The invention discloses a simple method for determining a waste steel stand of an electric transmission line after atmospheric corrosion. The method comprises the following steps of: inspecting the corrosion condition of the steel strand of the electric transmission line at site, namely, A, if the whole surface of a steel strand is coated with yellow rust and obvious burrs are generated, indicating that a zinc coating is fully damaged and a steel base body is cracked, and directly determining that the steel strand is the waste steel strand; B, if yellow iron rust is produced on the steel strand, taking the steel strand of the seriously corroded position as a sampling position, measuring the outer diameter of the steel strand of the sampling position by using a standard measuring tool to obtain an average measurement value, finding the standard value or the designed value of the outer diameter of the steel strand of the same specification, comparing the average measurement value of the outer diameter of the steel strand, which is measured in site and the standard value or the designed value, calculating the deviation percentage delta of the average measurement value and standard value or the designed value, and when the delta is more than or equal to 8 percent, determining that the steel strand does not meet the requirement; and replacing the waste steel strands which are determined in the steps A and B as soon as possible. The method is simple and practicable, and can be quickly operated at site.