1. Scope

Keywords

Rationale

#1 and #2 Copper scrap, along with Bare Bright, are highly traded grades of Copper scrap. Unlike Bare Bright, #1 Copper and #2 Copper grades allow some imperfections or deviations that distinguish them from pure Copper (Cathode) and Bare Bright, thereby justifying the discounted pricing, but still setting boundaries or minimum standards to distinguish the quality as better than lower grades such as Light Copper, alloys and so-called refinery packages. Such imperfections, while permissible, are in some cases exceedingly difficult to quantify for acceptance criteria. Judgement and discretion in inspection, grading and acceptance of #1 Copper and #2 Copper are unavoidable. While judgement and discretion can be addressed commercially as “by mutual agreement between buyer and seller,” opportunities exist for inconsistencies and differences of opinion (depending on the imperfection) between buyers and sellers, traders and inspectors, one consumer to the next, one seller to the next, deliveries on one day to the next, one inspector to the next, and even one inspector on different loads. Because of such requirements for judgement and discretion, training and certification of inspectors and deployment of unambiguous written standard operating procedures becomes challenging. This guideline is intended to contribute some improvement to the potential ambiguity for participants in the market.