Why is metal recycling important?

Recycling metal saves significant amounts of energy and resources, and are infinitely recyclable without any loss in quality or purity.

• Recycling steel uses 75% less energy than when producing steel from raw materials. Every ton of steel recycled saves 2,500 pounds of iron ore, 1,400 pounds of coal, and 120 pounds of limestone. It also saves 642 Kwh of energy, 1.8 barrels of oil, 10.9 million BTU’s of energy, and 4 cubic yards of landfill space. Steel is one of the most recycled materials in the world—most steel items today contain between 25-100% recycled content.
• Recycling aluminum cans use only 5% of the energy used to produce cans from virgin material. One ton of recycled aluminum saves 14,000 Kwh of energy, 40 barrels of oil, 130. 152.32 million BTU’s of energy, and 10 cubic yards of landfill space. Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a television or computer for three hours, or power a 100-watt lightbulb for up to four hours.

Despite being one of the easiest things to recycle, Americans threw away 2.7 million tons of aluminum in 2018, with a recycling rate of only 35%. This is enough to rebuild the entire U.S. commercial air fleet every 3 months. Most aluminum recovered from the waste stream is used to manufacture new cans. The lifespan of an aluminum can is about six weeks, meaning it only takes six weeks for it to be manufactured, filled, sold, used, recycled and remanufactured.

It is also important to buy recycled metals when you can. 100% recycled aluminum foil is one example, such as this one made by If You Care. Or consider recycled or reclaimed metal furniture as found on Etsy.

What types of metal are recyclable?

Any type of metal is recyclable, with the exception of radioactive materials, which you hopefully don’t have. We’ll start with what types of metals you can recycle in your curbside bin.

How to Recycle Metal

Curbside Recycling

Tin and aluminum are the two metals that can go in your curbside bin. Just like any other item, they should be dry and relatively clean. These items include:

• Aluminum and tin cans
  • No need to crush; a recycling operator told me it’s actually better not to because when they’re crushed together in the facility, the bale sticks together better.
• Aluminum foil: wrap, yogurt tops, cigarette box liner, disposable bakeware/takeout tins (clean & dry)
  • Accumulate foil ball to about baseball-size as to not get lost in machinery; or add small scraps (like Hershey’s kiss wrappers) inside an aluminum can
• Empty aerosol cans
• Empty tins, such as mint or popcorn tins
• *Clean paint cans (some companies will accept cans with dried paint residue, check first; otherwise deposit at a hazardous waste dropoff).

Not Acceptable:

Scrap metal, auto parts, wire hangers, electronics, batteries

Scrap Metal Recycling

Any type of metal can be taken to a scrap metal recycler. You can actually make a little money doing this. Examples of items such as pots and pans, copper wire, brass fixtures, appliances, bike frames, automobiles, shelving, bed frames, furniture, faucets, lamps, decor, stainless sinks, telephone wire, Christmas lights, power cables, extension cords, tools, exercise equipment, A/C condensers, aluminum siding, gutters and downspouts, and car parts.

Common metals are divided into two categories: Ferrous and Non-Ferrous.

Ferrous Metals

Ferrous metals contain iron, which makes them hard, strong, and magnetic. They are also susceptible to rust and corrosion.

Common Ferrous Metals	Examples
Steel	Cars, building materials, appliances, machinery, fencing, wire hangers
Stainless Steel	Appliances, pharmaceutical and medical equipment, food-grade equipment, and knives.
Cast Iron	Cookware, small components subject to wear such as gears, rods, and pins, and mining equipment.
Carbon Steel	Structures, Furniture, Auto Parts
Wrought Iron	Furniture, Fencing, Railings, Decor

Non-Ferrous Metals

Non-ferrous metals contain very little or no iron, and are therefore not magnetic. They are more rare, which makes them more valuable. Copper is the most valuable metal.

Common Non-Ferrous Metals	Examples
Copper	Wires & cables, Pipes & Fittings, Cookware, Coins, Motors, Roofing materials
Brass	Knickknacks, Plumbing fixtures, Vehicle radiators, Keys, Door handles, Light fixtures, Bathroom fixtures, Jewelry, Musical instruments
Bronze	Sculptures, Jewelry, Coins, Bearings, Tools
Silver	Jewelry, Coins, Dental Fillings, Decorative Items, Silver Nitrate films used in photography and radiography, Electrical Contacts, Batteries
Gold	Jewelry, Coins, Watches, Electrical Connectors, Artificial limb joints, Dentistry, Computers, Electronics.
Lead	Pipes, Flashing, Gutters, Downspouts, Conductor Heads, Ammunition, Cable sheathing, Weights for lifting, Radiation protection, Batteries
Tin	Solder, Roofing materials, Coins, Bearings, Organ pipes, Pewter
Nickel	Batteries, Coins, Jewelry, Plating, Electrical contacts, Medical equipment
Titanium	Golf clubs, Jewelry, Dental implants, Eyeglass frames, Cookware

Local scrap yards generally accept the same things, with some variations. An item covered with or attached to other materials such as plastic are ok as long as the item is composed of at least half metal. Check scrap recycler websites for items accepted, and you can always call.

For the best prices to sell your metal:

• Clean/separate them from contaminants like paint, adhesives, wood, plastic, and rubber
• Sort ferrous from non-ferrous metals with a magnet

Items most metal recyclers will NOT accept:

Barb Wire	Items containing < 20% metal	Radioactive material
Razor Wire	Propane Tanks (sealed cylinders)	Chemical/Hazardous waste
Alkaline Batteries	Units containing Oil	Rubber
Microwaves	Tires (except the rims)	Glass
Units containing Freon

Don’t Forget Electronics

Another important group of items to make sure and recycle are electronics. These devices contain many valuable metals such as gold, silver, and platinum, and the more they are recycled, the need for virgin materials decreases. Another important reason to recycle these items is that electronic waste leaches harmful chemicals into the environment. Click here to learn more about recycling e-waste.