Quality & inspection
Quality, Specification and Inspection in Scrap Metal Trade
How material quality is described, evidenced and verified in international ferrous and non-ferrous scrap transactions.
How quality is evidenced
Quality in scrap trade is not an abstract standard. It is whatever the parties define in the written specification, plus the evidence used to demonstrate that the material matches it.
- Written product description and material specification
- Photographs of the actual material and its packing
- Video walkthroughs of the stockpile or loading
- Physical inspection at the yard or loading point
- Video inspection where physical attendance is impractical
- Third-party inspection by an agreed inspection company
- Laboratory or composition testing where alloy content matters
- Loading evidence, weight information and container details
- Supporting shipping and customs documentation
Common quality issues
The issues below account for the majority of disputes in international scrap shipments. Identifying them before shipment is far less costly than resolving them afterwards.
Incorrect grade
Material presented as one named grade but loaded as a lower or mixed grade.
Attachments
Fittings, sleeves, insulation or non-target components left on the material.
Non-metallic contamination
Plastic, rubber, wood, glass, textiles or general waste within the load.
Moisture, dirt and oil
Excess water, soil or residual oil increasing weight and reducing recovery.
Iron content and mixed alloys
Magnetic content in non-ferrous loads, or alloys blended outside the agreed tolerance.
Hazardous components
Sealed containers, aerosols, batteries or contaminated items requiring separate handling.
Material substitution
Material loaded that differs from the inspected or photographed stock.
Inspected versus loaded
Differences between the material inspected before loading and the material actually shipped.
What AceComex does and does not do
AceComex encourages clear specifications, honest disclosure and appropriate evidence. Where inspection is required, we can help coordinate arrangements between the parties.
AceComex does not guarantee inspection results. Material acceptance, inspection scope, claims handling and final quality determination depend on the written contract between the relevant parties.
Related pages
Submit material specifications
Send the specification you require, or the material description you can evidence, for commercial review.
Submission does not create a contract, supply commitment or obligation for AceComex.
Information on this website is provided for general commercial purposes. Product availability, specifications, transaction structure, inspection, payment, shipment and acceptance remain subject to review and written agreement between the relevant parties.