ScrapClean Soft Lead Scrap Prices in Illinois
Check today's scrap prices for Small Lead Acid Batteries in Illinois and see what local buyers are paying. Keep your UPS, alarm system, and power wheels batteries out of the trash and turn them into cash at the yard.
Average Soft Lead (Clean) Price
- Low (around $0.45): Floor price, typically for small loads.
- Mid ($0.45): A fair deal for standard quantities.
- High ($0.45+): Top-dollar rate. Offered for large commercial loads or by the most competitive buyers.
Pricing verified from 2 live board rates (out of 3 local buyers tracked).
Top Scrap Yards Buying Small Lead Acid Batteries in Illinois
Don't just hand over your battery backups to the first buyer you find. Compare prices across buyers in Illinois to ensure you get the maximum payout for your load. National averages are currently around $0.54, but local demand dictates the final rate. Always call ahead to confirm their receiving rules for sealed lead acid units.
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🚀 List your scrap yard ⟶| Metal grade | Average price (per lb) |
|---|---|
| Soft Lead (Clean) | $0.45 / lb |
| Wheel Weights (Hard Lead) | $0.14 / lb |
| Dirty & Scrap Lead | $0.11 / lb |
Historical Price Trends for Small Lead Acid Batteries
This chart shows where the market is headed. If the line is climbing, prices are rising — you might get a better deal in a few days. If it's dropping, don't wait: sell today before yards lower their buy prices further.
Soft Lead (Clean): Scrap Yard Price vs. World Market (LME)
Avg scrap yard price
Today's world market price (LME)
Soft Lead (Clean): Spread vs. Exchange — Monthly History
| Period | World price (per lb) | Scrap yard price (per lb) | Spread vs. exchange |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2026 (current) | $0.8741 / lb | $0.45 / lb | −$0.42 (48.5%) |
| March 2026 | $0.8724 / lb | $0.51 / lb | −$0.36 (41.5%) |
| February 2026 | $0.8930 / lb | $0.53 / lb | −$0.36 (40.6%) |
| January 2026 | $0.9215 / lb | $0.49 / lb | −$0.43 (46.8%) |
| December 2025 | $0.9015 / lb | $0.54 / lb | −$0.36 (40.1%) |
| November 2025 | $0.9180 / lb | $0.55 / lb | −$0.37 (40.1%) |
| October 2025 | $0.9078 / lb | $0.55 / lb | −$0.36 (39.4%) |
| September 2025 | $0.9069 / lb | $0.54 / lb | −$0.37 (40.5%) |
| August 2025 | $0.9065 / lb | $0.53 / lb | −$0.38 (41.5%) |
| July 2025 | $0.9257 / lb | $0.56 / lb | −$0.37 (39.5%) |
| June 2025 | $0.9168 / lb | $0.55 / lb | −$0.37 (40%) |
| May 2025 | $0.9070 / lb | $0.55 / lb | −$0.36 (39.4%) |
| April 2025 | $0.8816 / lb | $0.53 / lb | −$0.35 (39.9%) |
| March 2025 | $0.9268 / lb | $0.56 / lb | −$0.37 (39.6%) |
| February 2025 | $0.8969 / lb | $0.54 / lb | −$0.36 (39.8%) |
| January 2025 | $0.8819 / lb | $0.53 / lb | −$0.35 (39.9%) |
| December 2024 | $0.9150 / lb | $0.55 / lb | −$0.37 (39.9%) |
| November 2024 | $0.9136 / lb | $0.55 / lb | −$0.36 (39.8%) |
| October 2024 | $0.9387 / lb | $0.56 / lb | −$0.38 (40.3%) |
| September 2024 | $0.9266 / lb | $0.56 / lb | −$0.37 (39.6%) |
| August 2024 | $0.9207 / lb | $0.55 / lb | −$0.37 (40.3%) |
| July 2024 | $0.9714 / lb | $0.58 / lb | −$0.39 (40.3%) |
| June 2024 | $1.0005 / lb | $0.60 / lb | −$0.40 (40%) |
| May 2024 | $1.0203 / lb | $0.61 / lb | −$0.41 (40.2%) |
| April 2024 | $0.9797 / lb | $0.59 / lb | −$0.39 (39.8%) |
| March 2024 | $0.9392 / lb | $0.56 / lb | −$0.38 (40.4%) |
| February 2024 | $0.9470 / lb | $0.57 / lb | −$0.38 (39.8%) |
| January 2024 | $0.9620 / lb | $0.58 / lb | −$0.38 (39.7%) |
| December 2023 | $0.9376 / lb | $0.56 / lb | −$0.38 (40.3%) |
| November 2023 | $0.9988 / lb | $0.60 / lb | −$0.40 (39.9%) |
| October 2023 | $0.9541 / lb | $0.57 / lb | −$0.38 (40.3%) |
| September 2023 | $1.0077 / lb | $0.60 / lb | −$0.41 (40.5%) |
| August 2023 | $0.9754 / lb | $0.59 / lb | −$0.39 (39.5%) |
| July 2023 | $0.9595 / lb | $0.58 / lb | −$0.38 (39.6%) |
| June 2023 | $0.9467 / lb | $0.57 / lb | −$0.38 (39.8%) |
| May 2023 | $0.9487 / lb | $0.57 / lb | −$0.38 (39.9%) |
| April 2023 | $0.9692 / lb | $0.55 / lb | −$0.42 (43.3%) |
Soft Lead (Clean) Scrap Price History — Daily Data
A day-by-day market snapshot in exact numbers. Every day we aggregate buy prices from local scrap yards, recording the average, low, and high. Use this table to track real price movement over recent days.
| Date | Avg price (per lb) | Change | Range (Low/High) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.45 / lb | — no change | $0.45 – $0.45 | |
| 1/29/2026 | $0.45 / lb | +$0.15 | $0.45 – $0.45 |
| 1/28/2026 | $0.30 / lb | −$0.15 | $0.30 – $0.30 |
| 9/2/2025 | $0.45 / lb | — no change | $0.45 – $0.45 |
Powering Up Your Payout: Scrapping Small Lead Acid Batteries
If you regularly pull apart old computer UPS systems, security alarm panels, or kids' ride-on toys, you are likely sitting on a steady supply of Small Lead Acid Batteries (SLA). These sealed units are heavy, easy to handle, and a highly reliable source of scrap income. According to our data, scrap yards are currently paying anywhere from $0.50 for mixed loads, up to $0.60 per pound for clean, fully sorted pallets. Because they are incredibly dense with lead, their value adds up very quickly at the scale.
The Sorting Guide: Don't Leave Money on the Scale
The biggest mistake scrappers make is throwing every small battery into the exact same bucket. If you mix your clean Small Lead Acid units with lower-tier backups or let a buyer lump them in with heavy Telecom & Absolyte Batteries, you could easily lose around $0.43 per pound on the downgrade. Keep your battery grades meticulously separated. Also, never let a stray Lithium Ion Batteries unit slip into your lead acid bin. Lithium batteries are severe fire hazards when crushed, and one mistake can get your entire load rejected or get you permanently banned from the facility.
Yard Pro Tip: Always check the recycling stamp on the side of small emergency backup batteries. Look for 'Pb' (the chemical symbol for lead). Many small alarm and emergency light batteries look absolutely identical to NiCad (Nickel Cadmium) or NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) units. Throwing a non-lead battery into your clean SLA bin will cause a sharp-eyed scale master to downgrade your entire bucket.
Keep Them Separate from Automotive Grades
While they share similar internal chemistry, you should keep your small sealed units physically separated from standard Automotive Batteries (Car & Truck). Some local buyers in Illinois might pay a flat rate for all Scrap Lead Acid Batteries, but many tier their pricing based on the battery size and ease of processing. For context, standard car batteries are currently trading between nationwide. Presenting clearly separated categories proves to the buyer that you are a pro who knows your material.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current average price for Small Lead Acid Batteries?
Based on national market tracking, the average price is currently $0.54 per pound. Because they are heavy in lead, their prices are directly tied to the LME base metal markets. Local yards typically offer rates that sit about 48.9% below the spot market rate.
Do I need to take the batteries out of the plastic UPS casing?
Yes. If you bring in an entire computer UPS battery backup fully intact, the yard will buy it as low-grade e-waste or standard shred. You must take the time to unscrew the plastic housing and pull the actual Small Lead Acid unit out to get the much higher battery rate.
Will scrap yards buy leaking or swollen SLA batteries?
Most yards will immediately reject leaking batteries due to strict environmental, DOT, and safety regulations. Swollen batteries (often caused by internal failure or overcharging) are generally accepted as long as the plastic casing is completely intact and not actively leaking acid, but always call your local buyer to confirm their specific receiving rules before loading up your truck.
Soft Lead (Clean) scrap prices in Illinois on the map
The map shows cities in Illinois with Soft Lead (Clean) scrap prices. Click a marker or pick a city in the list below to see Soft Lead (Clean) prices in that location.