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A public resource guide
Free scrap metal removal in Plano, TX
Every free and paid way to get rid of scrap metal in Plano, verified October 2026.
Checked against City of Plano
Home › By item › Scrap metal › Plano
A public resource guide
Every free and paid way to get rid of scrap metal in Plano, verified October 2026.
Checked against City of Plano
Monthly
bulky waste collection day assigned by address
6x4x4 ft
maximum pile before Special Paid Collection charges apply
$10
per cubic yard, $20 minimum, for a Special Paid Collection
Every route for scrap metal in Plano, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full Plano guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in Plano, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
Plano monthly bulky waste collection: scrap metal
FreeMetal household items are bulky waste; vehicle parts are not. Scrap yards take metal any time.
Who qualifies: Single-family homes with City of Plano Environmental Waste Services.
How to schedule: No appointment. Each address has one bulky waste collection day a month; look it up on the city's collection schedule map. Anything beyond the standard pile is a Special Paid Collection at $10 per cubic yard with a $20 minimum, requested through the city.
Limits: Piles no larger than 6 by 4 by 4 feet. Larger piles are billed as special collections.
Set-out: At the curb in manageable piles by 7 a.m. on your bulky day, not blocking the sidewalk or storm drains, and not more than 24 hours early.
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 Plano: 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 Plano: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.
Plano, Texas operates a system that’s unusual among large Texas cities: no curbside yard waste collection at all. The Environmental Waste Services (EWS) division provides weekly trash collection in 68- or 95-gallon carts and bi-weekly recycling in green carts under the “Big 3” program. Bulky waste pickup is monthly by zone, with appointments required at least 2 working days in advance via (972) 941-7141. Cooling appliances (refrigerators, freezers, AC units, water coolers) carry a $25 special-handling fee. Yard waste must be self-hauled to NTMWD transfer stations, where Plano residents get 2 free drops per month. The Dallas County Home Chemical Collection Center handles HHW. This guide covers every disposal option for City of Plano residents.
The Plano rule for scrap metal: Metal household items are bulky waste; vehicle parts are not. Scrap yards take metal any time.
Program basics: Piles no larger than 6 by 4 by 4 feet. Larger piles are billed as special collections. At the curb in manageable piles by 7 a.m. on your bulky day, not blocking the sidewalk or storm drains, and not more than 24 hours early.
What the city will not take: Concrete, rock, dirt, sod, roofing, contractor waste, structures, cylinders, hazardous material, glass and mirrors, railroad ties, vehicle parts, and tires. Refrigerant appliances need the refrigerant professionally removed and tagged first.
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: City of Plano: Bulky Waste Collection, City of Plano: Residential Collection Schedules. Programs change; confirm fees and limits before you go.
Hazardous and regulated components in Plano. Plano residents (as Dallas County residents) qualify for the Dallas County Home Chemical Collection Center, which accepts household hazardous waste free for Dallas County households.
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 Plano households needing same-week or in-home pickup, items the city won’t accept (brush, construction debris), or removal between monthly bulky cycles, LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Plano 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 Plano with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside Plano proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete Plano 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 Plano: mattress, couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring.
Does Plano pick up scrap metal for free?
Yes, on your monthly bulky day, or a scrap yard.
How much does paid scrap metal removal cost in Plano?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single scrap metal pickup in Plano starts around $80 to $100 with upfront pricing, and full-truck loads run $300 to $600 depending on volume. For Plano households needing same-week or in-home pickup, items the city won’t accept (brush, construction debris), or removal between monthly bulky cycles, LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Plano 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 Plano page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full Plano guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.