Local disposal guide
How to Get Rid of Scrap Metal in Calgary
Old appliances, a rusted BBQ, a water heater, bed frames, pipes, and loose metal do not belong in your bins, but they are worth recycling instead of burying. Here are your real options in Calgary, from the scrap yard to the landfill, plus the easy way to just have it gone.
- Free estimates
- We do the lifting
- Responsible recycling
What Counts as Scrap Metal
Most metal around a house or job site can be recycled: old appliances like fridges, washers, dryers, stoves, and water heaters, plus BBQs, bed frames, patio furniture, shelving and racking, pipe, wire, eavestrough, and loose offcuts. The City of Calgary does not collect scrap metal or appliances in your black, blue, or green carts, and a heaping load of metal is heavy, awkward, and hard on a vehicle. These are the routes that actually work in Calgary.
Your options
Four Ways to Deal With Scrap Metal in Calgary
Take it to a scrap metal yard
Private scrap yards around Calgary buy metal by weight, and some clean metals like copper, brass, and aluminum are worth a bit, while steel and mixed loads pay very little. You sort it, load it, haul it, and weigh in during their hours. Best for clean, sorted metal you can move yourself.
Drop it at a City landfill site
Calgary landfill sites take metal for recycling, so it does not get buried. You still load it, drive it out, and pay any minimum charge at the scale. Fine for a small run if you have a truck and the time.
Sell it or give it away
Posting metal free on Kijiji or Marketplace can get an easy piece picked up, but it means dealing with strangers, no-shows, and scrappers who only want the valuable bits and leave the rest behind. Slow and hit or miss for a full cleanout.
Handle the fridges and freezers
Fridges, freezers, and AC units are mostly steel but hold refrigerant that has to be handled properly by law, so most yards and depots charge a freon fee or turn them away. See our <a href="/dispose-of-a-fridge-in-calgary/">fridge and freezer disposal guide</a> for the details.
Or Skip the Sorting and the Scrap-Yard Run
Every option above means dragging heavy metal out of a basement or yard, loading it into a vehicle, sorting it, and lining up during a yard’s hours. If you would rather not, that is what we do. We collect old appliances and loose metal from wherever they sit and send them to be recycled, refrigerant handling included, so nothing gets buried and nothing is left behind. See scrap metal recycling and appliance removal.
Because the metal has recycling value, a scrap or appliance pickup often costs less than regular junk removal, and some qualifying loads are free. It is easy to add to a larger cleanout, with no separate disposal fee to sort out afterward. Text a photo to 587-330-5500 and we will tell you the price.
Common questions
Scrap Metal Questions
Do you pay for scrap metal?
We are not a scrap yard, so we do not buy metal by weight. What we do is haul it out and recycle it for you. Because the metal has recycling value, a scrap or appliance pickup often costs less than regular junk removal, and some qualifying loads are free. Send a photo and we will tell you.
Is scrap metal pickup free?
Sometimes. Some qualifying loads are free and many cost less than regular removal, since the recycling value offsets part of the haul. It depends on the type, amount, and access, so text a photo to 587-330-5500 for a straight answer up front.
What metal and appliances do you take?
Fridges, freezers, washers, dryers, stoves, dishwashers, water heaters, and furnaces, plus BBQs, bed frames, patio and metal furniture, shelving and racking, pipe, wire, eavestrough, and general loose metal. If you are not sure, send a photo and we will confirm.
Do you take fridges and freezers with refrigerant?
Yes. Fridges, freezers, and AC units contain refrigerant that must be handled properly by law, and that handling is part of your quote, with no separate freon fee to sort out. Just let us know it is a cooling appliance so we handle it correctly.
Do I have to sort or prepare the metal first?
No. Leave it where it is. We do the lifting, carrying, and sorting, including out of basements, garages, and yards, and up or down stairs.
Can you take just one appliance, or do I need a full load?
Either works. We take a single appliance or a whole trailer of metal. A single item is a quick pickup, and larger loads are priced by what they are and how much there is.
Related
While We Are There
Scrap Metal Recycling
Appliances, fixtures, and loose metal sorted and recycled, not landfilled.