Can I still take cans to the recycle bin? Recycling expert Gerry Acuna says aluminum cans are still among the most recycled item because you can earn money for the ones you collect. "Oh, absolutely," says...
"Oh, absolutely," says Gerry Acuna, the president of Tri Recycling Inc., who has been involved in recycling for 12 years.
In fact, there's more incentive to recycle cans than perhaps any other common household items, because of their worth.
In fact, there's more incentive to recycle cans than perhaps any other common household items, because of their worth.
"If you toss a can out of the window, heaven forbid you do that, but if you do toss that aluminum can, you can almost be certain that it is going to be recycled because there is a value there," says Acuna.
The experts at Connecticut Metal Industries agree because "aluminum can scrap has always had a strong price in comparison to other recyclables."
Many states, such as Oregon, require a deposit at the time of sale, which can then be redeemed when the empty can is returned. This promotes a fantastic habit of recycling and considerably reduces aluminum waste in our landfills.
Other communities and companies offer payment by weight to keep up with the fluctuating costs of primary aluminum.
Acuna elaborates, "That can is worth something. The price that it is worth obviously changes on a regular basis because it's what I would consider a commodity."
So, how much are your current soda cans worth?
Acuna says, "Aluminum can prices today are probably in the neighborhood of about 50-55 cents a pound."
But the value doesn't necessarily equal the amount of money you'll receive for recycling those cans. There are many variables that determine what companies and organizations will offer for your used cans, such as the percentage of scrap in the aluminum and the volume of cans they can accept.
But don't let that discourage you.
"If you were to walk up and down the street and collect cans and take them to your local metal recycler, he would probably pay you for them," says Acuna.
And aside from the monetary reward, anytime you recycle your aluminum cans, you are doing the environment a great service.
The Aluminum Association states, "Using recyclable materials as opposed to new materials offers a major competitive edge by reducing energy costs dramatically. For example, creating a new aluminum soda can from virgin ore uses 95 percent more energy than recycling an old can. Put another way, tossing 21 cans is like throwing away a gallon of gasoline."
Facts outlined on Cancentral.com put the efficiency of recycling our cans into perspective.
"Used aluminum cans are recycled and returned to a store shelf as a new can in as few as 60 days. That means a consumer could purchase basically the same recycled aluminum can from a retailer's shelf nearly every 9 weeks or 6 times a year."
Because aluminum is continually recyclable, it is one of the best materials to utilize.
In addition, Cancentral.com reports, "The energy saved each year through recycled cans could light the city of Washington, DC for 3.7 years."
So whether your community offers redemptions on aluminum can deposits, endorses a curbside recycling program which collects cans or has organizations in the area that pay for them, you'll be doing the environment a favor by participating.
