If you're a roofer, you're sitting on one of the most consistently valuable sources of scrap metal in the trade — and it's worth treating properly rather than letting it pile up in the yard or skip.
Why roofing generates so much scrap lead
Lead flashing and traditional lead roofing are among the richest sources of scrap lead of any trade. Every re-roof, repair, or flashing replacement is a genuine opportunity, not just offcuts to clear away — old lead removed during a job is frequently worth more than people expect.
What to keep separate on site
- Lead flashing and sheet — the bulk of what most roofing jobs generate
- Old guttering, if lead-lined — worth checking before it goes in with general waste
- Any lead weights or ballast from older roofing systems
Keep lead entirely separate from any other metal you're clearing on the same job — mixing it into a general scrap pile means it gets priced down to whatever the lowest-value material in that pile is worth, even though lead itself holds real value on its own.
Storage matters more than people expect
Lead is relatively forgiving compared to copper (it doesn't lose value from oxidation the way bright copper does), but it should still be kept somewhere secure and dry, away from general site waste, so it doesn't get accidentally binned or mixed in with other material during a clear-up.
A safety point worth repeating
Lead is toxic if mishandled — wash hands after handling, avoid unnecessary prolonged skin contact, and never attempt to burn or process it yourself before selling. Sell it exactly as removed; there's no legitimate reason to do anything else to it first.
Building it into your routine, job by job
For roofers doing this regularly, the value adds up fastest when it's part of the routine on every job — a dedicated container for lead specifically, filled as you go, rather than sorted out afterward from a mixed pile of site waste.
Getting the best price
The same principle applies here as with any scrap material: a single local yard gives you one price, take it or leave it. Getting more than one buyer to quote on the same load — particularly on a genuinely valuable material like lead — consistently produces a better outcome than defaulting to whichever yard is closest.
List your lead scrap and get competing offers from verified buyers. Sell on ScrapBays →