The two Yorkshire authorities are jointly procuring a replacement contract covering the collection, sorting, grading and sale of mixed scrap metal arising from their household recycling sites.
According to reports presented to councillors, the contract could generate combined annual income of more than £500,000, with Leeds City Council expecting around £268,000 per year and Bradford Council forecasting approximately £278,000 annually.
The new agreement is scheduled to commence on 1 September 2026, with interim arrangements currently in place.
A spokesperson for Bradford Council commented: “As a Council, we accept scrap metal across our HWRCs from residents. In turn we have always required specialist contractors to collect, sort, grade and sell the various mixed metals that we receive.”
“On average, we receive around 1,200 tonnes of mixed scrap metal per year and receive post-processing income from the contractor, which tracks the market rates as they fluctuate monthly.”
The replacement contract is expected to cover the management of ferrous and non-ferrous metals collected through civic amenity sites, with councils receiving a share of the value generated from onward sales into domestic and international commodities markets.
Replacement for Unimetals Recycling
The spokesperson added that the original contract had been held by Morley Waste Traders before transferring to Sims Metals and later Unimetals following corporate acquisitions.
They explained: “Last year, Unimetals ceased trading without any advance notice to the council and we have been utilising a local company since, until a new contract is procured.
“The joint procurement with Leeds Council will leverage our combined purchasing power to get the best rates possible.”
Liquidation proceedings were launched against Unimetals Recycling in November 2025, prompting local authorities and waste operators across parts of the UK to seek alternative arrangements for scrap metal processing and recycling services.
The liquidation petition followed a sequence of three notices of intention (NOI) to appoint administrators lodged earlier this year.
A Unimetals spokesperson said at the time: “Regretfully, despite substantial interest and attempts at completing a deal, no transaction was concluded.
“As a result, we have today filed a petition for the compulsory liquidation of Unimetals Recycling.”
Register for free to comment