Catalytic Converter Recycling in the United States

Recohub buys spent catalytic converters in the United States and settles on measured platinum, palladium and rhodium content. Collection and consolidation run through partners close to you.

What Recohub does in the United States

Recohub FZC buys spent catalytic converters from yards, dismantlers and repair shops in the United States, and recovers platinum, palladium and rhodium from them. Material is consolidated through partners in the US, then processed and assayed before settlement. What a seller receives is based on measured metal content, not on an estimate.

Catalytic converter recycling process

1. Consulting

Our extensive experience within the metals recycling business and knowledge of the markets allows us to guide our clients through any aspect of automotive catalysts recycling.

2. Cargo delivery

Thanks to our established partnerships with key shipping lines, we are able to offer the most competitive rates while also supporting our clients with any logistics-related matters. In addition, we can assist you throughout the entire cargo journey, starting with collection, selecting the most efficient provider, and finally handling any customs-related procedures, to name a few.

3. Processing

Upon the receival of spent automotive catalytic converters, they are inspected and followed by the decanning process. Then, with the help of industrial mills, the ceramic honeycomb inside the catalytic converter is grinded into small fraction particles.

4. Sampling

A whole lot of crushed ceramics is thoroughly mixed into a homogeneous substance. Then, each lot's representative sample is collected to accurately determine the precious metal content.

5. Assaying

Determination of Platinum (Pt), Palladium (Pd) and Rhodium (Rh) content from the representative sample are established by the industry-standard XRF and ICP metal assaying methods.

6. Settlement

After the assaying stage, when the exact PGM content is determined, we can offer flexible price hedging and settlement solutions based on our client's needs.

Goods receiving

Processing

Analysis (XRF)

Analysis (ICP)

Final settlement

Advance payment possible at this stage

Any advance is settled against the contract, with prepayment interest applied

approx. 1–2 days until Analysis (XRF)

approx. 7–10 days until Analysis (ICP)

approx. 12 days until Final settlement

Goods receiving

Processing

approx. 1–2 days until Analysis (XRF)

Analysis (XRF)

Advance payment possible at this stage

approx. 7–10 days until Analysis (ICP)

Analysis (ICP)

Any advance is settled against the contract, with prepayment interest applied

approx. 12 days until Final settlement

Final settlement

For the full assay and settlement procedure, including the Service Reportand independent verification, see catalytic converter recycling.

Selling from the United States: local buyer or export?

A yard, dismantler or repair shop in the United States has two routes for spent catalytic converters. Selling to a local buyer is faster and simpler. Exporting to a refinery, directly or through a trading partner, settles on measured metal content instead of a per-piece grade. Which one pays more depends on the material, not on the route itself.

	Local per-piece sale	Assay-based export
How value is set	By converter type, code or visual grade, against the buyer's own price list	By measured platinum, palladium and rhodium content after decanning, milling and sampling
Payment timing	Usually immediate	After assay, typically within a few weeks. An advance against the expected result can often be arranged
Who carries price risk	The buyer, once the unit is sold	Whoever holds the material until pricing is fixed. This is a matter of contract and should be stated in writing
Suits	Small or mixed quantities where handling cost outweighs the difference	Accumulated volume, and material a seller believes is above the category average

The per-piece route prices the average of a category. That is fine for average material. It is the above-average converter that loses most, because its extra content is never measured and therefore never paid for.

What to check before committing a shipment

These questions apply to any buyer, Recohub included. A buyer who answers them in writing can be verified afterwards. One who does not, cannot — whatever the headline offer.

Is the returnable rate stated?

Not all recovered metal is returned to the seller. Without that percentage, a price per gram or per ounce cannot be compared between buyers.

Is the lot milled and homogenised before sampling?

Metal is not evenly distributed inside a converter. A sample taken before milling does not represent the lot it came from.

Are charges itemised?

Refining, treatment, handling and assay fees combined into a single deduction cannot be checked against the quantities they apply to.

When is the price fixed, and against what?

PGM prices move daily. A settlement should name the date and the market position it was priced against.

Is the assay result shared?

Ask whether you receive the analysis itself, per lot, or only a final figure.

Who inspects?

Independent inspection by a recognised assay house is verifiable in a way that an in-house number is not.

How Recohub works with sellers in the United States

Recohub FZC is based in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, and sources catalytic converters from the United States among other markets. Material from US sellers is handled through Recohub’s partner network rather than shipped directly to the UAE, so collection and consolidation happen closer to the seller.

Processing, sampling and assaying follow the same procedure for every consignment regardless of origin: decanning, milling, homogenisation, representative sampling, then XRF and ICP analysis. Settlement is calculated from the measured content and documented in a Service Report that itemises the assay per lot, the dated pricing position and every charge separately.

Recohub holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certification. For the full assay and settlement procedure, see catalytic converter recycling.

To discuss a specific quantity, contact tp@recohub.com. Volumes, timing and payment arrangements for US consignments are confirmed case by case with the relevant partner.

RECOHUB — Get a measured valuation, not an estimate

Why Choose Recohub in the United States?

Assay-based settlement. Every lot is decanned, milled and homogenised before sampling. Settlement is calculated from measured PGM content, not from a visual grade.
Two independent measurements. Every intake lot is screened by XRF and confirmed by ICP laboratory analysis before any figure is agreed.
Logistics handled end to end. Collection, transport, export documentation and customs, coordinated through partners closer to the seller.
ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001. Certificates are published on this site and can be verified before you commit a shipment.

FAQ

Where can I sell scrap catalytic converters in the United States?

Recohub buys spent catalytic converters from yards, dismantlers and repair shops across the United States. Material is collected and consolidated through partners in the US rather than shipped individually, and settlement is based on measured platinum, palladium and rhodium content after processing.

Who handles shipping catalytic converters from the US to international refineries?

Recohub coordinates collection, freight, export documentation and customs as part of the service. Sellers in the United States deal with a partner locally; consolidation, transport and refinery delivery are arranged from there.

Is it worth exporting catalytic converters instead of selling to a local buyer?

It depends on the material. A local per-piece sale prices the average of a category and pays immediately. Assay-based export measures the actual metal content of your lot and pays after analysis, typically within a few weeks. Above-average material gains most from assay; small mixed quantities often do not justify the handling.

How much is a scrap catalytic converter worth in the United States?

Value depends on the platinum, palladium and rhodium content of the specific unit and on market prices on the day the lot is priced. Recohub determines content by XRF screening and ICP laboratory analysis rather than by visual grade, so the figure reflects what the material actually contains.

Can a US scrap yard reach international non-ferrous markets through Recohub?

Yes. Alongside catalytic converters, Recohub sources hybrid NiMH batteries, electronic waste and non-ferrous metals, and delivers processed material to refineries in Europe, Asia and the Americas. A single counterparty can cover several material streams rather than one.