Most people sell scrap the same way: a kabaria or pheriwala passes by, names a price, and the deal is done in five minutes. It is quick, but you rarely know whether the price was fair. With a little preparation you can usually get more for the same scrap.
1. Sort your scrap by material
A mixed bag is priced at the value of its cheapest contents. Separate it into piles: copper (tamba), brass (pital), aluminium (often called silver), iron and steel (loha), plastic, paper (raddi), cardboard (gatta), e-waste and batteries. If you are not sure what something is, our guide to identifying scrap metals shows simple checks with a magnet.
2. Clean it up
- Remove plastic, rubber and iron screws from metal where it is safe to do so.
- Keep paper and cardboard dry and tied in bundles.
- Rinse plastic bottles and remove caps.
- Never burn cable to get the copper out: burnt copper sells for less and the smoke is toxic.
3. Check today's rate
Rates for metals change daily. Look up today's scrap rate in Pakistan and the rate in your city before anyone names a price. Remember that a published rate is for clean, sorted material: dirty or mixed scrap is priced lower.
4. Estimate the weight
Scrap is paid by the kilogram. A bathroom scale is enough for small loads: weigh yourself, then weigh yourself holding the item, and subtract. For heavy items, a photo estimate in the Scrap Exchange app gives a starting range.
5. Get more than one offer
This is the single biggest difference to the price you get. When you publish your scrap on Scrap Exchange with a photo, several kabarias, dealers and recyclers can make offers. You can counter, ask questions in the chat and choose the best one.
6. Weigh together and check before you hand over
- Weigh on a proper scale (kanda) in front of you, and note the reading.
- Agree the final price per kg and the total before the scrap leaves.
- Count cash in front of the buyer, or check your JazzCash, Easypaisa or bank balance in the official app. Never accept a screenshot or SMS as proof.
On Scrap Exchange the buyer records the final weight and price with photos, and you confirm only once you are paid. If something goes wrong, you can open a dispute within 7 days.