If you’ve landed on this post, it’s because you’re interested in caring for the planet by contributing, no matter how small. Recycling has become so important because it’s through this process that we can save energy, reduce pollution, and preserve natural resources, without which we’d be nothing.

It’s incredible how much you can contribute through this mechanism, which is why today we want to focus on how to recycle aluminum cans step by step. You’ll be amazed at how simple it is and how much you can contribute.

We’ll also provide you with ideas for reusing that material—don’t miss out!

Aluminum Cans: Where to Dispose of Them?

One of the first questions in our country is knowing where to dispose of aluminum cans, as it is a recyclable material. You may not be interested in keeping them at home and want to get rid of them.

Well, in Spain, an aluminum can is deposited in a yellow container, the recycling bin for plastics and metals. This ensures they go directly to a recycling plant. But in Chile, for example, it’s a different story; you need to look for the light gray container, which is intended for cans and metals.

And in the United States, there are several typical locations where you can take your cans: Scrap yards. Scrap yards that accept aluminum cans are available in nearly every city and state across the country. Get in touch with your nearby scrap yards to inquire about their policies regarding public drop-offs for cans!

Aluminum is a highly polluting material that we might think should be discontinued, but the problem is that it’s used in various industrial sectors, such as beverage cans, airplanes, cars, and construction. Its lightweight nature makes it particularly attractive.

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How to Recycle Aluminum Cans Step by Step?

Now that you know the use of aluminum, it’s time to learn how to recycle cans step by step. You’ll see that the process is not complicated at all, and you can start today.

Step 1: Wash and Disinfect

Simply washing a can with dish soap would be the quickest solution, but it wouldn’t effectively disinfect the aluminum. To do this, you need to mix one tablespoon of baking soda with two cups of water.

This not only disinfects but also helps eliminate any odors from the contents of the can.

Step 2: Dry

The next step in recycling aluminum cans is to let the can dry.

Step 3: Paint

Among the ideas for recycling cans is to give them a new purpose, and here you can let your creativity run wild by painting them.

Step 4: Give Them a New Use

Recycled metal can be used for a variety of purposes, as we’ll see in the next section. Therefore, it’s not necessary to search for the gray recycling container, which could be a real challenge because recycling culture is still not widespread in our country.

But you may have realized that recycling aluminum isn’t difficult—it’s more about having the intention.

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How to Recycle Cans? Ideas for Reusing the Material

Within the step-by-step process of recycling aluminum cans lies the application of different ideas, and although it may seem incredible, starting to recycle saves 95% of energy. Some options include:

• Creating a lampshade for your lamp.

• Making a room divider curtain, using the aluminum can rings.

• Getting more creative, you could make a lovely jewelry box from a large can like the ones used for preserves.

• If you’re an animal lover, cans can easily be turned into bird feeders.

• Alternatively, if you’re the “lord” or “lady” of plants, cans can serve as planters.

Recycled Metal: Why Is It Important to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle Metals?

If you’re looking for options to recycle aluminum cans, it’s because you’re going above and beyond in caring for the planet. But let’s not stop at this general idea and see what it’s all about.

Extracting the minerals used to make cans is very energy-intensive, which is why the recommendation is for everyone to reduce consumption or indeed learn how to recycle cans.

As mentioned earlier, when that mineral is extracted, it uses up to 95% of energy—a real concern.

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It also helps reduce carbon footprint, making it one of the best habits you can adopt lately, as global warming threatens our existence more and more each day.

Now that you know how to recycle aluminum cans step by step, don’t wait any longer and keep boosting green ecology and awareness.