How to Prepare Your Scrap Metal

We want all of our customers to have a positive experience when visiting our facility. By preparing and loading your materials properly, we can provide you with a timely transaction, as well as the highest values for your items. Just follow the four-step plan below.

• 1. Ensure your load is recyclable and includes only metallic items. We solely purchase metal materials. We don’t recycle or process non-metallic items such as cardboard, wood, plastic, glass, trash, or liquids. If these items are mixed into your load, your load will be subjected to downgrades or outright rejection.
• 2. Properly identify and sort your material. Accurately classify your items, as the differences in material grades can affect the prices you receive for your materials. In addition, review the material descriptions and look for ways to sort your items by current conditional grade. Use a magnet to detect ferrous contaminants on non-ferrous items. You should also use a file to remove any surface plating to confirm there is metal underneath. This helps reduce misunderstandings and align expectations for paid values.
• 3. Load your materials into your vehicle by grade classifications. If you have both ferrous and non-ferrous metals, arrange your items in a way that allows you to unload them orderly.

• 4. Be prepared when coming on site. When selling any scrap to Merrillville Metal Recycling, you must have in your possession at all times a valid driver’s license or state ID. In addition, to enhance your safety and our safety, and to also ensure state laws are adhered to, all transactions are monitored and recorded by a CCTV system.

What We Don’t Accept

Merrillville Metal Recycling does not recycle the items listed below. If any of these items are found in loads we purchase, you will be subjected to pricing downgrades or load rejections.

• No refrigerant: White goods must be certified as having all CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) properly reclaimed before selling your scrap appliances to Merrillville Metal Recycling.
• No PCBs: We will not accept any capacitors, transformers, ballasts, or other items that contain PCBs (Polychlorinated Biphenyls).
• No closed or sealed containers: This includes fire extinguishers, propane tanks, refrigerant tanks, oxygen tanks, or other pressurized and non-pressurized instruments. Material will only be accepted if it emptied and cut, exposing the internal chamber.