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Cash for Cans (Everything You Should Know About Selling Scrap Cans)

By Irena Kosturska

With environmental awareness on the rise, many local councils throughout the state now offer recycling services for all your metal cans and containers. If you hosted a party over the weekend, you’ll likely toss a whole heap of empty cans into a recycling bin where it waits for its scheduled pick up. While recycling helps the environment, did you know you might be tossing money away just by throwing scrap cans into recycling bins? Instead, consider a scrap metal recycling centre such as Metal Men Recycling where you can sell scrap cans for cash.

What should I do with my scrap cans instead?

A common misconception with metal recycling is that it must come in large industrial containers for it to be accepted for cash. This, however, is not true. People are often unaware that many local metal recycling centres accept scrap cans of any amount from anyone.

So, instead of putting your scrap cans and containers into a recycling bin, a better idea would be to sell your scrap cans. You can stash them away until you are ready to take your collection to someone who will pay you top dollar. The next time you finish your favourite canned beverage, think twice before throwing the can into the bin.

Why should I bother?

Most scrap cans in your house will likely be made of aluminium which is 100% recyclable. Unfortunately, close to one million cans find their way into landfills every year instead of recycling centres that put them back into circulation.

Selling your scrap cans to a recycling facility can contribute to a reduction of waste and mining impacts. When mining for any mineral, the water, and soil of the mined area is often left contaminated and difficult to restore. Acid run-offs from mines can dissolve heavy metals such as copper and mercury which can leach into water sources while sediments of non-biodegradable metals settle into the surrounding soil, harming both humans and wildlife.

The production of metals used to make cans also requires a lot of electricity and produces greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide which contributes to global warming. Thus, selling your scrap cans instead of throwing them will not only make a tidy little profit for yourself but reduce your overall carbon footprint.

How do I collect and prepare scrap cans to sell?

A good first step is to look around your home and neighbourhood for scrap cans. Almost anything made of metal is worth something, especially if they are made from copper, brass, or aluminium. Once you’ve collected all the scrap cans available in your area, preparing them the right way is crucial to ensure your entire collection is deemed valuable.

Ensuring you have a sizeable collection often takes time, hence, making sure each can is properly cleaned before you store them is necessary. Sugary drinks or food residue left in cans can turn mouldy and attract insects and pests. Your local recycling centre will likely reject your collection if they find a massive infestation of creepy crawlies or unwanted growth that can contaminate other recyclable materials.

Scrap cans should also have their lids properly dealt with before being thrown into the pile. Metal lids should always be left on or inside the can, but plastic covers or ring joiners should be removed and recycled separately. As for labels, you need not worry about getting the adhesive off as recycling centres are usually happy to have these removed for you.

Another step you can take before selling your scrap cans is to crush each can. This not only saves you space (making it easier to transport to your local recycling centre) but sometimes also leads to a higher payout.

What sort of price can I get for scrap cans?

Metal Men Recycling is the best place to sell your scrap metal in Melbourne. We pride ourselves on making recycling your scrap metals easy and profitable. While states such as Victoria are looking to implement a standardised ten-cent scrap containers scheme for each scrap can, the value of scrap cans at recycling centres can change daily depending on market trends.

Estimating the exact value of all the scrap cans you intend to sell can be a difficult task. While it is possible to bring in cans as you use them, holding onto them until you’ve built a considerable collection is usually recommended. The amount you will receive ultimately depends on the total weight of your collection so a larger delivery will mean a nicer payday.

Melbourne scrap metal recyclers

If you’re not sure where or how to store your scrap cans before selling, here at Metal Men Recycling, we also offer free collection bins that you can keep on-site and a 24-hour team for pick up and pricing.

Give us a call on 03 5941 6677 today for more information on how you can collect and sell your scrap cans. Alternatively, you can also contact us by filling out our online enquiry form so one of our team members can get back to you ASAP.

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Find us at: 18 Drovers Place, Pakenham VIC 3810