Aluminum and steel are among the most valuable recyclable materials. Recycling aluminum saves 95% of the energy needed to make new aluminum from raw ore.
Note
This guide provides general recycling information based on common US municipal standards. Recycling rules vary by location, so please check with your local waste management authority for specific guidelines in your area.
Aluminum is one of the most valuable materials in your recycling bin. It is lightweight, does not rust, and can be recycled infinitely without losing quality.
What most people call "tin cans" are actually steel cans with a thin tin coating. Steel is the most recycled material in the world.
Not sure if a can is aluminum or steel? Use a simple refrigerator magnet:
As a general rule: most beverage cans (soda, beer) are aluminum, while most food cans (soup, vegetables, beans) are steel. Both are recyclable in your blue bin -- you do not need to separate them at home.
Beyond cans, other metal items can often be recycled, though not always through curbside pickup:
| Metal Type | Key Characteristics | Magnet Test | Common Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum | Lightweight, flexible, does not rust | Does NOT stick | Soda cans, beer cans, foil |
| Steel (tin cans) | Heavier, rigid, may rust | Sticks | Soup cans, food cans, pet food cans |
| Copper | Reddish color, heavy, conductive | Does NOT stick | Wiring, pipes (take to scrap yard) |
| Stainless steel | Shiny, corrosion-resistant | Weakly sticks or not at all | Pots, pans, utensils (take to scrap yard) |
Follow these simple steps to prepare your metal cans and containers for curbside recycling:
Pour out any remaining food or liquid. Scrape out thick residue if possible. Do not leave food waste sitting in the can.
Give the can a quick rinse with water. It does not need to be spotless -- just free of significant food residue to prevent contamination and odors.
Paper and plastic labels do not need to be removed. They are burned off or separated during the recycling process at the facility.
If you opened the can with a can opener, push the cut lid down inside the can and pinch the top slightly to hold it in place. This prevents the sharp lid from injuring collection workers.
Crushing cans saves space in your bin. This is optional and does not affect recyclability. Note: if your area uses single-stream recycling with optical sorters, uncrushed cans may sort better.
Put the prepared cans loose in your blue recycling bin. Do not bag them in plastic. Aluminum and steel cans can go in together -- they are separated at the facility using magnets.
Aluminum foil, pie plates, and takeout trays are recyclable in most programs, but they must be clean:
Many curbside programs now accept empty aerosol cans. Before placing one in the bin:
If you live in a bottle bill state (California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Oregon, or Vermont), aluminum beverage cans have a deposit value -- typically 5 or 10 cents each. Return them to a grocery store or redemption center to get your deposit back.
Many people spend time peeling off labels before recycling their cans.
You do not need to remove labels. During the recycling process, cans are heated to extremely high temperatures (over 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit for aluminum, over 2,800 degrees for steel). Paper labels burn away completely, and adhesives are vaporized. Save yourself the effort.
Some people believe that crushing a can ruins its recyclability or that machines cannot identify crushed cans.
Crushed cans are absolutely recyclable. At the facility, aluminum and steel are separated using eddy current separators (for aluminum) and magnets (for steel), which work regardless of the can's shape. Crushing cans saves space in your bin and in recycling trucks. However, if your program specifically requests uncrushed cans (rare), follow their guidelines.
Some people question whether recycling is actually worthwhile from an energy standpoint.
This is demonstrably false, especially for aluminum. Recycling aluminum uses 95% less energy than producing new aluminum from bauxite ore. For steel, recycling uses 60-74% less energy than making steel from iron ore. Metal recycling is one of the clearest environmental wins in the entire recycling system.
Many people throw away aluminum foil because they assume it cannot be recycled.
Clean aluminum foil is recyclable in most programs. The key word is "clean." If the foil is free of food residue, crumple it into a ball (at least 2 inches across) and place it in the recycling bin. Heavily soiled foil that cannot be cleaned should go in the trash. The same applies to aluminum pie plates and baking trays.
It is easy to think that tossing a single can in the trash is no big deal.
Every can counts. Recycling a single aluminum can saves enough energy to power a television for 3 hours or a 100-watt light bulb for 4 hours. Americans use approximately 80 billion aluminum cans per year. If every can were recycled, it would save the energy equivalent of 15 million barrels of crude oil annually. Your one can absolutely matters.
Aluminum holds a special place in recycling because of the enormous energy savings it provides. Manufacturing new aluminum from bauxite ore is one of the most energy-intensive industrial processes, which makes recycling it extraordinarily valuable.
Steel has been recycled for over 150 years and has one of the highest recycling rates of any material. The steel industry has a strong economic incentive to recycle because it is significantly cheaper than producing virgin steel.
Aluminum cans:
Steel cans:
While metal recycling is highly effective, reducing consumption in the first place is always better for the environment. Here are practical ways to cut down on metal waste:
A good stainless steel or aluminum water bottle eliminates the need for dozens of single-use cans per month. It pays for itself quickly.
Making soups, sauces, and meals from fresh ingredients reduces the number of canned goods you buy. It is healthier too.
One large can generates less waste per serving than several small cans. Choose the largest practical size for items you use often.
Concentrated versions of products (like frozen juice concentrate vs. canned juice) use less packaging overall.
Metals are among the most valuable and efficiently recycled materials we have. Unlike many plastics, metals can be recycled infinitely without any degradation in quality. The recycling infrastructure for aluminum and steel is well-established and economically viable. By rinsing your cans and placing them in the blue bin, you are contributing to a system that conserves enormous amounts of energy and natural resources. Every can recycled is one less piece of ore that needs to be mined from the earth.