How do you calculate scrap recovery rate?

Divide the recovered weight by the run time, then multiply by your efficiency. Recovering 12,000 lb over 8 hours gives 1,500 lb/hr raw, and at 90% efficiency the effective rate is 1,350 lb/hr.

What is a good scrap recovery rate?

It depends on the metal and equipment, but the gap between raw and effective is the tell: a 90% efficiency means you are losing 150 lb/hr to mis-sorts and contamination. Pushing efficiency toward 95%+ is usually where the easy money is.

What is the difference between raw throughput and effective recovery rate?

Raw throughput is total pounds per hour through the line; effective recovery rate is the saleable pounds after losses. In the example, raw is 1,500 lb/hr but effective is only 1,350 lb/hr.

Why does sortation efficiency matter so much?

Because it directly scales revenue — every percentage point of lost efficiency is metal that gets downgraded to a lower-grade bale or sent to landfill. At 1,500 lb/hr, each 1% is 15 lb/hr of value walking out the door.

Should run time include downtime?

Use actual processing time if you want a true recovery rate, or scheduled time if you want a capacity-utilization view. Mixing the two is the most common reason two shops can't compare their numbers.

Can this be used for aluminum and copper recovery?

Yes — the math is metal-agnostic. Aluminum and copper typically carry higher value per pound, so the same efficiency loss costs you far more dollars than it would on ferrous scrap.

Metals, Steel, Aluminum & Coil Processing calculator

Scrap Recovery Rate Calculator

Scrap recovery rate measures how many pounds of usable metal you reclaim per hour of processing, after accounting for how cleanly your sortation and downstream steps actually convert raw scrap into sellable material. Recycling-line supervisors, baler and shredder operators, and service-center managers use it to benchmark a shift, justify equipment, and price scrap streams. Because recovered metal is direct revenue and a sustainability metric at once, even a modest lift in lb/hr compounds quickly across a year of running. This calculator separates raw throughput from the effective rate so you can see exactly where yield is being lost.

What this calculator does

Estimate scrap recovery rate by dividing scrap recovered by run time and applying a realistic recovery efficiency to get pounds per hour.
Use it when an operations manager tracks how fast scrap and trim are baled, processed, or shipped per hour.
It divides recovered scrap by run time to get raw throughput, then multiplies by sortation efficiency to give an effective recovery rate in lb/hr.

Formula used

Scrap recovery rate = scrap recovered ÷ run time
Effective recovery rate = scrap recovery rate × recovery efficiency

Inputs explained

Scrap metal recovered:
Recovery run time:
Sortation and yield efficiency:

How to use the result

Use it at shift end to grade performance, when comparing two pieces of recovery equipment, or when quoting a scrap-processing contract.
It treats efficiency as a single flat percentage; mixed alloy streams or moisture-laden scrap may need stream-by-stream recovery factors instead.

Current U.S. benchmarks

The producer price index for steel mill products stands at 348.53 (BLS, May 2026), up 6.7% from a year earlier. Quotes priced off last quarter's material cost miss this move.
The producer price index for aluminum mill shapes stands at 404.859 (BLS, May 2026), up 36.8% from a year earlier. Quotes priced off last quarter's material cost miss this move.
The producer price index for copper and brass mill shapes stands at 559.593 (BLS, May 2026), up 76.8% from a year earlier. Quotes priced off last quarter's material cost miss this move. Global copper trades at $13,484 per tonne (IMF via FRED, May 2026).

Common questions

How do you calculate scrap recovery rate? Divide the recovered weight by the run time, then multiply by your efficiency. Recovering 12,000 lb over 8 hours gives 1,500 lb/hr raw, and at 90% efficiency the effective rate is 1,350 lb/hr.
What is a good scrap recovery rate? It depends on the metal and equipment, but the gap between raw and effective is the tell: a 90% efficiency means you are losing 150 lb/hr to mis-sorts and contamination. Pushing efficiency toward 95%+ is usually where the easy money is.
What is the difference between raw throughput and effective recovery rate? Raw throughput is total pounds per hour through the line; effective recovery rate is the saleable pounds after losses. In the example, raw is 1,500 lb/hr but effective is only 1,350 lb/hr.
Why does sortation efficiency matter so much? Because it directly scales revenue — every percentage point of lost efficiency is metal that gets downgraded to a lower-grade bale or sent to landfill. At 1,500 lb/hr, each 1% is 15 lb/hr of value walking out the door.
Should run time include downtime? Use actual processing time if you want a true recovery rate, or scheduled time if you want a capacity-utilization view. Mixing the two is the most common reason two shops can't compare their numbers.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.