Is it worth a sole trader's time to sort and sell scrap copper offcuts, or should it just go in general waste?
Short answer: For most electricians and plumbers doing regular work, yes — copper in particular holds meaningful value even in small offcut quantities, and since you're already handling the material, the extra time to keep it separate rather than binning it is usually minor compared to what it's worth over weeks or months of accumulated jobs.
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List Free →Why copper specifically is worth the effort
Copper is one of the higher-value common scrap metals, and even relatively small offcut quantities from cable trimming or pipe work add up meaningfully over a series of jobs, unlike lower-value ferrous scrap where the effort-to-value ratio is less favourable.
What “worth it” actually looks like
The marginal time cost is small if you build separation into your existing workflow (a dedicated bucket or bin in the van, for instance) rather than treating it as an extra task requiring separate effort.
When it’s genuinely not worth it
For occasional or very small offcut volumes, the effort of separate storage and a special trip to sell might exceed the value — in that case, accumulating over multiple jobs before selling makes more sense than sorting for a single small job.
How ScrapTrade Helps
ScrapTrade lets you check current prices before deciding whether a given volume is worth the trip, so you’re not guessing.
Turn job-site scrap into real business income. ScrapTrade connects tradies and small businesses with verified buyers through transparent weighing and escrow-protected payments.
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