AGO Opinion Topics: SCRAP METAL

1. A pawnbroker or second-hand dealer in the business of purchasing scrap metal for recycling and remanufacture is not required to follow the reporting requirements of RCW 19.60.020 and .040 to the extent the pawnbroker or second-hand dealer is dealing with “metal junk” as defined in RCW 19.60.010(2), because of the exemption set forth in RCW 19.60.085(4).

2. The existing definitions of “metal junk” and “second-hand property” in RCW 19.60.010 are not broad enough to include all metal that might be purchased for further processing and recycling.