Demolition projects produce a lot of scrap materials that can quickly clog up a job site. If you don’t have a good asset recovery plan before you begin demolition, sorting and storing the scrap between pickups and drop-offs can be a nightmare. Worse, you may miss out on valuable scrap recycling opportunities, and you could even run afoul of local ordinances that require recycling certain materials during construction and demolition projects.

Whether you’re a seasoned scrapper or preparing for your first demolition project, Cozzi Recycling is the premier demolition scrap recycling partner in the Chicago area, with over 80 years of experience in commercial scrap recycling. We can help you create a robust asset recovery plan that includes on-site containers, scheduled pickups or drop-offs, and scrap materials to look for during every stage of your demolition project. We’ll also provide you with fair and accurate pricing to help you forecast your project’s estimated returns, and regular history reports to track your profits throughout the project.

Accepted Demolition Scrap Materials

At Cozzi Recycling, we buy and process all grades of ferrous and nonferrous scrap metal for recycling. The most common demolition scrap materials we accept include:

  • Conduits
  • I-beams
  • Iron
  • Nails
  • Rebar
  • Structural steel
  • Copper wires and pipes

While, we accept most materials, here are a few things we do not accept:

  • Asbestos Material
  • Materials Containing Harmful Toxins or Acids
  • Mercury
  • Property associated with governments, utilities, or railroads

Demolition Scrap Material Drop-off

Many large contractors own their own truck fleet and have the ability to deliver materials to our conveniently located, and fully paved scrap yard.

The Cozzi Full Service Scrap Metal Recycling Yard & Warehouse in Bellwood is our flagship location for commercial and demolition scrap customers. It’s a full-service scrap yard for receiving, sorting, baling, shredding, shearing, and shipping, with a computerized truck scale for quick and easy weigh-ins. Our expertly trained technicians provide accurate quotes and fast payments, so you can turn your demolition scrap into maximum profits on the spot.

Demolition Scrap Material Pickup

Whether your job has a one-time pickup or several throughout the process of the job, trust Cozzi Recycling’s large fleet of specialized trucks. Depending on your needs, our team will arrive at your location in a flatbed, end-dump, lugger truck, or one of our many other options to start our recycling process. Once your team has loaded the materials into the truck, the material will be brought into our yard for classification, weight, and processing.

If you need work site solutions for storing scrap material while you are finishing up your job, one of our many demolition containers may be right for you.

Demolition Scrap Containers

One of the biggest challenges of scrap recycling during a demolition project can be sorting and storing your scrap. Cozzi Recycling makes this as easy as possible by offering a wide variety of containers:

  • Dump trailers
  • Gaylord boxes
  • Lugger boxes
  • Roll-off containers

Cozzi Recycling offers all of these storage options for no additional charge. Even better, we’ll deliver them to your work site and pick them up when you’re done, so you don’t have to worry about transporting scrap from the site to the recycling facility. We also offer custom container solutions.

Factors That Influence Scrap Metal Pricing

Cozzi Recycling offers top-dollar for scrap materials based on market rates, which often change day to day. Some of the factors that can influence the market rate of scrap materials include:

  • Construction demand – construction booms are great for scrap metal pricing, while recessions can bring scrap metal pricing down.
  • Supply constraints – remember learning about supply and demand in that Economics 101 course? Here’s a practical application for that. When there is too much scrap metal available, the price goes down. When the supply of scrap metal is scarce, the prices go up.
  • Regional trends – national and international trends tend to have the largest effect on scrap metal pricing, but regional trends can cause some fluctuation. Recycling facilities that are near major transportation hubs often benefit from lower transportation costs, which can translate to slightly better scrap prices for customers.
  • Virgin metals pricing – scrap metal always has to compete against the cost of new (virgin) metals. When the cost of virgin metal is high, scrap metal prices rise. When the cost of virgin metal is low, that tends to weigh down on scrap metal prices.

In addition to market trends, a scrap item’s grading and condition play a significant role in its pricing. While you don’t have much control over grading (other than knowing what to look for and keeping an eye out for the good stuff), you can raise the value of your scrap by stripping it of non-metal attachments like concrete, rubber, glass, and plastic. When you’re working with roofing materials, be sure to remove as much tar as possible. When you do this right, you’ll notice that your scrap is labeled as “clean,” and it should generate a better spot price.

How Cozzi Recycling Can Maximize Your Returns

Demolition projects can vary significantly depending on the building, property, and property owner’s specifications, so it can be difficult to forecast your scrap recycling needs. The demolition scrap plan that you incorporated during your last project may not apply to the current project. Even if the scrap materials are similar, the amount of scrap could be vastly greater, which will impact the type of scrap containers that you need and the frequency of scheduled pickups. You also need to be aware of local ordinances that may impose penalties for not recycling certain materials during construction and demolition.

Sound overwhelming? It doesn’t have to be! Our expertly trained account executives can help you put together an asset recovery plan that maximizes returns and minimizes headaches. We offer:

  • Accurate scrap calculations with a computerized truck scale
  • A friendly, knowledgeable staff
  • A full-service commercial scrap yard
  • Fast, accurate, and fair payments
  • On-site containers and custom sorting solutions
  • Regular history reports to track your scrap returns
  • Convenient pickup services with our expansive fleet

Don’t let valuable scrap materials clog up your project site and go to waste. Give us a call today for a complementary consultation with an account executive who specializes in demolition scrap.