Blancomet is one of the UK’s longest-established catalytic converter buyers, paying competitive scrap prices to garages, dismantlers, fleet operators and individual sellers since August 2009. We recover platinum, palladium and rhodium from used and damaged catalytic converters across six locations in the UK and Ireland, using in-house ICP-OES laboratory analysis to ensure every unit is valued on its real metal content – not a flat-rate guess.
Best for: scrap yards, MOT garages, dismantlers, fleet managers, and individuals selling anything from a single catalytic converter to multiple pallets.
A catalytic converter is an emissions-control device fitted to a vehicle’s exhaust system that converts toxic gases into less harmful ones before they leave the tailpipe. Inside the steel canister sits a ceramic or metallic honeycomb coated with three platinum-group metals: platinum, palladium and rhodium. These three metals are what make catalytic converters chemically essential to clean exhaust – and what give every used catalytic converter measurable scrap value.
A typical passenger-car catalytic converter contains between 3 and 7 grams of platinum-group metals. Diesel units lean heavier on platinum; petrol units lean heavier on palladium and rhodium. Because these metals are rare, finite, and fully recoverable, recycling catalytic converters is both economically and environmentally critical – every gram recovered is a gram that doesn’t have to be mined.
Blancomet processes every major catalytic converter type used on UK and European vehicles:
| Catalytic converter type | Where it's used | What we recover |
|---|---|---|
| Ceramic Monolith | Most petrol and many diesel passenger cars | Pt, Pd, Rh from ceramic honeycomb |
| Metallic Monolith | High-performance and motorcycle exhausts | Pt, Pd, Rh from metallic substrate |
| Diesel Particulate Filters (DPFs) | Modern diesel cars and HGVs | Pt, Pd from washcoat |
| Aftermarket / universal units | Replacement market | Lower PGM yield |
With advanced processing facilities, in-house ICP-OES laboratories, and a skilled team built up since 2009, Blancomet delivers full transparency from drop-off to payment. Every catalytic converter is sampled, assayed and traded against live London Metal Exchange (LME) prices – and every transaction is documented with Waste Consignment Notes for full UK regulatory compliance.
Blancomet processes every major catalytic converter type used on UK and European vehicles:
Best for: one-off sales or small batches.
Our team identifies each catalytic converter against our Online Catalytic Converter Database of thousands of unique units. Once we agree on a price, payment is made via instant bank transfer – no cash, ever (in line with the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013). Every transaction includes Waste Consignment Notes documenting environmental compliance.
Best for: clients who regularly supply large volumes under contract.
Catalytic converters are de-canned, ground into powder, and homogenised before testing. We use ICP-OES chemical analysis for precise per-batch valuation, with results tied directly to live PGM market prices. This is the most accurate method available – and the standard for high-volume sellers who need to be paid on exact metal content.
Our proprietary database and mobile app catalogue thousands of catalytic converters with photos, part numbers, and real-time scrap values pegged to LME pricing. If you’ve ever asked where to get catalytic converter identification before selling, this tool answers it in seconds – accurately, every time.
The catalytic converter scrap price is not fixed. It moves daily with the spot price of platinum, palladium and rhodium on global markets — rhodium being the most volatile (it has swung from roughly £1,000 to over £20,000 per troy ounce in the past five years). Two catalytic converters that look identical from the outside can be worth radically different amounts depending on what’s inside the honeycomb.
Five factors determine the catalytic converter price you’ll be quoted:
At Blancomet, we monitor metal markets in real time and combine LME data with in-house lab analysis and our Online Catalytic Converter Database to give you an accurate, up-to-date valuation. Whether you’re scrapping one unit or managing a fleet, you’ll get consistent, transparent pricing on every catalytic converter scrap price quote we issue.
Opal Way
Stone Business Park, ST15 0SS, Stone
+44 (0) 1785 817444
info@blancomet.co.uk
Factory Unit Y
Lyon Way, Hatfield Road, AL4 0LB, St Albans
+44 (0) 1727 831076
london@blancomet.co.uk
5 Rosemount Park Drive
Rosemount Business Park, Ballycoolin Dublin,
D11 FVH2, Ireland
+353 1629 6066
info@blancomet.ie
Unit 2 Balm Road Industrial Park
Church Hunslet, LS10 2BG, Leeds
+44 (0) 1133 452490
leeds@blancomet.co.uk
Unit 7 Pitreavie Business Park
Pitreavie Drive, KY11 8US, Dunfermline, Fife
+44 (0) 1383 738392
scotland@blancomet.co.uk
Unit 7 Perth Court, Eleventh Avenue North
Team Valley Trading Estate, NE11 0NJ,
Gateshead
+44 (0) 1383 738392
scotland@blancomet.co.uk
Find your nearest Blancomet branch for catalytic converter recycling services. Our locations support customers across the UK and Ireland with professional service, clear communication and reliable recycling solutions.
Select a location below to view local details for catalytic converter recycling services.
Most catalytic converters scrap for between £50 and £400 in the UK, depending on the OEM code, PGM loading, and current spot prices of platinum, palladium and rhodium. Rare premium units (specific BMW M, Land Rover, Porsche) can exceed £500. Blancomet provides a live quote based on your unit’s serial number and the day’s London Metal Exchange prices.
The serial number is stamped, engraved or printed on the metal canister itself — usually on the outer shell or a small plate welded to the body. If it’s obscured by rust, use steel wool or a wire brush to expose it. Once you have the code, send it to Blancomet for a pre-quote against our Online Catalytic Converter Database.
Under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013, every seller must provide:
Cash payments are illegal. Licensed dealers like Blancomet pay exclusively by bank transfer.
No. Under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013, paying or accepting cash for any scrap metal – catalytic converters included – is illegal. Any buyer offering cash in 2026 is breaking the law. Blancomet pays exclusively by bank transfer and requires photo ID on every transaction.
OEM catalytic converters (Original Equipment Manufacturer — fitted at the factory) contain significantly higher loadings of platinum, palladium and rhodium, and are worth far more as scrap. Aftermarket converters (cheap replacement units) are built to minimum legal emissions standards with very low PGM content — often a fraction of OEM equivalents. Blancomet prices every unit individually on its actual content, not assumptions.
Yes. Blancomet buys all major converter types: ceramic monolith, metallic monolith, Diesel Particulate Filters (DPFs), and aftermarket units. DPFs typically contain platinum and palladium recoverable from the washcoat layer.
For Spot Purchase (single units or small batches), payment is made the same day by bank transfer once the price is agreed. For Toll Refining (high-volume contracts), payment follows ICP-OES assay results — typically within a few working days of completed analysis. Contact Blancomet for exact timelines.
Both. For single units or small batches, drop off at your nearest Blancomet branch or post via insured courier. For 10+ units, we offer free UK-wide collection. Trade clients and fleets supplying high volumes are typically collected on a scheduled basis.
A catalytic converter is an emissions-control device fitted to a vehicle’s exhaust system. Inside the steel canister sits a ceramic or metallic honeycomb coated with platinum, palladium and rhodium — three precious metals that convert harmful exhaust gases into less toxic ones, and that give every used catalytic converter its scrap value. Blancomet recycles every major type.
A catalytic converter cleaner is a fuel additive that dissolves carbon deposits and can restore efficiency to a partially clogged unit still on the vehicle. It’s a maintenance product, not a recycling product — and a catalytic converter cleaner does not change scrap value. The platinum, palladium and rhodium are chemically bonded to the ceramic substrate and aren’t released by additives. If your unit is unrecoverable on the vehicle, Blancomet will pay you the live scrap price for what’s left inside.
Where to get a catalytic converter recycled properly is at any licensed UK scrap metal dealer with a waste carrier licence. Blancomet operates six branches across England, Scotland and Ireland (Stone, St Albans, Leeds, Dunfermline, Gateshead, Dublin) and is fully licensed under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013. Anyone offering cash for catalytic converters in 2026 is breaking UK law — always sell to a licensed buyer.
The purpose of a catalytic converter is to reduce vehicle exhaust emissions to meet UK and EU environmental regulations. Specifically, catalytic converters do three chemical reactions at once: oxidise carbon monoxide into CO₂, oxidise unburnt hydrocarbons into CO₂ and water, and reduce nitrogen oxides into nitrogen and oxygen. The reactions only fire above ~300°C, which is why cars take a minute to “warm up” emissions-wise.
Yes. Alongside catalytic converter recycling, Blancomet also handles scrap car ECUs, AC pumps, electric motors, NiMH batteries and non-ferrous metals – extracting valuable metals while meeting full UK environmental standards.
We safely recycle Nickel-Metal Hydride batteries from hybrid vehicles and electronics — handling each one with the care its chemistry demands.
We turn aluminium, copper and brass waste into economic and environmental value — precise sorting from collection through to processing.
We recover valuable materials from electronic waste and safely remove hazardous components — protecting the environment, maximising return.
Have materials to recycle or a question about our services? Tell us a little and our team will get back within one working day.