No. 2 Copper Wire Scrap is a recyclable copper-wire grade consisting of miscellaneous unalloyed copper wire that does not meet the cleaner requirements of No. 1 Copper Wire but still maintains a high copper content.
Under current ReMA specifications, No. 2 Copper Wire is identified by the code word Birch and has a nominal copper content of 96%, with a minimum copper content of 94% as determined by electrolytic assay.
What Is No. 2 Copper Wire Scrap?
No. 2 Copper Wire consists of miscellaneous unalloyed copper wire that meets the required copper-content and contamination limits.
The grade is different from insulated copper wire. Material sold as standard No. 2 Copper Wire should be free of insulation and should not be confused with lower-recovery insulated wire categories.
What Qualifies as No. 2 Copper Wire?
Material sold under the standard No. 2 Copper Wire specification should generally be:
- Unalloyed copper wire
- Nominally 96% copper
- At least 94% copper
- Free of insulation
- Reasonably free of ash
- Free of excessive oil
- Free of excessive iron and other non-metallic contamination
Hydraulically briquetted copper may be accepted when agreed upon between buyer and seller.
What Is Not Allowed in No. 2 Copper Wire?
Current ReMA specifications exclude several materials and contaminants from the standard No. 2 Copper Wire grade.
These include:
- Excessively leaded copper wire
- Excessively tinned copper wire
- Excessively soldered copper wire
- Brass or bronze wire
- Excessive oil
- Excessive iron
- Insulation
- Copper wire recovered by burning
- Fine hair wire
- Brittle burnt wire
- Excessive ash or non-metallic contamination
No. 2 Copper Wire vs. No. 1 Copper Wire
No. 1 Copper Wire is a cleaner copper-wire grade consisting of bare, uncoated and unalloyed copper wire or cable that meets the applicable buyer specification.
No. 2 Copper Wire allows a lower copper-content threshold and can include material that does not meet the cleaner No. 1 specification, provided it still satisfies the No. 2 chemistry and contamination requirements.
Because No. 1 and No. 2 Copper Wire have different quality requirements, they should be kept separate when the grade can be identified.
No. 2 Copper Wire vs. #2 Insulated Copper Wire
No. 2 Copper Wire and #2 Insulated Copper Wire are different scrap categories.
No. 2 Copper Wire under the ReMA Birch specification is bare material and should be free of insulation.
#2 Insulated Copper Wire, by contrast, contains insulation and is commonly valued according to how much copper can be recovered after the insulation and other non-metallic material are removed.
Recovery percentages such as 45%, 50%, 60% or 70% therefore apply to certain insulated-wire buying categories and should not be used as the definition of bare No. 2 Copper Wire.
Does Plated or Tinned Copper Wire Qualify as No. 2?
Not automatically. The presence of a coating does not mean that every plated wire qualifies as No. 2 Copper Wire.
Current ReMA specifications specifically exclude excessively leaded, tinned or soldered copper wire. The receiving scrap processor determines whether material falls within its allowable contamination limits.
Sellers should therefore avoid using “plated wire” as a universal definition for No. 2 Copper Wire.
Can Burnt Copper Wire Be Sold as No. 2 Copper Wire?
Copper wire recovered through burning is excluded from the standard ReMA No. 2 Copper Wire specification. Brittle burnt wire is also specifically excluded.
Burning insulation from copper wire can also create serious environmental and safety problems and may violate local regulations. Insulated wire should instead be delivered to an appropriate recycler for mechanical processing or other approved recovery methods.
Common Sources of No. 2 Copper Wire Scrap
No. 2 Copper Wire can be generated from electrical, industrial, construction and demolition activities where bare copper wire does not qualify for a cleaner No. 1 grade.
Potential sources include:
- Electrical installation and renovation work
- Industrial equipment dismantling
- Electrical contractors
- Manufacturing operations
- Building demolition and deconstruction
- Utility and infrastructure projects
- Recovered copper-wire processing streams
The actual grade depends on the material's copper content and contamination rather than its source alone.
How Can You Identify No. 2 Copper Wire?
Copper wire normally has a reddish-brown appearance when freshly exposed, although oxidation can darken the surface over time.
Copper is nonferrous and should not normally respond to a magnet. A magnet can therefore help identify unwanted iron or steel contamination but cannot confirm copper purity or distinguish No. 1 from No. 2 Copper Wire.
For commercial or industrial quantities, source documentation or analytical testing may be required when exact copper content is important.
No. 2 Copper Wire vs. No. 2 Copper Scrap
No. 2 Scrap Copper is a broader copper category that can include qualifying copper solids, tubing and certain wire.
No. 2 Copper Wire is specifically a wire grade. Keeping wire separated from tubing and mixed copper solids can help the buyer classify the material more accurately.
What Affects No. 2 Copper Wire Scrap Prices?
No. 2 Copper Wire Scrap prices are influenced by copper-market conditions, copper content, cleanliness, contamination, quantity, location, freight and individual scrap-yard requirements.
Higher contamination or uncertainty about the material's copper content may result in a different buying grade or price.
For grade-specific market information, view RecyclingMonster's #2 Copper Wire Scrap Prices.
You can also compare #2 Copper Scrap Prices and the broader Copper Scrap Prices section.
Always check the material description, location, unit and last-updated date before comparing buyer quotes.
How to Maximize No. 2 Copper Wire Scrap Value
- Keep bare No. 2 Copper Wire separate from insulated wire.
- Keep No. 1 and No. 2 Copper Wire separated when the grades are known.
- Remove iron and steel attachments where practical.
- Keep brass and bronze wire out of the copper-wire load.
- Avoid mixing excessively tinned, soldered or leaded wire into the grade.
- Keep wire free of excessive oil, dirt and non-metallic contamination.
- Do not burn insulation from copper wire.
- Confirm the receiving buyer's grading requirements before preparing a large shipment.
Where Can You Sell No. 2 Copper Wire Scrap?
No. 2 Copper Wire is purchased by copper recyclers, nonferrous scrap processors and metal recycling centers.
RecyclingMonster maintains a dedicated #2 Copper Wire Recycling Centers directory for facilities that specifically list the grade among the materials they accept.
You can also use the broader Metal Recycling Center Directory to locate scrap yards and nonferrous processors by location.
Have Large Quantities of No. 2 Copper Wire?
Electrical contractors, demolition companies, utilities, manufacturers and industrial facilities may generate larger quantities of copper wire during construction, equipment replacement and dismantling projects.
For bulk material, segregate bare wire from insulated wire before pickup whenever practical. Ask buyers about container service, pickup, minimum quantities, grading requirements and whether No. 1, No. 2 and insulated copper wire receive separate prices.