Recycling has been a big deal for decades. The market for scrap automotive parts like catalytic converters is part of that larger market trend. Catalytic converters have extra value as scrap, thanks to the precious metals in them. Many recycling companies are interested in buying catalytic converter scrap. While the old parts have some value as replacement parts, recycling makes more sense overall. The first step in recycling your old catalytic converter is to know what you have. The more parts to have the more important this is. The next steps involve researching prices and finding a recycler.
Step 1 – Know What You Have
All catalytic converters contain small quantities of palladium and platinum, sometimes rhodium. Those precious metals are valuable enough to be worth the trouble of recovering them from old catalytic converter scrap. A car or light truck converter might have 6 to 16 grams of precious metals, more if the car or truck had a powerful engine, less in a tiny compact car. Older models, from say 1982 and earlier were less effective and needed more precious metal content to get the job done. A small collection of converters could end up having $1000 or more in palladium and platinum.
Scrapping the parts to get that material is usually the better option but it isn’t the only recycling option. Many old catalytic converters are reusable, so a mechanic or car owner can install the part on another vehicle. The obvious downside to this is finding a vehicle that takes that model of converter. You may have some flexibility in what to fit on what vehicle, but that used part might sit around for quite some time.
Further, an insurance company or the car’s owner might insist on a new replacement part. The possibility of reusing that converter is there. But selling those parts to a recycler is almost always the better strategy. How do you find someone to buy one part or many? You may also want to know what you have in terms of scrap value. Whatever catalytic converter recycle or reuse decision you make, you need to get current prices.
Step 2 – Research Market Prices
Some companies have launched apps that help an individual with a catalytic converter to scrap. catalytic converter owners find the scrap value of their parts. This information is good to know for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the prices can vary greatly from one model to another. The converter in a Ford F350 pickup will have a different scrap value from a Ford Focus part or a Ford Fusion part. Secondly, prices vary with the buyer. One buyer might offer $300, close to what you found when you found the value online. Another recycler might offer $200. An incautious seller might get the $200 quote first and sell for that price.
For a business that handles auto parts like catalytic converters in bulk, the cost of not doing your research is going to be much higher in a couple of ways. You may get a lowball offer for your two pallets full of old catalytic converters without realizing it. You are content to have them give you $4,000 and take the pallets away. But, with some research, you might have found that those parts are worth around $6,000 to someone else. Researching also gives you a chance to inventory those parts, including current market value.
If you have never delved into the scrap catalytic converter market, you might be surprised to find out how many companies buy these parts to salvage the platinum and palladium in them.
Step 3 – Find a Recycler
Because catalytic converters contain valuable metals, many recyclers are happy to buy them to recover those metals. An individual with one to sell could simply go to a recycler with proof they own the vehicle it came from and get some money. You still want to call ahead and ask them to give you a quote based on the part number. A wholesale recycler, one who will buy pallet loads at a time will want an inventory of parts, ideally in a neat electronic file.
Deliver your part or parts to the recycling location. Remember that some companies will pick up a large collection of converters, car batteries, aluminum wheels, and other kinds of scrap. Be sure to look at pick-up options if you have one or more collections of recyclable parts.
Be an Informed Recycler
Catalytic converters are valuable for their platinum and palladium content, so selling catalytic converter scrap to a recycler is a good way to make extra money. If you have one catalytic converter to recycle, or hundreds, it is important to know the value and do a little comparison shopping, so you do not lose money. Belanger Converter Recycling offers a mobile app, Group Catalyst, that helps users get current prices, organize photos of individual parts, create inventory sheets, and more.
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