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A public resource guide
Free scrap metal removal in Anchorage, AK
Every free and paid way to get rid of scrap metal in Anchorage, verified October 2026.
Checked against Anchorage SWS
Home › By item › Scrap metal › Anchorage
A public resource guide
Every free and paid way to get rid of scrap metal in Anchorage, verified October 2026.
Checked against Anchorage SWS
$0
free curbside bulky pickups; SWS schedules paid Saturday pickups for its customers
$48.50
to dispose of a refrigerator or freezer at CTS or the landfill ($28.50 refrigerant plus $20)
CTS
Central Transfer Station, 1310 E. 56th Ave, takes household bulky loads by weight
Every route for scrap metal in Anchorage, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full Anchorage guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in Anchorage, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
Anchorage bulky item disposal: scrap metal
Pickup or drop-off, fees applyScrap yards and CTS's metal recycling take metal; scrap yards may pay.
Who qualifies: Households in the Municipality of Anchorage. Solid Waste Services (SWS) collects curbside refuse in its service area; Alaska Waste serves most other neighborhoods. Neither includes free bulky pickup.
How to schedule: SWS curbside customers can ask about a scheduled bulk item pickup (Saturdays, by appointment, 907-343-6250; fees apply). Everyone else self-hauls to the Central Transfer Station (1310 E. 56th Ave) or the Anchorage Regional Landfill in Eagle River, which charge by weight plus per-item fees for refrigerant appliances and tires.
Limits: Transfer station loads must be covered. Refrigerators and freezers: $28.50 refrigerant fee plus $20 disposal. More than one TV per day goes to the landfill's e-waste facility. More than 10 tires must go to the landfill.
Set-out: Nothing at the curb without a confirmed SWS or Alaska Waste pickup. Loose bulky items at the curb are a code issue and attract wildlife.
Freemoval (free pickups through partner organizations)
FreeFreemoval funds free junk removal and cleanouts for households referred by trusted partner organizations, such as nonprofits, housing programs, and senior services. Families don’t apply directly. A partner submits the request and vouches for the need.
Status in Anchorage: Not yet available. Freemoval currently serves metro Atlanta and plans to expand nationwide.
How it works where it operates: One free pickup per household, covering scrap metal, furniture, appliances, and bulk household items within standard LoadUp marketplace service. Funded by LoadUp customer round-ups and direct contributions, spent at standard LoadUp rates.
If you run a nonprofit or housing program in Anchorage: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.
Anchorage, Alaska’s waste system reflects its unique environment: two major haulers serve different parts of the municipality (Solid Waste Services / SWS for the municipal service area, Alaska Waste for surrounding areas), bear-resistant cart storage is a real concern, and bulk pickup happens by appointment on Saturdays for additional charges. The annual Citywide Cleanup in May provides free dump capacity at participating landfills with orange bag distribution at city locations. Winter and summer collection patterns differ. This guide covers every option for Anchorage Municipality residents.
The Anchorage rule for scrap metal: Scrap yards and CTS's metal recycling take metal; scrap yards may pay.
Program basics: Transfer station loads must be covered. Refrigerators and freezers: $28.50 refrigerant fee plus $20 disposal. More than one TV per day goes to the landfill's e-waste facility. More than 10 tires must go to the landfill. Nothing at the curb without a confirmed SWS or Alaska Waste pickup. Loose bulky items at the curb are a code issue and attract wildlife.
What the city will not take: TVs, computers, and monitors are never collected curbside. Hazardous waste goes to the HHW programs at the transfer station and landfill.
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: Municipality of Anchorage Solid Waste Services: How Do I Dispose of These Items, Municipality of Anchorage SWS: Disposal Information (transfer station and landfill). Programs change; confirm fees and limits before you go.
Why scrap metal are different from ordinary bulk. Most household scrap is mixed. An appliance is a steel shell around a copper motor and aluminum fins; a bike is a steel or aluminum frame with rubber and plastic. Yards accept mixed items at the steel rate, so sorting pays only if you have enough non-ferrous metal to make it worth the time. A magnet and ten minutes usually tells you.
Three mistakes that get scrap metal left at the curb:
Paid options barely exist for metal, except when the metal is attached to things that are not metal.
Mixed loads to a transfer station
$20 to $60If metal is mixed into a larger cleanout, transfer stations charge by weight for the whole load. Pull the metal out first and give it to a scrapper; it reduces the fee and keeps metal out of the landfill.
Most transfer stations have a free metal pile. Ask before you tip.
LoadUp paid scrap metal pickup
$80+For Anchorage households needing same-week or in-home pickup, crew labor, or items that exceed what SWS bulk pickup will accept, LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Anchorage area for upfront-priced pickup.
What’s included: Loading, hauling, and licensed disposal of your scrap metal. No prep needed beyond pointing out what goes.
Pricing: Starts around $80 for a single item; full-truck pickups range from $300 to $600 depending on volume.
If you can pay for a pickup, your booking helps fund free pickups for someone else. Every paid LoadUp customer can opt in to round up at checkout, and 100% of round-ups go directly to Freemoval’s subsidized jobs.
Book scrap metal pickup in Anchorage with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside Anchorage proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete Anchorage junk removal guide (every item type, city services, hazardous waste, and how to report dumping) and the national scrap metal disposal guide with rules for all 117 cities we cover.
Other free removal guides for Anchorage: mattress, couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring.
Does Anchorage pick up scrap metal for free?
Scrap yard or CTS.
How much does paid scrap metal removal cost in Anchorage?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single scrap metal pickup in Anchorage starts around $80 to $100 with upfront pricing, and full-truck loads run $300 to $600 depending on volume. For Anchorage households needing same-week or in-home pickup, crew labor, or items that exceed what SWS bulk pickup will accept, LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Anchorage area for upfront-priced pickup.
Will someone pick up scrap metal for free?
Yes. Independent scrappers in every metro collect appliances, grills, frames, and other metal from the curb free, usually the same day you post it, because they sell it by weight. Many city bulk programs also collect metal.
How much does a scrap yard pay?
Steel pays a few cents per pound; a washer or water heater might bring a few dollars. Aluminum pays several times more, and copper and brass pay the most, often a few dollars per pound. Prices change weekly with commodity markets.
How do I tell what kind of metal I have?
Use a magnet. If it sticks, the metal is ferrous (steel or iron) and pays the base rate. If it does not, it is aluminum, copper, brass, or stainless and worth sorting out. Copper is reddish, brass is yellow, aluminum is light and silver, stainless is heavy and silver.
Can I scrap a refrigerator or air conditioner?
Yes, but the refrigerant must be recovered first by a certified technician or by the yard if it has recovery equipment. Do not cut the lines. Many yards accept sealed units and recover the gas themselves; call first.
Is this Anchorage page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full Anchorage guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.