How to Recycle Metals

Recycling metal items from your household waste is an excellent way to save energy and help reduce the waste piles. This article provides an overview of which metals you can recycle and the forms that you're likely to find them in in your household; it will also provide some advice on what is likely not to be recyclable at most recycling depots!

Steps

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    Contact local recycling facilities to see what is available to you, what types of materials they accept, and other guidelines they may have. Once you have done this, you can look for good materials to bring in for recycling.
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    Recycle aluminum. Aluminum is very lucrative for the recycling companies and recycled aluminum requires only 5 percent of the energy required for making it from scratch. Here are some of the items to consider recycling:
    • Aluminum candy bar wrappers. Note that many wrappers might look like aluminum, but are actually tin foil and may not be recyclable. Ask your recycling facility.
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    • Aluminum plates
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    • Aluminum cans
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    • Aluminum gardening/other furniture
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    • Aluminum framing that is used to make window and door frames is one of the highest grades of aluminum, aluminum extrusions. It's best to think of extrusions as material that has been cut out or machined from a piece of stock.
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    • Aluminum containers
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    • Aluminum foil - if it is aluminum foil. The more common, tin foil is not aluminum and may not be accepted by your recycler.
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    • Aluminum construction materials
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    Recycle steel. Steel is worth recycling and comes in many forms. Here are some of the items that you can recycle:
    • Motors
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    • Tools
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    • Food cans
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    • Framing materials
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    • Nails
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    • Beams and girders from construction
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    • Inner pieces from concrete rods
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    Recycle copper. Copper is now worth good money. Turn your old copper pipes, fixtures and household items into cash by taking them to a reputable recycling depot. Note that coated copper is least valuable. Items for recycling include:
    • Pipes
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    • Guttering
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    • Strip wiring
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    • Construction materials
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    • Coins (they must be copper, the U.S. penny is zinc)
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    • Pots and pans
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    Recycle generic metals. There are numerous other metallic materials found in households. Examples of what else you might be able to find to recycle include:
    • Food and drink cans
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    • Pure metallic jewellery, such as gold rings
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    • Bronze
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    • Brass
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    Know which metals are not recyclable. There are a number of metallic items that won't be recyclable at most depots (although it never hurts to ask). The following items provide an idea of what is mostly likely not recyclable:
    • Containers used for paint or aerosols - dispose of properly
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    • Toxic products - must be disposed of properly in accordance with relevant laws
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    • Clothes hangers (but there is a range of amazing things you can reuse these for, like a panty hose sculpture and more!) Your local dry cleaners may take hangers.
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    • Pieces of metal - make craft from scrap metal where possible
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    • Pipes (unless they are copper)
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Tips

  • Check out metal prices online to see whether or not you should be recycling for profit or just for doing a good deed.
  • Note that what can and cannot be recycled depends on your local recycling capacities. Some of the items in this article may or may not be recyclable in your region, dependent on recycling capacity. This guide is general in nature; it pays to call and find out what is accepted.

Things You'll Need

  • Recycling depot
  • Information about what your local depot does and does not accept for recycling; this differs from region to region and country to country and is dependent on demand

Sources and Citations

  • Inspired by an article in The Gazette (Montreal), April 18, 2005, p A4

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