FOR THE TRADE · ELECTRICAL

Scrap copper prices for electricians

Rewires, board changes and commercial strip-outs generate a steady stream of copper cable, bright wire and busbar. The value is in the copper content — and how cleanly it's recovered. SCPT is an independent index: we don't buy metal, we help you find the yard paying the best rate near your job.

What electricians typically scrap

Insulated cable

Twin & earth, SWA and data cable. Priced on recoverable copper content, so thicker conductors pay more.

Bright / stripped wire

Cable stripped back to clean, shiny copper grades as the top tier — bright & shiny.

Busbar & solids

Heavy copper busbar and tails from boards and panels. Clean, unalloyed and high value.

Get the most for your copper

  • 01Strip what's worth stripping. Bright copper pays a premium over insulated cable. For heavy gauge, stripping often pays for itself.
  • 02Sort by cable type. Thin flex and data cable have low copper content; keep them apart from heavy T&E and SWA.
  • 03Keep busbar clean. No fixings, no aluminium, no brass — clean copper solids hit the top grades.
  • 04Compare before you travel. Cable rates swing with the copper market. Check the index before loading the van.

New to grading? Start with our guide to bright & shiny copper.

Compare yards near your next job

Enter a postcode and your travel radius to see which yards near the site pay the most for cable, bright wire and busbar.

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