weights
- Dated photos and video of the actual lot
- Pre-shipment inspection: SGS, Bureau Veritas or similar
- Waste shipment notification or consent, where required
- Scrap export licence or permit
- Weight list and packing list
- Bill of lading
Red flags
- A high recovery promised for mixed cable with no test behind it
- Photos of clean, uniform cable that also appear on other websites
- Full payment before loading, or payment to an account that does not match the seller
- Refusal of pre-shipment inspection
- A seller who cannot say which cable types are in the lot
How Copper Supply works
- Step 1Post freeSay what you buy or sell: product, tonnage, price basis, delivery terms. Fraud checks run before it goes live.
- Step 2Matching traders hear in minutesMembers who trade that product get an email as soon as your listing is live, and every Monday in the market report.
- Step 3Talk only to checked peopleNobody can message you until they've passed an ID check. You see what we checked and choose who to talk to.
- Step 4Run the deal in one roomNCNDA, LOI/ICPO, offers, SPA, IMFPA and signatures in one private deal room. Run any document through a fraud check before money moves.
Free to join. Copper Supply never holds trade money and takes no commission on deals.
Questions people ask
What is insulated copper wire scrap?
Copper wire or cable that still has its plastic, rubber or other insulation. It comes from demolition, cable offcuts, old electrical systems and cars. It is processed by stripping or granulating to recover the copper.
What is recovery in insulated wire scrap?
Recovery is the share of the weight that is copper once the insulation is removed. It ranges from below 40% for thin data cable and harness wire to above 80% for some thick power cable. Buyers pay on the tested recovery.
How is insulated copper wire scrap priced?
The copper content, found from the recovery, is priced as a percentage of the LME or a discount per tonne. Processing and plastic disposal costs are deducted. The cable type and contamination move the price.
Who buys insulated copper wire scrap?
Cable granulating and stripping plants and the scrap traders who supply them. Many are in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Turkey and Europe. Some countries, including China, do not accept unprocessed cable under their scrap import rules.
Is insulated cable scrap classed as waste?
It can be. Under the Basel Convention and many national rules, cable scrap may be treated as waste, and some types are hazardous. Check the export and import rules in both countries before you ship.
How do I test insulated wire scrap before buying?
Take a sample from different parts of the lot, strip or granulate it, and weigh the copper against the total. Have your inspector witness the test, and agree in the contract how recovery will be measured at the buyer's end.
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