UNSPSC 11191804: Ash containing precious metal or precious metal compounds

UNSPSC 11191804 Ash containing precious metal or precious metal compounds is a Commodity code that covers materials recovery and processing operations where precious metals are extracted from ash and waste streams, though recent state and local solicitations show the code is being applied broadly to metal and e-waste recycling and material processing contracts that may or may not involve precious metal recovery. County governments and municipalities are the primary buyers, with Ventura County, Sacramento County, Clayton County, and DeKalb County posting multiple recycling and material processing RFBs, RFQs, and ITBs in recent months. The work ranges from general ferrous and non-ferrous metal collection and processing to e-waste recycling, appliance recycling, and material processing equipment procurement. A cooperative purchasing vehicle, Sourcewell (a Minnesota local government unit), issued an RFP on October 6, 2026 for material processing and recycling equipment with related products and services due November 24, 2026; Sacramento County's Department of Waste Management and Recycling issued an ITB on August 18, 2026 for collection and recycling of mixed metals and waste appliances from two county facilities, with projected volumes of 10,800 to 11,775 tons annually; and Ventura County issued parallel RFBs on May 28, 2026 for metal recycling services (RFB 6527, due June 24, 2026) and e-waste recycling services (RFB 6528, due June 25, 2026), both awarded to the vendor offering the highest revenue return based on American Metal Market pricing or commodity market value.

Recent activity concentrates in California (Ventura, Sacramento), Georgia (DeKalb, Clayton), Florida (Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County's November 18, 2026 RFEI for a mass-burn waste-to-energy facility design-build-operate-maintain project), and Minnesota (Sourcewell's cooperative). The mix of issuing bodies spans county waste management departments, county purchasing offices, and regional waste authorities. Ventura County and Sacramento County recur as active buyers; Clayton County and DeKalb County have issued recycling and material procurement solicitations. Prevailing wage compliance and insurance requirements (general liability typically $1 million to $2 million, workers' compensation, and automobile liability) appear standard across recycling and e-waste bids. Compensation structures vary—some contracts pay vendors a per-pound or percentage fee based on commodity market indices (AMM pricing), while others require vendors to generate revenue returns to the jurisdiction. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department posted a Request for Information (RFI) on April 29, 2026 for metal theft evidence storage services, though this is market research only and does not constitute a formal procurement.