#2 Insulated Copper Wires (I.C.W.) are some of the most common copper materials found in scrap yards and around construction sites. They consist mainly of insulated copper wires including extension cords, double insulated wires, cat5, cat6, and similar, typically used in electrical applications with an average copper recovery rate of 50%. #2 Insulated Copper Wiring can be found in automotive parts, household appliances and applications, mechanical components and others.
It is usually not worthwhile to clean and remove plastic and paper coatings from these wires, due to their smaller site and low copper content, using manual tools or electric wire strippers. Wire granulators would be the recommended solution for separating copper from these wires, for large volumes of material.
#2 Insulated Copper Wires are considered to be valuable scrap materials due to their copper content and can be sold to scrap yards and dealers at high prices, usually by the pound.
ISRI’s Specification Code: DRUID view ISRI’s Scrap Specifications Circular
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