Sell scrap aluminium: grades, prices and how to sell
Aluminium is light, common and always in demand, and it is priced by grade. Clean extrusions and alloy wheels earn the most, while aluminium with steel or plastic attached earns the least.
This guide is for businesses. If you are a householder, use your council's recycling service or your local recycling centre instead.
What is scrap aluminium worth?
Scrap aluminium is quoted per kilo or per tonne and follows the London Metal Exchange aluminium price.
What you are paid depends on:
- Grade. Clean, single alloy material earns the most.
- Attachments. Steel, plastic thermal breaks, rubber and glass all lower the grade.
- Form. Solid sections earn more than turnings, and baled material is cheaper to haul.
- Quantity. Regular volumes earn better terms.
For current market figures, see our scrap aluminium prices page, which is updated every month.
Scrap aluminium grades
| Grade | What it is | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Clean extrusions | Window, door and section offcuts with no plastic, steel or glass | One of the best grades |
| Alloy wheels | Wheels with tyres and balance weights removed | Among the best grades |
| Old rolled | Sheet, panels, signs and cladding | Mid range |
| Cast aluminium | Housings, engine parts and other castings | Mid range |
| Aluminium cans | Used drinks cans, loose or baled | See the cans guide |
| Turnings | Swarf from machining, dry and free of steel | Below solid grades |
| Irony aluminium | Aluminium with steel or other material still attached | The lowest grade |
How to prepare scrap aluminium for sale
- Check with a magnet. Aluminium is not magnetic, so anything that sticks is steel and should come off.
- Remove plastic thermal breaks, rubber seals and glass from frames.
- Take tyres and balance weights off alloy wheels.
- If you machine known alloys, keep each alloy separate. Buyers pay more for a single alloy.
- Keep turnings dry and in their own container.
- Bale light sheet and cans if you produce them in volume.
Your legal duties when you sell scrap aluminium
- Licensed dealer. In England and Wales the buyer must hold a scrap metal dealer's licence from the local council.
- Identity check. The dealer must verify the seller's name and address, so whoever delivers the metal should bring identification.
- No cash. Dealers can only pay by bank transfer or by cheque. Paying cash for scrap metal is illegal.
- Duty of care. Your business must store its waste safely and hand it only to someone authorised to take it. See the official guidance.
- Registered carrier. Whoever collects your material must be a registered waste carrier. Check the public register before the first collection.
- Waste transfer note. Complete one for every load, or a season ticket for regular collections, and keep it for two years.
- Carrying it yourself. If you regularly transport your own business waste you must register as a waste carrier. In England this is free when you only carry waste your own business produced, unless it is construction or demolition waste.
- Separation at work. In England, workplaces must keep dry recyclables, food waste and non recyclable waste apart. The rules began on 31 March 2025, and firms with fewer than 10 full time equivalent employees have until 31 March 2027. Read the rules.
- Digital waste tracking. Since 1 October 2026, permitted sites that receive waste in England and Wales must record each load in the government's digital service. Carriers and dealers are due to follow in a later phase, so keep your transfer notes.
Rules differ slightly in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This is a plain English summary, not legal advice.
How to sell scrap aluminium on The Green Alchemist
- Register your business on The Green Alchemist.
- Create a selling listing with the grade, quantity, location and a clear photo of your scrap aluminium.
- Browse the directory of waste processors to find buyers and carriers who handle scrap aluminium, and contact them directly.
- Compare offers on price, collection and payment terms, and check each buyer's registration.
- Agree the collection, complete the waste transfer note and get paid by bank transfer.
Register and list your scrap aluminium
Frequently asked questions
Is aluminium magnetic?
No. A magnet is the quickest way to tell aluminium from steel. If it sticks, the item is steel or has steel attached.
Does paint or coating lower the price?
Slightly. Painted and coated aluminium is usually bought as its own grade, a little below clean bare metal.
What is irony aluminium?
It is aluminium that still has steel or other material attached, such as screws, brackets or inserts. It is the lowest grade, so removing the attachments raises the price.
Can a dealer pay me in cash?
No. In England and Wales scrap metal dealers can only pay by bank transfer or by cheque, and they must verify the seller's name and address.
Related guides: Sell scrap cans, Sell scrap metal, Sell scrap copper.