Scrap Lead Acid Batteries Prices in Michigan
Check today's scrap prices for Scrap Lead Acid Batteries in Michigan and see what local buyers are paying. Heavy, dense, and always in demand, these batteries are a reliable staple for scrappers looking to stack up cash at the scale.
Average Scrap Lead Acid Batteries Price
- Low (up to $0.10): Floor price, typically for small loads.
- Mid ($0.12): A fair deal for standard quantities.
- High ($0.16+): Top-dollar rate. Offered for large commercial loads or by the most competitive buyers.
Pricing verified from 4 live board rates today.
Top Scrap Yards Buying Lead Acid Batteries in Michigan
Don't just drop your heavy batteries at the first scale you find. Compare prices across buyers in Michigan to ensure you get the maximum payout for your load. National averages are hovering around $0.19, but local demand can shift daily. Always call ahead to confirm the yard is accepting unbroken batteries and check their offload rules.
Sikora Metals
M 82 Recycling
Al's Scrap Metals
Benton Metal Recycling
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🚀 List your scrap yard ⟶Lead Acid vs. Other Battery Grades
The #1 rule at scrap yards: if you mix grades, they’ll weigh everything at the lowest rate. See the price gap below — if you have higher-value metal, always sort and weigh each grade separately to avoid leaving money on the table.
Historical Price Trends for 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.
Scrap Lead Acid Batteries: Scrap Yard Price vs. World Market (LME)
Avg scrap yard price
World market price (LME)
Scrap Lead Acid Batteries: Spread vs. Exchange — Monthly History
| Period | World price (per lb) | Scrap yard price (per lb) | Spread vs. exchange |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2026 (current) | $0.878181 | $0.39 | -$0.48 (55%) |
| February 2026 | $0.892971 | $0.41 | -$0.48 (53.7%) |
| January 2026 | $0.92151 | $0.55 | -$0.37 (39.9%) |
| December 2025 | $0.901455 | $0.46 | -$0.45 (49.4%) |
| November 2025 | $0.918033 | $0.51 | -$0.41 (44.8%) |
| October 2025 | $0.907758 | $0.55 | -$0.36 (39.9%) |
| September 2025 | $0.906913 | $0.54 | -$0.36 (40.2%) |
| August 2025 | $0.906455 | $0.44 | -$0.47 (51.9%) |
| July 2025 | $0.925719 | $0.56 | -$0.37 (40%) |
| June 2025 | $0.91682 | $0.55 | -$0.37 (39.8%) |
| May 2025 | $0.907029 | $0.55 | -$0.36 (39.9%) |
| April 2025 | $0.88155 | $0.53 | -$0.35 (40.1%) |
| March 2025 | $0.926848 | $0.56 | -$0.37 (40%) |
| February 2025 | $0.896882 | $0.54 | -$0.36 (40%) |
| January 2025 | $0.88191 | $0.53 | -$0.35 (40.1%) |
| December 2024 | $0.914952 | $0.55 | -$0.36 (39.9%) |
| November 2024 | $0.91361 | $0.55 | -$0.37 (40%) |
| October 2024 | $0.938668 | $0.56 | -$0.38 (40.1%) |
| September 2024 | $0.926587 | $0.56 | -$0.37 (39.9%) |
| August 2024 | $0.920674 | $0.55 | -$0.37 (39.9%) |
| July 2024 | $0.971394 | $0.58 | -$0.39 (40.1%) |
| June 2024 | $1.000473 | $0.60 | -$0.40 (40%) |
| May 2024 | $1.020332 | $0.61 | -$0.41 (40%) |
| April 2024 | $0.979673 | $0.59 | -$0.39 (40%) |
| March 2024 | $0.939158 | $0.53 | -$0.40 (43.1%) |
| February 2024 | $0.946955 | $0.47 | -$0.48 (50.2%) |
| January 2024 | $0.962006 | $0.58 | -$0.38 (39.9%) |
| December 2023 | $0.937619 | $0.56 | -$0.38 (40.1%) |
| November 2023 | $0.998843 | $0.60 | -$0.40 (40%) |
| October 2023 | $0.954132 | $0.57 | -$0.38 (40.1%) |
| September 2023 | $1.00769 | $0.60 | -$0.40 (40%) |
| August 2023 | $0.975368 | $0.59 | -$0.39 (39.9%) |
| July 2023 | $0.959526 | $0.58 | -$0.38 (39.9%) |
| June 2023 | $0.94668 | $0.57 | -$0.38 (40.1%) |
| May 2023 | $0.948729 | $0.57 | -$0.38 (40%) |
| April 2023 | $0.96532 | $0.58 | -$0.39 (40.1%) |
| March 2023 | $0.954935 | $0.57 | -$0.38 (39.9%) |
| February 2023 | $0.947779 | $0.57 | -$0.38 (40.1%) |
| January 2023 | $0.995823 | $0.60 | -$0.40 (40%) |
| December 2022 | $1.006974 | $0.56 | -$0.45 (44.6%) |
| November 2022 | $0.954497 | $0.50 | -$0.46 (48%) |
| October 2022 | $0.900239 | $0.54 | -$0.36 (39.9%) |
| September 2022 | $0.851097 | $0.51 | -$0.34 (40.1%) |
| August 2022 | $0.940587 | $0.56 | -$0.38 (39.9%) |
| July 2022 | $0.89739 | $0.54 | -$0.36 (40%) |
| June 2022 | $0.943147 | $0.57 | -$0.38 (40%) |
| May 2022 | $0.979358 | $0.47 | -$0.51 (51.6%) |
| April 2022 | $1.085437 | $0.65 | -$0.44 (40.1%) |
| March 2022 | $1.067548 | $0.64 | -$0.43 (40%) |
| February 2022 | $1.041989 | $0.63 | -$0.42 (39.9%) |
| January 2022 | $1.055206 | $0.63 | -$0.42 (40.1%) |
| December 2021 | $1.033365 | $0.62 | -$0.41 (40%) |
| November 2021 | $1.04863 | $0.63 | -$0.42 (39.9%) |
| October 2021 | $1.096075 | $0.54 | -$0.56 (51%) |
Scrap Lead Acid Batteries 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/17/2026 | $0.11 / lb | -$0.05 | $0.10 - $0.12 |
| 12/6/2025 | $0.16 / lb | +$0.06 | $0.16 - $0.16 |
| 12/5/2025 | $0.10 / lb | -$0.03 | $0.10 - $0.10 |
| 8/27/2025 | $0.13 / lb | +$0.03 | $0.13 - $0.13 |
| 3/2/2024 | $0.10 / lb | -$0.02 | $0.10 - $0.10 |
| 12/3/2022 | $0.12 / lb | -$0.03 | $0.12 - $0.12 |
| 5/28/2022 | $0.15 / lb | -$0.05 | $0.15 - $0.15 |
Cashing In: The Reality of Scrap Lead Acid Batteries
If you are hauling Scrap Lead Acid Batteries, you are dealing with one of the most reliable, heavy-hitting items at the scrap yard. Because they are incredibly dense and endlessly recycled, local buyers are constantly hungry for them. Currently, national prices range anywhere from $0.15 on the low end up to $0.31 for clean, intact loads. It is purely a volume game: a single truck battery can weigh well over 40 pounds, so a full pallet stacks up scale weight—and cash—very fast.
The Scale Survival Guide: Sorting Lead Acid
The absolute fastest way to get your load downgraded, or entirely rejected, is mixing your battery chemistries. The yard scale master is looking for the 'Pb' (Lead) recycling stamp. If you accidentally throw Lithium Ion Batteries into your lead-acid bin, you are asking for trouble. Not only do you risk sparking a massive fire when the load is handled, but you could take a brutal hit of $0.21 per pound if the buyer downgrades your entire mixed container. Keep your lead acid units strictly separated.
Yard Pro Tip: Never drain the acid out of the batteries to make them lighter to carry. Scrap yards pay by the total gross weight, which means pouring out the acid literally pours your money down the drain. Worse, dumping battery acid is a severe EPA violation that will quickly get your load rejected and likely get you permanently banned from your local facility. Bring them in fully sealed and upright.
When you prep your load Michigan, it pays to organize. Segregate your standard vehicle batteries from Small Lead Acid Batteries (like those pulled from emergency lighting, alarms, or UPS backups). Some yards pay a flat rate for all lead-acid, while others tier their pricing by size and application. For reference, standard Automotive Batteries (Car & Truck) are currently pulling between $0.15 to $0.26/lb nationwide.
Protecting Your Payout: Prep and Transport
Transport matters more than you think. Buyers hate dealing with leaking acid because it eats through their gaylord boxes, damages the scales, and creates massive compliance headaches. If a battery has a cracked casing, place it inside a heavy-duty, leak-proof plastic tub before heading to the yard. Many buyers will dock your pay or outright refuse a battery that is actively leaking fluid on their concrete.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the going rate for Scrap Lead Acid Batteries right now?
Based on our market tracking, the national average is sitting at $0.19 per pound. Scrap lead values are tied closely to the LME, and you can usually expect local yard prices to hover about 86% below the spot market.
Do I need to clean the battery terminals before scrapping?
No. The crusty white or blue corrosion on the lead terminals does not affect your scrap value. The yard is going to send the entire unit off to be shredded and smelted anyway, so don't waste your time or risk your skin scrubbing them.
What happens if I mix in lithium or alkaline batteries?
Never mix lithium or alkaline with lead-acid. Lithium-ion batteries require highly specialized handling and can violently explode when crushed by heavy machinery. Mixing them will result in a rejected load, lost profits, and a likely ban from the scrap yard.
Scrap Lead Acid Batteries scrap prices in Michigan on the map
The map shows cities in Michigan with Scrap Lead Acid Batteries scrap prices. Click a marker or pick a city in the list below to see Scrap Lead Acid Batteries prices in that location.