Non-ferrous metal
Metals without iron, such as aluminum, copper, lead and platinum-group metals, usually worth more per pound than steel.
Non-ferrous metals contain no iron. In cars they include aluminum (wheels, engine blocks, radiators), copper (wiring, older radiators), lead (batteries) and the platinum-group metals in catalytic converters. They are generally not magnetic and are separated from steel after shredding.
Per pound, non-ferrous metals are usually worth far more than steel, which is why some yards pay extra for aluminum wheels, radiators and converters.
The EPA says that, other than aluminum, lead in lead-acid batteries is the most prevalent nonferrous metal in municipal solid waste, and its analysis counts batteries from passenger cars, trucks and motorcycles.1
References
-
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Other Nonferrous Metals: Material-Specific Data”, https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/nonferrous-metals-material-specific-data ↩