The price of scrap copper in Portland Maine fluctuates on a day to day basis as a result of changes in availability and demand, as well as variations in the national and local economy. The price of scrap metal also depends on the exact type you're looking to purchase, as well as its weight (usually measured in pounds) and purity levels. As of early 2007, the typical cost of scrap copper in Portland Maine was $2.00 a pound, with copper piping being significantly cheaper at $1.56 per pound of the metal.
In recent years, the rise of scrap metal theft in Maine, as reported in local news publications such as The Portland Press Herald, has resulted in soaring prices for copper, aluminum and similar materials across the region. Increased demands as a result of thieves targeting copper piping from homeowner's in the area has also affected the market massively, pushing prices higher than ever before. In general, the price of scrap metal across the whole of the United States has increased considerably, with greater demand than ever before and more of a focus on reusing waste to promote environmental preservation.
By late 2008, copper prices in Portland Maine had soared upwards to as high as $3.75 for a pound, with significant rises occurring in as little as 6 months. For local scrap metal businesses, this wasn't such a good thing, despite the misconceptions of many who felt business for long-standing metal sellers would be booming. Soaring scrap copper prices actually encouraged more and more people to start selling their own scrap copper, with competition emerging left, right and center for the cheapest prices on metal. As a result, many of those who relied entirely on selling scrap metal as a means of income were forced out of business by the emergence of so many competitive newcomers, causing further rises in metal prices.
In recent years, the rise of scrap metal theft in Maine, as reported in local news publications such as The Portland Press Herald, has resulted in soaring prices for copper, aluminum and similar materials across the region. Increased demands as a result of thieves targeting copper piping from homeowner's in the area has also affected the market massively, pushing prices higher than ever before. In general, the price of scrap metal across the whole of the United States has increased considerably, with greater demand than ever before and more of a focus on reusing waste to promote environmental preservation.
By late 2008, copper prices in Portland Maine had soared upwards to as high as $3.75 for a pound, with significant rises occurring in as little as 6 months. For local scrap metal businesses, this wasn't such a good thing, despite the misconceptions of many who felt business for long-standing metal sellers would be booming. Soaring scrap copper prices actually encouraged more and more people to start selling their own scrap copper, with competition emerging left, right and center for the cheapest prices on metal. As a result, many of those who relied entirely on selling scrap metal as a means of income were forced out of business by the emergence of so many competitive newcomers, causing further rises in metal prices.