Where Can You Recycle Your Aluminum Cans?

Aluminum cans may not be seen as a hot commodity in the scrap metal industry but they are just as important to scrap and recycle with your local facility as the next type of metal. Cans are a very common material for everyone to come across whether you are a homeowner, scrapper, or contractor collecting them from your lunch breaks.

Where Can You Recycle Cans?

Oftentimes people ask where they can recycle aluminum cans for scrap metal, rather than putting them out on the curb for the local recycling trucks. Some states offer to buy back programs for aluminum can recycling, but if you are gathering them in bulk you could be making some bigger chunks of change at the scrap yard. When you search the iScrap App for your local scrap yards, you can find a yard where you can bring your aluminum cans for recycling. They will be able to provide you with the current scrap prices.

Find A Scrap Yard To Recycle Your Cans

What Is The Price for Aluminum Cans?

When you looking for a place to bring your aluminum cans to for recycling, you can start calling local recycling facilities and ask for their current price for aluminum cans. As we mentioned earlier some states have buyback programs for aluminum cans so that can be a factor too. Call your local scrap yard for the current prices for aluminum cans and other metals you may be recycling. Below you can see that prices for aluminum can recycle usually remain steady for the most part.

Is It Worth Spending Time Recycling Your Aluminum Cans for Cash?

Bringing your aluminum cans to the scrap yards in your area can seem like a waste of time, but when you start adding up the dollars for your aluminum can recycling it could be worth the time. Often times we suggest that you gather a large load of aluminum cans before heading to the scrap yard to cash them in. We have listed some of the steps and tips when recycling your aluminum cans with your local scrap yards.

  • Better In Bulk – If you are gathering aluminum cans for recycling at your scrap yard, it is better to have a large quantity so you receive higher payments. If you are going to collect some for weeks or even months, make sure you have enough room and the right storage to easily move them around when you are ready to recycle them. It can be a good idea to store them in simple trash cans or even larger plastic bags you can easily transfer.
  • Crush & Clean Cans – If you are collecting quite a few and you have room for them, it could be a good idea to get a can crusher so you can save some room and collect more in your storage area. It could also be a good idea to rinse them out when you are recycling cans. Depending on the scrap yard, some yards may give you a marked-down price if they are filled with liquids.
  • Know Weights – It takes approximately 30 or so aluminum cans to make one pound so as you collect or crush them, it can be a wise idea to have a rough count of how many you have. This will allow you to estimate how much money you will be making once you recycle them with your scrap yard. As you begin asking for current prices you can see if it’s worth holding onto them a bit longer knowing how many you have.

Once you have gathered your aluminum cans for scrap, use the iScrap App to find the closest scrap yard that is currently buying aluminum cans. You can check their scrap pricing list or you can contact them if they don’t have the information you are looking for. Be sure to gather all of your aluminum cans and separate them from other materials you may be bringing to the scrap yard. After you’ve brought your cans to the recycling yard, be sure to report the price you received on the iScrap App for your location.


Value Of Recycling Aluminum Cans

The price of aluminum cans for scrap metal value is usually a bit higher than the regular aluminum scrap price. Remember not only will you be saving enough energy to run a TV for three hours, but recycling aluminum cans has a benefit on your wallet. You can recycle an aluminum can and 60 days later it can be reused and back on the shelf.

Where Can You Find Aluminum Cans for Scrap?

  • Local Sports – If you are near football or baseball stadiums, the tailgating parking lots are a great place to start looking for cans. You can walk around the parking lots for hours leading up to the game to take cans away from the fans enjoying their pre-game traditions.
  • Your Events – Having a birthday party or hosting a holiday? More than likely your family and friends will have soda, beer, and other beverages in aluminum cans that you can collect at the end of the evening for scrap metal.
  • Local Parks & Streets – As you are walking around your neighborhood, it’s probably common to occasionally see cans on the side of the street or in the park. Bring a plastic bag around and pick them up and bring them home to add to your bulk amount.