Shipping Container Disposal
We are often asked ‘how do I get rid of my shipping container?’ Shipping container disposal is relatively straightforward.
Sell your Shipping Container
When you bought your container it will have cost you a lot of money and, if you’ve kept it in good condition, it could still be worth something.
If you have a shipping container(s) in a useable condition then we’ll be happy to make you an offer. Tell us what size(s) and quantities of containers you wish to dispose of, and where they are located, and provide us with some pictures. See our Sell a Shipping Container page for more details.
‘Useable’ means no excess rust on the cross rails beneath the unit, no holes or gashes and fully working cargo doors and locking rods. Some holes may be acceptable so, please send us pictures, and we’ll advise.
Scrap a Shipping Container
If your container is beyond repair it must be disposed of correctly. Scrapping a shipping container should only be done by using an authorised scrap metal merchant. Whilst you might not receive any money for the unit, they will normally cover the cost of taking it away. However, when the value of scrap metal is low, you may still have to pay for it to be taken away.
In England and Wales, anyone who trades in scrap metal must have a scrap metal dealer licence from their local council. An officially licensed scrap metal dealer will ask for proof of your name and address. They will not accept cash for the transaction and they are only entitled to collect between the hours of 09.00 – 17.00hrs on any day of the week. If they don’t they’ll more than likely be unlicensed and your old container could end up being dropped illegally (fly-tipped).
Upcycle a Shipping Container
In some cases, even end of life shipping containers can be recycled into units that can be of use to someone else.
In our depots, we can upcycle an old shipping container by chopping out a useable section of the unit to create a refurbished shipping container. At times we may also use a container for ‘spares’ and we can re-use panels, doors, and floors on other container repairs and conversions.
Refurbished containers are usually fitted with a newly fabricated pair of flat panel doors. At the opposite end to the doors, we’ll fit a flat sheet steel end then re-spray the container using a standard RAL colour.
If you’re not sure if your container is good enough for sale, by all means still complete our sell a shipping container form and send pictures of the interior and exterior. It won’t cost you anything and you may end up getting paid for it!