Reducing waste can be challenging for many households. Most daily necessities today come in packaging that often end up in landfills. If reducing waste isn’t easy, the next best thing to do is recycle. There are plenty of materials that can be recovered such as metals and plastics. Recycling centers like langleyrecyclingkc.com are a convenient go-to for scrap metals.

If you haven’t tried recycling metal before, then it might be confusing at first. Sorting through cans and other items and knowing what to do and not do with them is a problem for recycling beginners. In this article, we’ve listed common household items that you can recycle. These tips should help you get started, and be on your way to becoming a recycling expert.

Aluminum cans

One of the most common metal recyclables is tin or aluminum cans. Unlike plastic, you can recycle aluminum many times and maintain its quality. Most households throw away beverage cans without knowing they can collect and bring these to recycling centers. If you can’t be bothered, at least, have a dedicated container for these cans. Make sure to remove excess liquid and dry off the cans before tossing them in the recycling bin.

Aluminum foil

You can reuse aluminum foil, but most people prefer to toss it out after cooking. Along with pie tins and food trays, these items are recyclable. After washing off food particles, let them dry. Once dry, ball up the foil and form into spheres not less than two inches big. Don’t forget to collect aluminum used in packaging food such as chocolate wrappers.

Steel cans

The majority of canned foods are packaged in steel. Anything from tomatoes, beans, to coconut milk comes in steel cans. To make recycling easier, remove the lid and place it inside the can. You can dent the top a bit to ensure the lid remains inside and doesn’t cut the hands of the person handling the cans. Also, rinse off any remaining particles inside and let the cans dry before throwing them in the recycling bin. You don’t need to worry about the labels as these get burned off during the recycling process.

Bottle caps

Caps used for glass bottles are either aluminum or steel. You can sort these caps before recycling by using a magnet. If the bottle cap sticks to the magnet it’s steel, anything that doesn’t stick is made of aluminum. If you fail to sort these out, don’t worry because recycling centers also use a magnet to separate aluminum from steel.

Metal scraps from electronics

Electronics and household appliances contain an assortment of recyclable metals. Since these won’t fit in your local recycling bin, you can bring the items directly to a scrap yard. You can include wiring because this contains valuable copper. However, before going to a scrap yard, call them first to know which items they accept. Some appliances contain hazardous chemicals such as coolants, and you may need to bring these to a different recovery center.