How to prepare scrap metal for collection
Sort scrap by metal with a magnet. Keep batteries, gas bottles, fuel, asbestos and fridge gas out of the pile. Stack it so it can't fall, and photograph it with the way in. Good photos help us quote your pick-up.
On this page
The steps at a glance
Check it is yours to sell
Scrap is metal you own and have finished with. Metal that belongs to someone else needs the owner's written permission. Removing live wiring is electrical work that needs a licence.
Sort it with a magnet
Put magnetic metal, which is most steel and iron, in one pile. Split the rest into copper, brass, aluminium and stainless steel where you can tell them apart.
Set hazards aside
Batteries, gas bottles, fuel, oil, suspected asbestos, and fridges or air conditioners that still hold gas stay out of the pile.
Drain and empty
Where it is safe, drain fuel and oil from engines and mowers into sealed containers. Empty water from tanks and drums. Leave refrigerant systems alone.
Remove the easy extras
Take off loose plastic, rubber, timber and dirt if it is quick and safe. Never burn insulation.
Bundle and stack
Tie long pieces together. Put heavy items at the bottom and keep the pile low and stable.
Photograph the pile and the way in
Take the whole pile, each sorted pile, labels and the route in. The photo checklist below has the full list.
Note the amount and the access
Use a boot load, a ute tray or a count of items. Add anything that makes access hard, such as steps or a narrow gate.
To prepare scrap metal for pick-up, sort it by metal with a magnet. Keep hazards out of the pile, stack it so it cannot fall, and photograph it with the way in. A tidy, sorted pile is quicker to quote and safer to load. Forge Recyclers collects from trades and businesses from the Sunshine Coast to the Gold Coast, and confirms the pick-up when it replies to your request. Check the metal is yours to sell first: see selling scrap metal in Queensland.
How do you sort scrap metal for pick-up?
Sorting makes a quote easier and stops value draining away through mixing. The University of Cambridge says metals melted together can become alloys, and without careful separation the quality of the final product drops. The Australian Aluminium Council groups coated and uncoated aluminium apart and removes paper, plastic and other non-aluminium material.
Use a magnet first. Steel and iron go in one pile and everything that does not stick goes in another. The identification guide explains each result, including the stainless steel exception. Then split the non-magnetic pile into copper, brass, aluminium and stainless steel. If you cannot tell them apart, keep them as one pile and say so.
Keep electric motors, radiators and cable in their own piles, not with clean metal. Keep bare wire and insulated cable apart, and leave leads joined to plugs with the cable. Remove bolts, covers and timber only if it is quick, because stripping small amounts rarely pays. What scrap metal is worth the most explains what each metal is worth.
What should stay out of the pile?
Some items are dangerous to handle, illegal to release or a fire risk in a truck. Keep them apart and tell us about them.
| Item | Why it stays out | What to do instead |
|---|---|---|
| Batteries, loose or inside devices | The Queensland Government says crushed or punctured batteries can start fires, give off toxic gas and cause acid burns. B-cycle says damaged or swollen ones are a fire risk. | Take out easy batteries, tape the terminals and keep them apart. We buy used lead-acid batteries, such as car, truck and forklift batteries, so add them to your request. Ask us first about any other kind. |
| Gas bottles and fire extinguishers | Brisbane City Council says pressurised bottles are a significant safety hazard, even when empty. Planet Ark says a compacted bottle can explode and cause a fire. | Never put them in a bin or the scrap pile. We don't take sealed gas cylinders, so keep them well away from the load. |
| Fuel, oil, coolant, solvents and paint | The council says wrongly disposed hazardous waste can cause fires in bins and collection trucks. | Drain into sealed containers and keep them out of the load. We don't take fuel or other flammables. |
| Asbestos, or anything that might contain it | SafeWork NSW says cutting or drilling releases fibres that harm you if you breathe them in. Only a laboratory test confirms asbestos. | Do not cut, drill or move it. We don't take asbestos, so ask a licensed asbestos professional. |
| Fridges, freezers and air conditioners | They usually still hold refrigerant. The Australian Refrigeration Council says releasing it is illegal. | Leave pipes and compressors alone. Ask us or a licensed technician how the gas is recovered. |
| Wiring still connected to power | Queensland's Electrical Safety Act counts disconnecting supply wiring and removing an electrical installation as electrical work. It needs a licence, with some exceptions. | Have a licensed electrician isolate and remove it. Scrap the cable once it is dead. |
| Sealed drums, tanks and anything you cannot identify | The council describes hazardous waste as corrosive, flammable, explosive or toxic. A sealed container can hide any of these. | Set them aside and describe them to us. |
Source: Queensland Government, B-cycle, Brisbane City Council, Planet Ark, SafeWork NSW, Australian Refrigeration Council and the Electrical Safety Act 2002, all checked 2 October 2026.
How do you lift and stack scrap safely?
Scrap is heavy, awkward and often sharp. Queensland's work health and safety regulation calls a task hazardous when lifting, pushing, pulling or carrying it involves repeated or sustained force, high or sudden force, repeated movement, awkward posture or vibration. Businesses must manage those risks.
There is no single safe weight. SafeWork NSW lists signs of high force: the task feels physically demanding, needs help, needs a stronger person or two people, or needs two hands for something normally held in one.
Do
- Break loads into smaller bundles, or swap one heavy item for several light ones.
- Use a trolley, ramp or other lifting aid.
- Bring a second person for long, heavy or awkward items, and agree the plan first.
- Keep stacks low and stable, heaviest at the bottom, on firm level ground.
- Wear gloves and sturdy boots, and tie sharp offcuts in bundles with the sharp ends facing the same way.
Don't
- Lift something that feels too heavy or awkward on your own.
- Stack scrap high or on soft ground.
- Burn insulation off cable. Brisbane City Council says you cannot burn waste in a residential area.
- Pull wiring that is still connected to power.
- Let children or pets near the pile.
Which photos help a quote?
A photo quote is an estimate, but good photos bring it closer to the real job.
Photos and details to have ready
Do not lift things just to weigh them. Keep people's faces, number plates and documents out of shot. To start a request, use the quote page. Add your photos to the form, and Forge Recyclers replies with what to do next.
Getting ready for collection day
Clear a path from the pile to where a vehicle can stop. Keep the pile dry if you can. Be there, or name someone who can point out what is for sale. Tell us about steps, narrow gates, soft ground and overhead lines beforehand.
Have your ID ready. The ID and records guide explains what to bring, and the scrap metal pick-up page covers collection in Brisbane. For unfamiliar words, see the glossary.
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth stripping plastic or steel off scrap before pick-up?
Sometimes. Loose plastic, rubber and timber are worth removing, but stripping small amounts rarely pays. Ask us before you strip anything, and never burn insulation or strip cable that is still live. See electrical cable scrap for more.
Do I need to clean scrap metal before it is collected?
No scrubbing is needed. Drain liquids, remove loose dirt and rubbish, and keep the pile dry if you can. Oil, water and dirt add weight without adding value, so a buyer may deduct for them.
What should I do with a fridge or air conditioner?
Leave the pipes and compressor alone. A licensed person must recover the refrigerant before the unit is crushed, and releasing it is illegal under Commonwealth law. Ask us how we handle units before you book a licensed technician.
Can I leave batteries in tools or a mower?
Take out any battery that comes out easily, tape the terminals and keep it apart. A damaged or swollen battery is a fire risk and must not go in a bin or a scrap pile. Tell us about any battery you cannot remove.
How can I tell whether something contains asbestos?
You often can't tell by looking, and some older building products contain it. If you are unsure, do not cut, drill or move the item. Keep it out of the pile and ask a licensed asbestos professional.
Sources
- Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld), part 4.2 and dictionary, Queensland Legislation (checked 2 October 2026)
- Hazardous manual tasks, SafeWork NSW (checked 2 October 2026)
- Hazardous waste disposal, Brisbane City Council (checked 2 October 2026)
- Don't bin your batteries, Queensland Government (checked 2 October 2026)
- Battery recycling FAQs, B-cycle (checked 2 October 2026)
- Air conditioners, fridges and refrigerant recovery, Australian Refrigeration Council (January 2021) (checked 2 October 2026)
- Recycling gas bottles, Planet Ark Recycling Near You (checked 2 October 2026)
- Asbestos, SafeWork NSW (checked 2 October 2026)
- Electrical Safety Act 2002 (Qld), sections 18 and 55, Queensland Legislation (checked 2 October 2026)
- Legal requirements for second-hand dealers and pawnbrokers, Queensland Government (checked 2 October 2026)
- Recycling aluminium in five steps, Australian Aluminium Council (checked 2 October 2026)
- Recycling of Metals teaching and learning package, University of Cambridge (DoITPoMS) (checked 2 October 2026)
- Air and odour complaints (burning waste), Brisbane City Council (checked 2 October 2026)
Related pages
Got scrap metal to sell?
Call us, or send a few photos and details with the quote form. We reply with a quote and pick it up from your site.