
Aluminum cans have always been a favorite scrapper material. We frequently get the question: Should I crush my aluminum cans? You probably figure it saves space and is easier to bring crushed cans to the yard, and while that’s all true, our general answer is no.
Why Some Yards Won’t Buy Crushed Cans
Yards may have their reasons for not buying crushed cans or aluminum cans in general, but here are some of the common ones we can think of:
- Debris in crushed cans – We hate to think wrong of any scrappers, but there is no stopping anyone from putting debris of any kind, like sand or rocks, and then crushing the cans for extra weight. And when this happens, there’s no way for scrap yards to check (and we’re pretty confident yards aren’t inspecting every single one. Can you bring in like they would with a more valuable material like copper)? When they sell these cans to a mill, they’re rejected because of the debris contamination, and they will lose out.
- Dirty cans – You may be a tidy scrapper who cleans out every aluminum can you collect, but all scrappers aren’t built the same. Please think of the things you find in cans: sticky, gross, and smelly stuff, you name it. Now, why would any yard want you to accept that?
- Uninvited guests – You’ll find that when dirty cans make it into the yard, there will be some… uninvited guests. Expect rats, mice, bugs, etc. Yards are trying to avoid an infestation by declining cans.
Suggested Read: Where Can You Recycle Your Aluminum Cans?
What Are My Options?
The best thing you can do as a scrapper is to build a relationship with your preferred yard or even multiple yards if you frequent more than one. Why’s this? If you become a reliable, honest yard customer and build a rapport with them, they may be more lenient with you, such as accepting your crushed aluminum cans (maybe something they don’t usually accept at the door).
If that’s not an option for you, there are always different recycling redemption centers that will take your cans for cash, depending on your state. However, these facilities will not want them crushed for the same reasons scrap yards don’t want them crushed.
Long Story Short…
Don’t crush your cans until you’ve made some calls and found a scrap yard that accepts them or explains how they accept the material.