Electronic Scrap Grades, Specifications and Trading Locations

Listed electronic scrap markets

Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.

SymbolGradeDelivery pointState

EWASTE.PCB.AE-AJPopulated printed-circuit-board scrapUnited Arab EmiratesTwo-way, quoted on request

Grades

Electronic scrap is bought against a described stream, a grade name from the trade specifications and an assay of the payable metals. Whole equipment and mixed lots are described by category, condition and yield expectation; board and component fractions are settled on an assay of gold, silver, palladium, copper and the deleterious elements. Every parameter names the method it is measured by, and the movement classification is settled in writing before the cargo commits.

Material composition and identification

8 grades

Determined on a representative sample drawn under the sampling procedure named in the contract, by the analytical and sorting methods stated against each parameterWhat the material actually is. In secondary raw materials the composition is the product, because the same trade name covers very different streams depending on where it was collected and how it was processed.

Grade	Definition
Stream categoryDeclared, as the equipment category the material came from	Large household appliances, small appliances, information and telecommunications equipment, consumer equipment, lighting, tools, medical devices, monitoring instruments or automatic dispensers. The category sets both the metal content and the regulatory treatment.
Grade nameDeclared against the trade specifications circular where a named grade exists	The trade grade names describe defined board and component fractions and are used across the international market. The grade name is stated together with the written description, because the description governs where the two differ.
Board fractionDeclared, as the printed circuit board population and origin	High grade, mid grade or low grade board, described by what is populated on it and what equipment it came out of, since the connector and processor population drives the precious metal content.
Component conditionDeclared, as whole units, dismantled, depopulated or shredded	Whether the equipment arrives intact, stripped of its high value components, or already size reduced. Depopulated board is a different product from populated board and is priced as such.
Reuse statusDeclared, as tested working, untested, or scrap only	Tested working equipment is a reuse product with a functional test record. Untested and scrap only material is bought for its material content and carries no functional representation.
Battery and lamp contentDeclared, as present or removed	Lithium cells, other batteries and mercury containing lamps are separated before shipment where the contract requires it, because they change the carriage classification and the fire risk.
Data bearing devicesDeclared, as sanitised, destroyed or intact	Hard drives, solid state media and memory are either wiped to a named data destruction standard, physically destroyed with a certificate, or shipped intact where the buyer performs the sanitisation.
Identification methodVisual identification, manual sorting of a weighed sub sample, and instrumental assay of the metal fractions	Handheld x ray fluorescence for a screening indication, and fire assay or acid digestion with instrumental finish for the settlement assay.

Quality specification

8 grades

Tested by an accredited laboratory under the named standard method, on a sample drawn and split in the presence of both parties or their appointed inspectorThe numbers the contract settles on. Each parameter names the method it is measured by, because a figure without a method is not a specification.

Grade	Definition
GoldGrams per tonne, by fire assay with an instrumental finish on a prepared and homogenised sample	The principal payable in most board and component fractions. The sample preparation route is named in the contract, because incineration, milling and splitting choices move the result.
SilverGrams per tonne, by fire assay or acid digestion with an instrumental finish	Carried in solder, contacts and plating. Payable where the contract provides for it.
PalladiumGrams per tonne, by fire assay with an instrumental finish	Concentrated in multilayer ceramic capacitors and in some connector plating.
CopperPercentage by mass, by acid digestion with an instrumental finish	The base metal that carries the smelter economics on most board fractions, and the primary payable on cable and motor scrap.
Aluminium, steel and nickelPercentage by mass, by the named instrumental method	Recovered from housings, chassis and heat sinks. Payable or deductible depending on the receiving process.
MoisturePercentage by mass, by loss on drying at the named temperature to constant mass	Deducted from the settlement weight where the contract provides for a dry basis.
Ash and non metallic contentPercentage by mass, by the named method	Plastics, glass, ceramics and board substrate. It is the fraction the smelter must burn or slag, and it drives the treatment charge.
Deleterious elementsPercentage by mass or parts per million, by the named instrumental method	Antimony, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chlorine, bromine, lead and mercury, each against a stated limit. Halogen content in particular is capped by the receiving smelter permit.

Contamination and prohibited material

7 grades

Assessed by visual inspection, manual sorting of a weighed sub sample and laboratory analysis, against the tolerance stated in the contractWhat must not be in the load, and how much of anything else is allowed. This is the clause most disputes turn on, so it is written as measured tolerances rather than as a general expectation of cleanliness.

Grade	Definition
Prohibited itemsDeclared, as an absolute exclusion	Radioactive sources, sealed pressurised vessels, explosives, ammunition, medical sharps, free liquids and unpurged refrigerant circuits are excluded outright and are grounds for rejection of the whole load.
Lithium cellsPercentage by count or by mass, against the contract tolerance	Loose and embedded lithium cells are a fire hazard in transport and in shredding. The tolerance is stated numerically, not as a general expectation.
Mercury containing itemsDeclared, against an absolute or numeric limit	Backlight lamps, switches and thermostats, either removed at origin or declared and separately packed.
Persistent organic pollutantsParts per million bromine in the plastic fraction, by the named instrumental method	Brominated flame retardants in casing plastics are restricted under the persistent organic pollutants regime and above the stated limit the plastic fraction must go to destruction rather than recycling.
Refrigerant bearing equipmentDeclared, as degassed with a certificate or excluded	Cooling and air conditioning equipment carries controlled gases in the circuit and in the foam, and moves only where it has been degassed and certified or where the buyer is permitted to treat it.
Foreign materialPercentage by mass, by manual sorting of a weighed sub sample	General refuse, timber, soil, concrete and other non electronic material, against the stated tolerance, with the sorting record retained.
Free liquidsDeclared, as an absolute exclusion	Oils, coolants, fuels and electrolyte outside a sealed device are excluded, since they contaminate the load and change the carriage classification.

Physical form and packing

6 grades

Measured and inspected at the point of loading, and recorded on the packing list and the inspection reportHow the material presents and travels. Form governs the freight cost, the handling equipment at both ends and what the buyer plant can accept without reprocessing.

Grade	Definition
PresentationDeclared, as whole units, palletised, in bulk bags, in drums, baled or loose in container	Board and component fractions travel in bulk bags or drums; whole equipment travels palletised and wrapped. The presentation is agreed before booking because it governs the handling equipment at both ends.
Packing unitKilograms per package, and packages per container, on the packing list	Stated for each fraction, with the tare recorded, so the settlement weight can be reconciled against the weighbridge.
PalletisationDeclared, as pallet type, dimensions and stack height	Heat treated timber to the international phytosanitary standard where the destination requires it, with the mark visible.
Size reductionDeclared, as whole, sheared, or shredded to a stated top size	Shredded material is described by its top size and by the separation steps already applied, since a shredded fraction cannot be re sorted by hand on arrival.
Sealing and markingDeclared, as container seal number, lot marks and package labels	Each package marked with the lot reference and the grade name, and the container seal number recorded on the shipping documents and the inspection report.
LoadabilityTonnes per container, declared	Board and component fractions load dense; whole equipment cubes out first. The expected load is agreed in advance so the freight cost is known.

Regulatory classification and transboundary movement

7 grades

Classified against the Basel Convention entries, the OECD Decision and the importing and exporting national law, with the codes stated on the movement documentWhether the cargo can legally move from where it is to where the buyer wants it. This is settled in writing before any commitment, because the classification decides the consent procedure, the timeline and in some corridors whether the trade is possible at all.

Grade	Definition
Basel classificationDeclared, as the applicable Basel entry with its code	The electronic waste entries distinguish hazardous from non hazardous streams and govern whether the prior informed consent procedure applies. The entry is agreed in writing before the cargo commits.
Waste or non waste statusDeclared, as waste or as tested working equipment for reuse	Equipment shipped as a functioning product for reuse moves under a different regime from waste, and the functional test evidence is what supports the declaration.
Consent procedureDeclared, as notification and consent, green control, or free circulation	Which procedure applies in the exporting, transit and importing states, with the expected consent timeline stated, because the consent, not the vessel, is usually the longest lead item.
Import permitDeclared, with the permit number and validity	Many destinations licence electronic scrap imports by facility and by tonnage. The permit is verified before shipment and the tonnage is booked against it.
Downstream due diligenceDeclared, as the audited chain of downstream processors	The responsible recycling standards require the seller to evidence where each fraction ends up, and buyers increasingly contract on that evidence rather than on the grade name alone.
Restricted substance complianceDeclared, against the persistent organic pollutant and chemical restriction limits	Stated with the analytical evidence for the plastic and metal fractions that are placed back on the market.
Transport classificationDeclared, under the dangerous goods codes where applicable	Lithium cells, mercury items and any classified residues are declared with their identification number, packing group and packing instruction on the shipping documents.

Inspection, documentation and settlement

9 grades

Governed by the contract, the Incoterms rule named in it and the movement documentation required by the exporting, transit and importing jurisdictionsThe commercial machinery around the material. In secondary raw materials the paperwork is as much of the product as the tonnage, because a cargo that cannot clear customs is worth nothing at the quay.

Grade	Definition
SamplingUnder the sampling procedure named in the contract, with sealed retained samples held by both parties	Independent, at load or at discharge as agreed. The retained samples are the evidence if the analysis is disputed.
InspectionBy an independent inspection company named in the contract	Weight, condition, contamination check and loading supervision, with a report and photographs issued to both parties.
Weight basisDeclared, as loaded weight or landed weight	Whether the invoice follows the certificate at load or the weight ascertained at discharge, and which weighbridge or draft survey governs.
Umpire analysisNamed in the contract, with the tolerance that triggers it	A third laboratory, agreed in advance, whose result is final and binding within the stated splitting limit.
Movement documentationNotification and movement documents, transfer note, bill of lading and packing list	The consent and tracking paperwork required by the exporting, transit and importing jurisdictions.
Certification and auditDeclared, as the certifications held by the processing site	The management system, chain of custody and responsible recycling certifications the buyer requires, with the certificate numbers stated.
Rejection and downgradeStated in the contract, with the remedy for each	What happens if the load is off specification: rejection, a price allowance, reprocessing at seller cost, or return, and who bears the freight in each case.
Payment termsDocumentary credit, cash against documents or open account, as agreed	Stated with the provisional and final invoice mechanism where the price depends on an analysis result.
Insurance and carriageDeclared, with the Incoterm and the insured value	The Incoterms rule named with the version year, and the party carrying the risk over each leg.

Grades outside this list trade on request. Send us the contract specification you work to and we will price against it.

Locations

Country	Region	We trade it as
United States	North America	Origin and destination
Canada	North America	Origin and destination
Mexico	North America	Origin and destination
United Kingdom	Europe	Origin and destination
Ireland	Europe	Origin and destination
Germany	Europe	Origin and destination
France	Europe	Origin and destination
Netherlands	Europe	Origin, destination and trading hub
Belgium	Europe	Origin, destination and trading hub
Spain	Europe	Origin and destination
Portugal	Europe	Origin and destination
Italy	Europe	Origin and destination
Austria	Europe	Origin and destination
Switzerland	Europe	Origin and destination
Denmark	Europe	Origin and destination
Sweden	Europe	Origin and destination
Norway	Europe	Origin and destination
Finland	Europe	Origin and destination
Poland	Europe	Origin and destination
Czechia	Europe	Origin and destination
Slovakia	Europe	Origin and destination
Hungary	Europe	Origin and destination
Romania	Europe	Origin and destination
Bulgaria	Europe	Origin and destination
Greece	Europe	Origin and destination
Turkey	Europe and Middle East	Origin and destination
Ukraine	Europe	Origin and destination
United Arab Emirates	Middle East	Origin, destination and trading hub
Saudi Arabia	Middle East	Origin and destination
Qatar	Middle East	Origin and destination
Oman	Middle East	Origin and destination
Israel	Middle East	Origin and destination
Egypt	Africa	Origin and destination
Morocco	Africa	Origin and destination
Nigeria	Africa	Origin and destination
Ghana	Africa	Origin and destination
Kenya	Africa	Origin and destination
South Africa	Africa	Origin and destination
Brazil	South America	Origin and destination
Argentina	South America	Origin and destination
Chile	South America	Origin and destination
Colombia	South America	Origin and destination
Peru	South America	Origin and destination
China	Asia	Origin and destination
Hong Kong	Asia	Trading hub
Taiwan	Asia	Origin and destination
Japan	Asia	Origin and destination
South Korea	Asia	Origin and destination
India	Asia	Origin and destination
Pakistan	Asia	Origin and destination
Bangladesh	Asia	Origin and destination
Sri Lanka	Asia	Origin and destination
Vietnam	Asia	Origin and destination
Thailand	Asia	Origin and destination
Malaysia	Asia	Origin and destination
Indonesia	Asia	Origin and destination
Philippines	Asia	Origin and destination
Singapore	Asia	Trading, finance and destination
Cambodia	Asia	Origin and destination
Australia	Oceania	Origin and destination
New Zealand	Oceania	Origin and destination

Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown here.

Timing

Generation is when the material is collected and processed at origin, which follows the consumption and collection cycle of that market rather than a crop season. Arrival is when a shipment from that origin typically lands in a processing market. The gap between them is sorting, baling or refining, the export consent procedure and the voyage.

HarvestArrival

Origin	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D	Window
United States	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecLarge generation base across corporate refresh cycles, data centre decommissioning and municipal collection, with material moving both to domestic smelters and for export.
Germany	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecProducer responsibility collection running year round, feeding an established dismantling and smelting industry.
United Kingdom	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecSteady collection through the take back regime, with board fractions exported to continental and Asian smelters.
Netherlands	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecOrigin in its own right and the principal European transhipment point, with consent paperwork handled at the port.
Japan	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecHigh grade material from a long established collection system, with a domestic smelting industry that competes for the same tonnage.
United Arab Emirates	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecRegional aggregation point for Middle East and East African material, with free zone processing and re export.
Singapore	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecRegional collection, sorting and finance hub, with permitted facilities and a short voyage to the Asian smelters.
Australia	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecYear round collection, with most board and component fractions exported to Asian and European smelters.
Canada	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecCorporate and municipal collection year round, with material moving south by road and to Asia and Europe by sea.
South Africa	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecGrowing collection base serving both regional dismantlers and export smelters.

Windows outside this pattern trade on request, including term offtake, forward positions and tonnage already sitting in a destination warehouse or bonded terminal.

Customs, packing and contract terms

Indicative terms for electronic scrap. Tariff classification is the importer’s responsibility and limits change, so confirm both against the destination customs authority and the current regulation before you fix a contract.

HS heading8549.21 Electrical and electronic waste and scrap containing components listed as hazardous
8549.29 Other electrical and electronic waste and scrap
PackingBulk in container for flake and scrap, mill size bales for textile and paper, flexitanks or ISO tanks for used cooking oil and pyrolysis oil. Contamination tolerance is the clause that decides the claim.
Container loading20ft: 20 t to 26 t depending on density. Used cooking oil at 22 t to 24 t in a flexitank.
Contract and arbitrationBIR model contracts with BIR arbitration, ISRI specifications for metal and paper grades, and for used cooking oil an ISCC EU or ISCC PLUS chain of custody certificate, which carries most of the value in the trade.
Destination limitsBasel Convention notification and prior informed consent for hazardous electronic waste, with the Basel e-waste amendments in force from 1 January 2025 bringing almost all e-waste under control. The EU Waste Shipment Regulation 2024/1157 and the WEEE Directive apply on movement and treatment, R2v3 or e-Stewards certification is the commercial standard for the downstream, and many destinations ban import of untested equipment outright.

Common questions

What grades of electronic scrap does SIP Global trade?

We quote 45 published grades of electronic scrap, including Stream category - Declared, as the equipment category the material came from, Grade name - Declared against the trade specifications circular where a named grade exists, Board fraction - Declared, as the printed circuit board population and origin, Component condition - Declared, as whole units, dismantled, depopulated or shredded, Reuse status - Declared, as tested working, untested, or scrap only and Battery and lamp content - Declared, as present or removed. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.

How is electronic scrap graded?

Electronic scrap is bought against a described stream, a grade name from the trade specifications and an assay of the payable metals. Whole equipment and mixed lots are described by category, condition and yield expectation; board and component fractions are settled on an assay of gold, silver, palladium, copper and the deleterious elements. Every parameter names the method it is measured by, and the movement classification is settled in writing before the cargo commits. Grading runs on 6 systems: Material composition and identification, Quality specification, Contamination and prohibited material, Physical form and packing, Regulatory classification and transboundary movement and Inspection, documentation and settlement.

Where does SIP Global trade electronic scrap?

We trade electronic scrap in United States, Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, France and Netherlands and 53 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.

When is electronic scrap harvested and when does it arrive?

Typical windows are United States: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; Germany: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; United Kingdom: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; Netherlands: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; Japan: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec. Harvest is when the lot is taken at origin, arrival is when a shipment from that origin lands in a consuming market. Windows outside this pattern, including carry, trade on request.

What is the HS code for electronic scrap?

Electronic scrap is normally classified under HS 8549.21 (electrical and electronic waste and scrap containing components listed as hazardous) and HS 8549.29 (other electrical and electronic waste and scrap). The heading follows the form the goods are in at the border, and national tariffs extend it beyond six digits, so confirm the full line with the destination customs authority before you fix a contract.

How do I get a price for electronic scrap?

Send the grade, the origin and the delivery window to the SIP Global desk. That is enough for a trader to come back with a level and a settlement route. 1 listed electronic scrap market is published on this page, each with its full specification and terms. We take both sides, physical and financial, prompt to long dated.

Standards and data sources

The grading language on this sheet follows published standards. Trade volumes and tariff lines are public record. Verify anything here against the source.

IPPCInternational Plant Protection Convention phytosanitary measures
UN ComtradeOfficial international trade statistics by HS code
ITC Trade MapBilateral trade flows and tariff data
FAOSTATFAO production and trade series for agricultural commodities

Related sheets

Other commodities we quote in Secondary Raw Materials & Recyclables.

PETFLAKEPET FlakeSecondary Raw Materials & Recyclables1 listed TEXTILEWTextile WasteSecondary Raw Materials & Recyclables1 listed TYREPYROTyre Pyrolysis OilSecondary Raw Materials & Recyclables1 listed UCOUsed Cooking OilSecondary Raw Materials & Recyclables1 listed

Price this with our desk

Grade, origin and window if you have them. If what you are carrying does not fit the sheet above, describe it in your own words and a trader will take it from there.

Commodity

Side

Grade

Origin

Name

Email

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Nothing here matches what you are holding? Send it anyway. The sheets cover the markets we publish, not the limit of what the desk will look at.