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A public resource guide
Free scrap metal removal in Worcester, MA
Every free and paid way to get rid of scrap metal in Worcester, verified October 2026.
Checked against City of Worcester
Home › By item › Scrap metal › Worcester
A public resource guide
Every free and paid way to get rid of scrap metal in Worcester, verified October 2026.
Checked against City of Worcester
$5
per item at the Residential Drop-Off Center by appointment (mattresses priced separately)
About $31
for the first curbside burnable item through Casella, about $26 each additional
311
to book either option; pay when you schedule
Every route for scrap metal in Worcester, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full Worcester guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in Worcester, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
Worcester paid bulk waste pickup and drop-off: scrap metal
Paid pickup or $5 drop-offScrap yards take metal free; the drop-off center charges $5 per item.
Who qualifies: Worcester residents with city curbside service.
How to schedule: Worcester has no free bulky pickup. Curbside bulk is collected by Casella at city-negotiated per-item rates (burnables such as a couch about $31 for the first piece and about $26 each after), paid when you schedule through 311 or online, out by 7 a.m. The cheaper route is the Residential Drop-Off Center by appointment: most items a flat $5 each, mattresses priced separately.
Limits: Unlimited items per curbside appointment, each charged. Drop-off center by appointment on posted days.
Set-out: At the curb by 7 a.m. on the scheduled day. Fees are non-refundable without 24 hours' cancellation notice.
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 Worcester: 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 Worcester: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.
Worcester, Massachusetts uses a pay-as-you-throw system where all regular household trash must go in official city yellow bags ($1.00 small, $1.75 large). Recycling is free. Bulk items cannot be left at the curb without an appointment, unlike many cities where curbside bulk is automatic. The main bulk pathway is the Residential Drop-Off Center at 1065 Millbury Street, open April through November by appointment, charging a flat $5 per item. Massachusetts’ mattress recycling law also applies citywide. This guide covers every disposal option for Worcester residents.
The Worcester rule for scrap metal: Scrap yards take metal free; the drop-off center charges $5 per item.
Program basics: Unlimited items per curbside appointment, each charged. Drop-off center by appointment on posted days. At the curb by 7 a.m. on the scheduled day. Fees are non-refundable without 24 hours' cancellation notice.
What the city will not take: Hazardous waste and construction debris. Electronics and CRTs are accepted for a separate per-item fee.
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: City of Worcester DPW: Bulk Waste Disposal. Programs change; confirm fees and limits before you go.
Hazardous and regulated components in Worcester. The City of Worcester holds free Household Hazardous Waste Day drop-off events, typically four times per year, by appointment. Check worcesterma.gov for the current year’s dates.
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 Worcester households who need same-day or in-home pickup, need crew labor, or want faster service than city programs allow, LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Worcester 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 Worcester with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside Worcester proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete Worcester 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 Worcester: mattress, couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring.
Does Worcester pick up scrap metal for free?
Scrap yard free, or $5 at the drop-off center.
How much does paid scrap metal removal cost in Worcester?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single scrap metal pickup in Worcester starts around $80 to $100 with upfront pricing, and full-truck loads run $300 to $600 depending on volume. For Worcester households who need same-day or in-home pickup, need crew labor, or want faster service than city programs allow, LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Worcester 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 Worcester page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full Worcester guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.