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A public resource guide

Free scrap metal removal in Tulsa, OK

Every free and paid way to get rid of scrap metal in Tulsa, verified October 2026.

Illegally dumped junk pile with appliances and debris Checked against City of Tulsa

$20

per 8 cubic yards of bulky waste since October 1, 2026, billed to your utility account

3 days

minimum notice before your regular collection day

4 + 4

TVs or monitors and tires (no rims) per pickup, in separate piles

Every route for scrap metal in Tulsa, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full Tulsa guide covers every other item.

Free scrap metal removal in Tulsa

Here is how each route works in Tulsa, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.

Tulsa bulky waste pickup: scrap metal

City pickup, $20 per 8 cubic yards

Metal items are bulky waste for the fee; scrap yards take metal free.

Who qualifies: Residential utility customers with City of Tulsa refuse service.

How to schedule: Schedule online at cityoftulsa.org/bulkywaste, through 311, or by email to Tulsa311@cityoftulsa.org at least 3 days before your regular collection day. Pickup comes on your regular day. The fee is $20 per 8 cubic yards (raised from $10 on October 1, 2026), billed to your utility account.

Limits: 8 cubic yards per fee (one cubic yard is about a washing machine). Up to 4 TVs or monitors and up to 4 tires without rims per pickup. Glass must be boxed. Small DIY remodel debris must be containerized under 1 cubic yard.

Set-out: At the curb on your regular collection day after scheduling. Keep electronics, appliances, and tires in separate piles from the rest; two different trucks collect them.

Read the full Tulsa city services guide ›

Freemoval (free pickups through partner organizations)

Free

Freemoval 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 Tulsa: 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 Tulsa: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.

For partners ›

How Tulsa handles scrap metal

Tulsa, Oklahoma provides bulky waste collection through a fee-based appointment system, making it one of a smaller group of major U.S. cities that charge for this service. The $10 fee for up to 8 cubic yards is modest compared to paid hauler rates but adds a cost barrier relative to cities with fully free bulk pickup. Tulsa also has a distinct “orange refuse sticker” system for small overflow items. This guide covers every disposal option for Tulsa residents, including donation programs (Salvation Army, Habitat ReStore, DAV, Goodwill), Oklahoma-specific rules, and paid options when city service doesn’t fit.

The Tulsa rule for scrap metal: Metal items are bulky waste for the fee; scrap yards take metal free.

Program basics: 8 cubic yards per fee (one cubic yard is about a washing machine). Up to 4 TVs or monitors and up to 4 tires without rims per pickup. Glass must be boxed. Small DIY remodel debris must be containerized under 1 cubic yard. At the curb on your regular collection day after scheduling. Keep electronics, appliances, and tires in separate piles from the rest; two different trucks collect them.

What the city will not take: Auto parts, batteries, liquids, hazardous materials, explosives, and loose glass. The Household Pollutant Collection Facility handles hazardous waste free.

How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: City of Tulsa: Schedule a Bulky Waste Pick Up, City of Tulsa Refuse and Recycling: residential FAQ. 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.

Prep checklist before pickup day in Tulsa

  • Run a magnet over everything and separate non-ferrous (no stick) pieces into a bucket.
  • Remove propane tanks, lead-acid batteries, and lithium packs; take each to its proper drop-off.
  • Drain fluids from mowers, water heaters, and engines.
  • Leave refrigerant lines intact on fridges, ACs, and dehumidifiers.
  • Stage at the curb edge and post as free scrap, or load sorted bins and bring ID to the yard.

Three mistakes that get scrap metal left at the curb:

  • Don't pay to dispose of metal. A scrapper will take it free and a yard will pay.
  • Don't put propane tanks, lead-acid batteries, or lithium batteries in a scrap pile. Tanks go to an exchange or HHW; batteries to an auto parts store or battery drop-off.
  • Don't cut refrigerant lines on fridges, ACs, or dehumidifiers to sell the compressor. Yards refuse cut units and venting is a federal violation.

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 $60

If 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 Tulsa households who need same-day or in-home pickup, have items the city won’t accept, are clearing more than 8 cubic yards, or want full-service hauling without scheduling 3 days in advance, LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Tulsa 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 Tulsa with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.

Scrap metal rules in nearby cities

Rules change at city limits. If you are outside Tulsa proper, start with the guide for your own city:

Closest category in the Oklahoma City table: Free monthly bulky pickup. Donation if working.
Closest category in the Akron table: Free curbside on regular collection day. If working: donation pickup. Many appliance retailers offer haul-away with…
Closest category in the Albuquerque table: Non-toxic small appliances WITH the power cord cut off may go in the blue recycling cart.
Closest category in the Allentown table: Free curbside on second collection night. If working: donation pickup. Many appliance retailers offer haul-away with…
Closest category in the Anaheim table: Republic Services bulky pickup, no fee.
Closest category in the Anchorage table: SWS Saturday bulk pickup (fee). Anchorage Regional Landfill (tipping fees). Retailer haul-away with new delivery.…

Related guides: the complete Tulsa 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 Tulsa: mattress, couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring.

Common questions about scrap metal removal in Tulsa

Does Tulsa pick up scrap metal for free?

Free at a scrap yard; $20 per 8 cubic yards through the city.

How much does paid scrap metal removal cost in Tulsa?

Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single scrap metal pickup in Tulsa starts around $80 to $100 with upfront pricing, and full-truck loads run $300 to $600 depending on volume. For Tulsa households who need same-day or in-home pickup, have items the city won’t accept, are clearing more than 8 cubic yards, or want full-service hauling without scheduling 3 days in advance, LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Tulsa 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 Tulsa page maintained?

Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full Tulsa guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.

Fund a free pickup in Tulsa

Help cover someone else’s haul.

Most LoadUp customers fund Freemoval pickups by rounding up at checkout. If you’re not booking a paid pickup yourself but want to help, you can contribute directly, pooled with other donations to fund subsidized pickups in Tulsa at standard market rates, the same rates LoadUp charges any paying customer.

Choose a custom amount→

Freemoval is a social impact program of LoadUp Technologies, LLC. Contributions are not tax-deductible. 100% of contributions fund pickups at standard market rates, the same rates LoadUp charges any paying customer. No separate fundraising overhead is deducted from donations.