Got an old fridge in the basement? A pile of scrap from a reno? A barbecue rusting on the patio?
You have a problem, because the City of Hamilton does not pick up appliances or scrap metal. Residents have to haul it themselves to a Community Recycling Centre.
Source: City of Hamilton, Appliances and Scrap Metal page (hamilton.ca)
That is where private scrap metal pickup services come in. Most of them are free, most do the heavy lifting, and most show up the same day or the next day.
Here are the top four free scrap metal pickup services in Hamilton, plus a comparison table so you can pick the right one in under a minute.
Before getting to the list, a few numbers worth knowing:
• Canada diverted 9.8 million tonnes of waste from landfills in 2023, and ferrous metals were the biggest gainer that year, jumping by 46,568 tonnes to 787,422 tonnes diverted.
Source: Statistics Canada (statcan.gc.ca)
• Ontario’s landfill capacity sat at 144.5 million tonnes at the start of 2020 and is projected to run out by 2034.
Source: Waste to Resource Ontario, cited in the 2023 Ontario Baseline Waste & Recycling Report
• Recycling steel uses up to 75% less energy than producing new steel from iron ore. Each tonne of recycled steel saves roughly 1,400 pounds of coal and 2,500 pounds of iron ore.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration; Steel Recycling Institute
Translation: every fridge, washer, and barbecue you keep out of the landfill actually moves the needle.
Website: thehamiltonscrapper.ca
Phone: 289-659-2248
The Hamilton Scrapper is built around one promise: free pickup, no hidden fees, no heavy lifting on your end.
• Appliances: washers, dryers, fridges, freezers, stoves, dishwashers
• Outdoor: BBQs, lawn mowers, patio furniture, fencing
• Automotive: car batteries, aluminum rims, engine parts, brake rotors
• Misc metal: tools, wiring, metal shelving, bed frames
Hamilton, Stoney Creek, Mount Hope, Dundas, Binbrook, and Ancaster.
Homeowners and businesses who want a no-hassle, same-day pickup with all the lifting handled by the crew.
Source: thehamiltonscrapper.ca
Website: metalpickuphamilton.ca
Phone: 289-768-7477
Metal Pick Up Hamilton focuses on residential, commercial, and industrial pickup with no fees and no surprises.
• Old appliances and electronics
• Renovation and demolition debris
• Metal furniture
• Pretty much anything metal that fits in their truck and trailer
Place items outside (driveway, garage, or beside the house) where the crew can access them on the scheduled day.
Renovation cleanups and contractors with regular metal debris.
Source: metalpickuphamilton.ca
Website: 1dayjunk.ca
Phone: 1-833-856-8295
1 Day Junk is a full-service junk removal company, not a pure scrap-only operation. Pickup is paid based on truck space, and they price-match competitors.
If you have scrap metal mixed with non-metal junk (furniture, mattresses, renovation debris, hot tubs, basement cleanout stuff), 1 Day Junk handles all of it in a single visit. The free scrap services will only take metal.
• Many positive reviews on Google, Facebook, and other platforms (per their site).
• They recycle and donate where possible to reduce landfill waste.
• Free on-site estimates with no commitment.
• Same-day service available.
• Two-hour arrival window. If they’re late, you get an automatic discount.
Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville, Ancaster, Dundas, Stoney Creek, Waterdown, Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Welland, Grimsby, Thorold, Pelham, Fort Erie.
Mixed loads. Estate cleanouts, basement cleanouts, post-renovation debris where scrap is just one part of the pile.
Source: 1dayjunk.ca
Website: jndenterprise.com
Phone: 289-659-2248
J&D Enterprises is a long-time Hamilton-based operation that picks up scrap metal, junk, and offers flatbed services for cars, motorcycles, and snowmobiles.
• Appliances: fridges, freezers, washers, dryers, stoves
• Outdoor: BBQs, lawnmowers, snowblowers
• Automotive: motors, car batteries, scrap cars
• Larger items via flatbed: cars, motorcycles, snowmobiles
Send them the address and a photo or description of the items. They confirm and book the pickup.
Anyone with a vehicle, motorcycle, or snowmobile to scrap. The flatbed service is the differentiator.
Source: jndenterprise.com
Use this quick decision guide:
Worth knowing before you drag a dishwasher to the curb. The City of Hamilton lists these items as not collected for curbside pickup, meaning you must take them to a Community Recycling Centre yourself or call a private service:
• Air conditioners (window or central)
• Washers and dryers
• Dehumidifiers
• Dishwashers
• Hot water tanks (must be drained)
• Microwaves, ovens, stoves
• Refrigerators and freezers
• Pool heaters
• Water coolers and water pressure tanks
Source: City of Hamilton, Appliances and Scrap Metal page
If your appliance still works, the Reuse Store at the Hamilton Mountain Community Recycling Centre may take it for donation.
If you’re wondering why these services can afford to do this for free, it’s because metal has real resale value at the recycler. Current Ontario scrap prices are publicly tracked and show why even an old fridge or BBQ has cash sitting inside it.
Recent Ontario yard prices, listed in USD per pound:
• Copper averages around $3.85/lb, with bare bright copper hitting $7.25/lb.
• Brass averages around $3.59/lb, with hard brass at the top end.
• Aluminum averages around $1.33/lb.
• Steel averages around $0.17/lb, with appliances (white goods) trading at roughly $230 per net ton.
Source: ScrapMonster Ontario scrap yard prices, current within the last week.
That math is what makes free pickup viable. A pickup truck full of mixed appliances and metal can pay for the driver’s day even after the consumer pays nothing.
A few small things that save the crew time and avoid pickup-day surprises:
• Drain hot water tanks before the truck arrives. Most services require this.
• Empty fridges and freezers and remove all food before the day of pickup.
• Take loose change, screws, and personal items out of washer drums and dryer lint traps.
• If items are inside, clear a path so the crew can reach them without moving furniture.
• Take a photo of anything unusual (oversized, mounted, partially dismantled) and send it when booking.
In most cases, yes. Free services make money by selling the scrap to recyclers at market rates. Cost only kicks in for special handling, indoor disconnects, or non-metal items.
All four services on this list handle the heavy lifting. Items can usually be picked up from a garage, basement, or yard.
Same-day or next-day is the norm for all four. Larger jobs may need a full business day to schedule.
Doesn’t matter. Scrap metal services recycle by weight, so condition isn’t an issue.
Fridges, freezers, and AC units contain refrigerants that need certified handling. Reputable services like the four above handle this through certified recyclers.
Hamilton has four solid options for clearing scrap metal without a trip to the recycling centre.
• Free, metal-only, same-day: The Hamilton Scrapper, Metal Pick Up Hamilton, J&D Enterprises
• Mixed junk that includes metal: 1 Day Junk (paid, full-service)
• Vehicles and large equipment: J&D Enterprises (flatbed service)
Whichever you call, the metal will end up recycled instead of taking up space in a landfill that, in Ontario’s case, is projected to hit capacity in less than a decade.
This list covers four of the most established services in the city, but Hamilton has a handful of other smaller operators worth checking out depending on your neighbourhood and what you need picked up.
For a wider rundown of free metal pickup options across Hamilton, see this guide to free metal pickup in Hamilton.
That fridge in your basement is worth more out of your house than in it.
