A Scale That Cannot Be Cheated — Why It Is the Foundation of Scrap Metal Buying
When you arrive at a scrap yard with a load of metal on a trailer, a delivery van or a lorry, the only objective measure of your earnings is the weight of the raw material. Not a visual estimate, not an "eyeball" judgment, not "years of experience" — only the result of weighing on a device that has been certified by an authorised body. In Poland, scale certification is carried out by the Regional Office of Measures (Obwód Miar) within the supervisory system of the Central Office of Measures (Główny Urząd Miar). A weighbridge holding a current CE certification mark and GUM seals is subject to annual verification and must meet Class III accuracy standards under the MID (Measuring Instruments Directive 2014/32/EU). What does this mean in practice? For a weighbridge with a 50-tonne capacity, the indication error may not exceed the value defined in the relevant regulation — a value many times smaller than anything achievable by visual estimation methods.
What Is a Weighbridge and How Does Certification Work
A weighbridge is a platform built into the floor of a scrap yard, onto which a vehicle drives. The electronic system records the gross weight (vehicle + load), and after the empty vehicle drives off — the tare weight. The difference is the net weight of the raw material you are actually selling. At the EURO-SCRAP yard, the weighbridge has a capacity of up to 50 tonnes and a digital readout on a display visible to the customer. After weighing, a weight ticket is issued containing the date, time, vehicle registration number and net weight — a document the customer takes with them.
For smaller quantities — such as a few kilograms of copper, cables or aluminium — certified platform scales are used. These are also subject to the same certification regulations and provide the same level of measurement certainty.
How to Prepare Scrap Metal Before Weighing — It Directly Affects Your Money
Even the best scale will not help if the raw material is unprepared. Every kilogram of contamination is a kilogram for which you will either not be paid or will have deducted from your payout. Here is what you should know before you arrive:
Separating Non-Ferrous Metals from Steel and Contaminants
The basic rule: non-ferrous metals should never be delivered to a scrap yard mixed with iron, concrete, soil or plastic. The presence of steel inserts in copper or aluminium results in the entire batch being automatically classified into a lower price category or a percentage deduction from the total weight. If you are collecting scrap from demolition or dismantling work, it is always worth spending time on manual sorting — it is an investment that pays off in cash.
Copper Classification — The Price Differences Are Enormous
Copper is the raw material where the category has the greatest financial impact. At the EURO-SCRAP yard, we distinguish:
- Millberry copper — shiny thick copper wire, clean, free from oxidation, coatings and insulation. The highest category. Current buying rate: copper buying price list — around 38–40 PLN/kg.
- Copper offcuts — pipes, sheets and sections made of clean copper, without coatings. The rate is slightly lower than Millberry, but still among the highest.
- Tinned copper (pobiał) — copper coated with tin, e.g. from refrigeration and electronic installations. Due to the presence of tin, the buying price is lower.
- Burnt copper — cables and wires from which the insulation has been burned off. Purchased at a lower rate, as the burning process leaves carbon deposits on the surface and reduces the purity of the raw material. Note: burning cables is prohibited in Poland and carries legal penalties — it is better to sell copper cables as insulated copper cable, without burning.
If you have cables with insulation, take a look at the offer from the copper cable and automotive wiring harness buying point SkupKabli.poznan.pl — this specialist yard buys copper cables, aluminium cables and automotive wiring harnesses, helping you avoid losses associated with incorrect classification.
Brass and Its Categories
- Yellow brass — valves, fittings, castings, fittings. Clean pieces free from iron and plastic. Buying rate: 22–24 PLN/kg.
- Nickel-plated brass (pobiał) — brass with a nickel or other coating. Lower rate than yellow brass.
- Brass radiators — brass with iron components (housings, tanks). Purchased with allowance for iron content — usually as a separate category.
Aluminium — Castings, Profiles, Rims, Thin Sheet
- Aluminium castings — engines, gearboxes, cylinder heads, machine castings. Condition: free from iron. Rate: 6–9 PLN/kg depending on purity.
- Clean aluminium profile — window frames without polyurethane foam and without steel fittings. Valued higher than contaminated profile.
- Aluminium rims — purchased as a separate category.
- Thin aluminium (plastyka) — foil, cans and thin components. The lowest rate in the aluminium group.
Charge-Grade vs. Non-Charge-Grade Steel — Dimensions Matter
Scrap steel is divided into two basic commercial categories:
- Charge-grade scrap — meets the technical requirements of steelmaking furnaces: material thickness of at least 4–6 mm, piece dimensions up to 1.5 m × 0.5 m. This scrap goes directly into the furnace without further processing, hence the higher buying rate (approximately 0.90–1.10 PLN/kg).
- Non-charge-grade scrap (oversized) — pieces exceeding the permitted dimensions, too large or too thin (below 4 mm). Requires cutting and preparation before the steelworks, which generates costs — hence the lower buying rate (approximately 0.80–0.95 PLN/kg).
If you are able to cut the steel before bringing it to the yard, this simple step can genuinely increase your payout.
How Contamination Deductions Reduce Your Payout
At yards without a transparent pricing policy, contamination deductions can be set arbitrarily. Soil and sand absorbed by the scrap, concrete attached to reinforcement bars, plastic end caps on copper, oil-soaked aluminium components or cast-iron inserts in sheet metal — all of these can be used as a pretext for reducing the rate or refusing to accept the material in the declared category. At EURO-SCRAP, classification is carried out in accordance with industry standards, and any deductions are communicated before weighing — the customer can decide whether to sell on the proposed terms.
The Weight Ticket — Your Proof of Transaction
A certified weighbridge is not only a measuring instrument — it is also a transaction documentation system. The weight ticket printed by the weighing system contains the date, time, gross weight, tare and net weight. It serves as the basis for settlement and for any complaint should a dispute arise regarding the weight. For companies keeping records of raw materials within the BDO system (Waste Data Register), the weight ticket constitutes a document confirming the weight of the waste transferred — which is essential for the correct completion of waste transfer cards (KPO).
If you plan to sell larger quantities of raw materials on a regular basis, check the option of collection of large quantities of raw materials using our own transport — EURO-SCRAP operates a fleet of vehicles for collecting scrap directly from a production facility or construction site.
Where to Sell Scrap Metal in Greater Poland — EURO-SCRAP Buying Points
EURO-SCRAP operates buying points at several locations in the Greater Poland (Wielkopolska) region, each equipped with a certified weighbridge. If you are looking for scrap metal buying in Luboń, scrap metal buying in Komorniki, or you operate in the western part of the voivodeship and need scrap metal buying in Wolsztyn — the EURO-SCRAP network of points allows you to find the nearest location without the need for long journeys.
Raw Material Buying Is Not Just About Metal Scrap
It is worth knowing that the EURO-SCRAP group also operates a specialist point dealing with the purchase of returnable packaging — returnable bottle, crate and keg buying at SkupButelek.com.pl. If you run a catering establishment, a hotel or a warehouse with kegs and crates, this is a convenient option for handing over secondary raw materials all in one place.
Summary — What You Gain from a Certified Weighbridge
- Certainty that you are paid for the actual weight of the raw material, not the operator's visual estimate.
- A document confirming the transaction — essential for corporate accounting and BDO records.
- The ability to weigh entire vehicles loaded with scrap — without the need for manual unloading on site.
- Transparency of classification: knowing in which category and at what rate you are selling before the transaction is finalised.
- Protection against arbitrary contamination deductions — the customer is informed before making a decision.
Do you have questions about the classification of your raw material or would you like to find out more about current rates? Use the contact form for the Poznań buying point — our team will answer your questions about preparing scrap, price categories and arranging transport.
