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How to Recycle Brass
Check local acceptanceOctober 19, 2026 board medians: yellow brass $3.51/lb (four yards, $3.30 to $3.83) and red brass $4.82/lb (three yards, $4.17 to $5.13). The August reference list still has brass shells at $3.15, brass radiators at $3.15, mixed brass at $2.45, and bronze at $4.20. Rockaway Recycling (NJ, October 19, 2026) pays $3.30 for plumbing brass, $4.15 for clean bronze, $3.20 for shells with little plastic, dirt, or steel, $3.10 for clean brass radiators, and $0.85 for dirty faucets. Paz Metals (PA, August 14, 2026) pays $3.00 for clean brass and $1.05 for dirty. Call your yard.Last reviewed October 19, 2026
Quick answer
Yes. Take brass to a scrap yard, not the curbside bin. On October 19, 2026, four public boards posted yellow brass from $3.30 to $3.83 a pound, median $3.51, and three posted red brass from $4.17 to $5.13, median $4.82. Dirty brass with steel, plastic, or rubber still attached paid $0.85 at Rockaway that morning. Paz Metals posted dirty brass at $1.05 on August 14, 2026. Pull steel off with a magnet, cut off the plastic, and keep yellow, red, shells, and radiators apart if the yard posts separate prices. Before you go, confirm that a local recycling center accepts the material in its current condition.
- Recycling route
- Check locally
- Typical value
- October 19, 2026 board medians: yellow brass $3.51/lb (four yards, $3.30 to $3.83) and red brass $4.82/lb (three yards, $4.17 to $5.13). The August reference list still has brass shells at $3.15, brass radiators at $3.15, mixed brass at $2.45, and bronze at $4.20. Rockaway Recycling (NJ, October 19, 2026) pays $3.30 for plumbing brass, $4.15 for clean bronze, $3.20 for shells with little plastic, dirt, or steel, $3.10 for clean brass radiators, and $0.85 for dirty faucets. Paz Metals (PA, August 14, 2026) pays $3.00 for clean brass and $1.05 for dirty. Call your yard.
Copper-zinc alloy found in plumbing fittings, faucets, valves, doorknobs, hardware, decorative objects, instruments, shell casings, and brass radiators. Yards pay by grade: clean yellow brass, red brass, bronze, shells, and radiators each post their own price, and dirty brass pays a fraction of clean.
Where to Recycle
- Nonferrous scrap yards
- Metal recycling centers
- Architectural salvage for reusable fixtures
How to Prepare
- 1Hold a magnet to every piece. Brass is not magnetic, so anything the magnet grabs is steel or iron and must come off or go in a separate pile
- 2Unscrew or cut off steel bolts, iron fittings, plastic handles, rubber washers, and rubber hoses. Attached steel, plastic, or rubber pushes the load into the dirty brass grade
- 3Drain water from plumbing parts and knock off dirt and thread tape
- 4Sort yellow brass (faucets, fixtures, doorknobs), red brass (more copper, reddish tint), bronze, shell casings, and brass radiators into separate containers
- 5Scratch a hidden spot with a file or knife: brass shows a gold-yellow color underneath, copper shows red
- 6Bring a photo ID. State scrap laws require yards to record who sells them metal, and the rules vary by state, so call your yard first
Special Instructions
Do not dismantle pressurized valves, loaded ammunition, or contaminated industrial parts for ordinary scrap. Spent shell casings are a separate grade, and your yard sets its own rules on accepting them. Antique fixtures, hardware, and working instruments can sell for more intact than as scrap.
Environmental Impact
Recycling brass recovers copper and zinc and reduces demand for virgin metal production.
Official guidance and resources
Accepted items and drop-off rules can vary by location. Check the destination before you go.
- EPA: how to recycle common recyclables
- Rockaway Recycling: scrap metal prices (NJ, October 19, 2026)
- Paz Metals: scrap prices (PA, Aug 14, 2026)
- Middleboro Recycling: everything you need to know about brass scrap
- iScrap App: scrap metal laws by state (seller ID and record rules)
- RecycleFind: spent brass shell casing value and recycling
Donation & Take‑Back Options
Estimated value: October 19, 2026 board medians: yellow brass $3.51/lb (four yards, $3.30 to $3.83) and red brass $4.82/lb (three yards, $4.17 to $5.13). The August reference list still has brass shells at $3.15, brass radiators at $3.15, mixed brass at $2.45, and bronze at $4.20. Rockaway Recycling (NJ, October 19, 2026) pays $3.30 for plumbing brass, $4.15 for clean bronze, $3.20 for shells with little plastic, dirt, or steel, $3.10 for clean brass radiators, and $0.85 for dirty faucets. Paz Metals (PA, August 14, 2026) pays $3.00 for clean brass and $1.05 for dirty. Call your yard.
FAQs
How much is brass worth per pound?
On October 19, 2026, yellow brass's median was $3.51 a pound and red brass's was $4.82. Rockaway posted clean bronze at $4.15 that morning. The August reference list still has bronze at $4.20. Dirty brass paid $0.85 at Rockaway on October 19 and $1.05 at Paz Metals on August 14.
What is the difference between yellow brass and red brass?
Red brass has more copper and a reddish tint. Yellow brass is the common alloy in household faucets and doorknobs. On the October 19, 2026 boards the gap was wide: red brass median $4.82, yellow brass median $3.51. Sort them when your yard posts both grades.
What is dirty brass and how do I get the clean price?
Dirty brass is brass with steel, plastic, rubber, or other metal still attached. Paz Metals pays $3.00 per pound for clean brass and $1.05 for dirty. Unscrew the steel, cut off the plastic, and check each piece with a magnet before you weigh in.
How can I tell brass from copper or steel?
Use a magnet first: brass does not stick, so a magnetic piece is steel or iron. Then scratch the surface. Brass shows gold-yellow underneath, and copper shows red.
Can I sell brass shell casings for scrap?
Spent brass shells are their own grade. Rockaway Recycling posted $3.20 a pound on October 19, 2026. The August reference list has shells at $3.15, and Paz Metals posted $2.50 on August 14, 2026. Keep plastic, dirt, and steel out of the pile, and confirm the yard accepts casings before you drive over.
Do I need ID to sell brass to a scrap yard?
Bring a photo ID. Many states require scrap dealers to record the seller's ID and the metal sold, and the details differ by state. Call your yard to confirm what it needs.
Recycle brass
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