How to Recycle Aluminum Can Pop-Tops

Aluminum is indefinitely recyclable and it takes far less energy to produce new aluminum products from old ones than from the raw bauxite ore. Recycling also reduces the habitat destruction associated with bauxite mining. Add to this the fact that aluminum is quite valuable, and you can usually earn a little extra cash from recycling it, and you have plenty of good reasons to take the time to recycle your empty cans and their pop-tops. Pop-tops are made of much the same material as the rest of the can and you can recycle them in exactly the same way.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic bag

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Save your pop-tops. Either store alongside the used cans or have a separate bag for them, if you want to give them to charity. Remember to rinse sticky drink residues from the cans and the tops, to avoid attracting pests.

   • 2

     Locate your nearest recycling centers; nearly all accept aluminum and some pay. You can find addresses through Earth911's search function.

   • 3

     Contact the recycling centers if you are planning to sell your aluminum. Some centers may offer a better price than others. If you have a lot of aluminum, perhaps from a community collection project, a scrap metal dealer might offer a better deal.