{"id":1929524,"date":"2026-05-11T14:00:13","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T11:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1929524"},"modified":"2026-05-11T14:00:13","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T11:00:13","slug":"everything-you-think-you-know-about-recycling-aluminum-cans-is-probably-wrong","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1929524","title":{"rendered":"Everything You Think You Know About Recycling Aluminum Cans Is Probably Wrong"},"content":{"rendered":"
Most people approach aluminum recycling with the best of intentions and a surprisingly large number of misconceptions. The crushed can feels virtuous — more efficient, taking up less space, easier on the bin. In reality, it can cause problems at the sorting facility.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And the instinct to peel off paper labels before recycling a tin can? Also probably unnecessary. The practice of metal recycling comes with\u00a0handful of deeply embedded habits that are more myth than best practice, and knowing which is which is the first step to actually doing it right.<\/p>\n
\n This story is part of CNET Zero<\/span>, a series that chronicles the impact of climate change and explores what’s being done about the problem.\n <\/div>\n
But proper recycling isn’t so straightforward, and getting it wrong can throw a major wrench into the larger system. Case in point? Crushing your aluminum cans.<\/p>\n
Smashing your empty cans into a flat metal disc seems like a good idea because it saves space. (It’s also kind of fun.) As it turns out, it’s a habit you should break — the sorting machines at recycling facilities need to recognize the shapes of cans to properly identify them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When you flatten cans, you might confuse the equipment and potentially send perfectly good aluminum to the dump. Here are some more easy tips for recycling to make sure you’re always taking the right actions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Which sorts of metal cans can be recycled?<\/h2>\n
All metal cans are recyclable, if they’ve been cleaned. Examples include:<\/p>\n
\n
Aerosol cans<\/li>\n
Beverage cans, like soda and beer, including the tabs<\/li>\n
Canned goods<\/li>\n
Paint cans<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Cleaning metal cans<\/h2>\n
Don’t do this:<\/strong> Toss cans into the recycling bin before cleaning. If foods or liquids are left in the cans, they can contaminate an entire batch of recyclables, rendering them useless. Unrinsed cans can also attract roaches, rodents and other nasty critters that you don’t want crawling around your bins.<\/p>\n
Do this instead:<\/strong> Make sure all cans are clear of liquids or foods that could be left in the container. You can do this by rinsing the can when you’re finished with it.<\/p>\n
Canned goods: <\/strong>Don’t\u00a0<\/em>remove the lid only halfway before placing it into the recycling bin. Instead, completely remove the lid from the can and place it inside the can (after rinsing). Only place lids inside an empty can made of the same metal material.<\/p>\n
Aerosol cans:\u00a0<\/strong>Lids on aerosol cans are typically plastic so you should remove those before putting the cans into the bin. The plastic lids should go with other plastic recyclables, as the heat applied during the metal recycling process will destroy any plastic recyclables mixed into the batch.<\/p>\n
Do I need to remove paper labels before recycling cans?<\/h2>\n\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div><\/p>\n
Don’t worry about removing labels from cans before recycling, but it’s important to remove labels from plastics before recycling.<\/p>\n
Generally, you don’t need to remove paper labels from metal or aluminum cans before you chuck them in the recycling bin. When the cans are recycled, the heat applied to the metal burns away the paper and the adhesive, ensuring there’s no risk that your contributions might contaminate the batch.<\/p>\n
However, there are other cases in which you might want to remove the paper labels before recycling. You can take these labels off your metal cans and toss them in with your paper recycling if you don’t like the idea of them turning to ash in the recycling process. More importantly, you do<\/em> have to remove the paper labels if you’re recycling plastics, because the recycling process for metals and plastics is different.<\/p>\n
When in doubt, it’s best to contact your local recycling facility. One Reddit user familiar with recycling facilities pointed out that, while the mechanics of recycling are important to understand, each recycling plant has its own unique machinery with different capabilities — they aren’t standardized so it’s not simple to give a one-size-fits-all answer.<\/p>\n
Making a quick call to your local plant will ensure that you know what can and can’t be recycled, and what might contaminate a batch of recyclables.<\/p>\n
What else should I do?<\/h2>\n
\n
Avoid puncturing aerosol cans to remove the remaining liquid.<\/li>\n
Make sure all paint is either dry or completely rinsed out before recycling. If you have leftover paint or other hazardous waste, take it to a drop-off center near you.<\/li>\n
Don’t crush aluminum cans before recycling because they can contaminate the batch. Recycling sorting machines also rely on shape to identify and crushing cans and other recyclables can trip them up.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
For more recycling information, here’s how to properly recycle plastic<\/span><\/span> and the right way to recycle paper and cardboard<\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n
Metal recycling FAQs<\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
What’s are the most important things to do before recycling metal cans?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
Before you recycle metal cans, it’s important to rinse them out to remove any excess fluids within the can. This is to make sure that your can doesn’t contaminate the entire batch of recyclables. You can also remove the paper label but this isn’t necessary for metal cans.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
When should I remove the paper label from my recyclables?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
While it’s not necessary to remove the paper label from metal cans, you can still do so if you want\u00a0to put the label in with the rest of your paper recyclables. You do have to remove the paper label from any plastic recyclables, as the plastic recycling process is different from the metal and aluminum recycling process.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
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How do I find the rules for recycling near me?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
To find out the particular do’s and don’ts for recycling near you, contact your local recycling facility. Recycling plants aren’t standardized and each one has different equipment and capabilities. Finding out what the local plant can do will make your recyclable prep much easier.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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KATIE TEAGUE<\/span><\/div>\n
Former Writer II<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Katie covered all things how-to at CNET, with a focus on Social Security and notable events. When she’s not writing, she enjoys playing in golf scrambles, practicing yoga and spending time on the lake.<\/span> See full bio <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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<\/div>\n
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TYLER GRAHAM<\/span><\/div>\n
Writer<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Tyler is a writer for CNET covering laptops and video games. He’s previously covered mobile devices, home energy products and broadband. He came to CNET straight out of college, where he graduated from Seton Hall with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. When Tyler’s not asking questions or doing research for his next assignment, you can find him in his home state of New Jersey, kicking back with a bagel and watching an action flick or playing a new video game. \nWhen Tyler’s not asking questions or doing research for his next assignment, you can find him in his home state of New Jersey, kicking back with a bagel and watching an action flick or playing a new video game. <\/p>\n
You can reach him at tgraham@cnet.com.<\/span> See full bio <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
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<\/div>CNET<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Most people approach aluminum recycling with the best of intentions and a surprisingly large number of misconceptions. The crushed can feels virtuous — more efficient, taking up less space, easier on the bin. In reality, it can cause problems at the sorting facility.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And the instinct to peel off paper labels before recycling a tin can? Also probably unnecessary. The practice of metal recycling comes with\u00a0handful of deeply embedded habits that are more myth than best practice, and knowing which is which is the first step to actually doing it right.<\/p>\n
\n This story is part of CNET Zero<\/span>, a series that chronicles the impact of climate change and explores what’s being done about the problem.\n <\/div>\n
But proper recycling isn’t so straightforward, and getting it wrong can throw a major wrench into the larger system. Case in point? Crushing your aluminum cans.<\/p>\n
Smashing your empty cans into a flat metal disc seems like a good idea because it saves space. (It’s also kind of fun.) As it turns out, it’s a habit you should break — the sorting machines at recycling facilities need to recognize the shapes of cans to properly identify them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When you flatten cans, you might confuse the equipment and potentially send perfectly good aluminum to the dump. Here are some more easy tips for recycling to make sure you’re always taking the right actions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Which sorts of metal cans can be recycled?<\/h2>\n
All metal cans are recyclable, if they’ve been cleaned. Examples include:<\/p>\n
\n
Aerosol cans<\/li>\n
Beverage cans, like soda and beer, including the tabs<\/li>\n
Canned goods<\/li>\n
Paint cans<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Cleaning metal cans<\/h2>\n
Don’t do this:<\/strong> Toss cans into the recycling bin before cleaning. If foods or liquids are left in the cans, they can contaminate an entire batch of recyclables, rendering them useless. Unrinsed cans can also attract roaches, rodents and other nasty critters that you don’t want crawling around your bins.<\/p>\n
Do this instead:<\/strong> Make sure all cans are clear of liquids or foods that could be left in the container. You can do this by rinsing the can when you’re finished with it.<\/p>\n
Canned goods: <\/strong>Don’t\u00a0<\/em>remove the lid only halfway before placing it into the recycling bin. Instead, completely remove the lid from the can and place it inside the can (after rinsing). Only place lids inside an empty can made of the same metal material.<\/p>\n
Aerosol cans:\u00a0<\/strong>Lids on aerosol cans are typically plastic so you should remove those before putting the cans into the bin. The plastic lids should go with other plastic recyclables, as the heat applied during the metal recycling process will destroy any plastic recyclables mixed into the batch.<\/p>\n
Do I need to remove paper labels before recycling cans?<\/h2>\n\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div><\/p>\n
Don’t worry about removing labels from cans before recycling, but it’s important to remove labels from plastics before recycling.<\/p>\n
Generally, you don’t need to remove paper labels from metal or aluminum cans before you chuck them in the recycling bin. When the cans are recycled, the heat applied to the metal burns away the paper and the adhesive, ensuring there’s no risk that your contributions might contaminate the batch.<\/p>\n
However, there are other cases in which you might want to remove the paper labels before recycling. You can take these labels off your metal cans and toss them in with your paper recycling if you don’t like the idea of them turning to ash in the recycling process. More importantly, you do<\/em> have to remove the paper labels if you’re recycling plastics, because the recycling process for metals and plastics is different.<\/p>\n
When in doubt, it’s best to contact your local recycling facility. One Reddit user familiar with recycling facilities pointed out that, while the mechanics of recycling are important to understand, each recycling plant has its own unique machinery with different capabilities — they aren’t standardized so it’s not simple to give a one-size-fits-all answer.<\/p>\n
Making a quick call to your local plant will ensure that you know what can and can’t be recycled, and what might contaminate a batch of recyclables.<\/p>\n
What else should I do?<\/h2>\n
\n
Avoid puncturing aerosol cans to remove the remaining liquid.<\/li>\n
Make sure all paint is either dry or completely rinsed out before recycling. If you have leftover paint or other hazardous waste, take it to a drop-off center near you.<\/li>\n
Don’t crush aluminum cans before recycling because they can contaminate the batch. Recycling sorting machines also rely on shape to identify and crushing cans and other recyclables can trip them up.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
For more recycling information, here’s how to properly recycle plastic<\/span><\/span> and the right way to recycle paper and cardboard<\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n
Metal recycling FAQs<\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
What’s are the most important things to do before recycling metal cans?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
Before you recycle metal cans, it’s important to rinse them out to remove any excess fluids within the can. This is to make sure that your can doesn’t contaminate the entire batch of recyclables. You can also remove the paper label but this isn’t necessary for metal cans.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
When should I remove the paper label from my recyclables?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
While it’s not necessary to remove the paper label from metal cans, you can still do so if you want\u00a0to put the label in with the rest of your paper recyclables. You do have to remove the paper label from any plastic recyclables, as the plastic recycling process is different from the metal and aluminum recycling process.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
How do I find the rules for recycling near me?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
To find out the particular do’s and don’ts for recycling near you, contact your local recycling facility. Recycling plants aren’t standardized and each one has different equipment and capabilities. Finding out what the local plant can do will make your recyclable prep much easier.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/div>CNET<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Most people approach aluminum recycling with the best of intentions and a surprisingly large number of misconceptions. The crushed can feels virtuous — more efficient, taking up less space, easier on the bin. In reality, it can cause problems at the sorting facility.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And the instinct to peel off paper labels before recycling a tin can? Also probably unnecessary. The practice of metal recycling comes with\u00a0handful of deeply embedded habits that are more myth than best practice, and knowing which is which is the first step to actually doing it right.<\/p>\n
\n This story is part of CNET Zero<\/span>, a series that chronicles the impact of climate change and explores what’s being done about the problem.\n <\/div>\n
But proper recycling isn’t so straightforward, and getting it wrong can throw a major wrench into the larger system. Case in point? Crushing your aluminum cans.<\/p>\n
Smashing your empty cans into a flat metal disc seems like a good idea because it saves space. (It’s also kind of fun.) As it turns out, it’s a habit you should break — the sorting machines at recycling facilities need to recognize the shapes of cans to properly identify them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When you flatten cans, you might confuse the equipment and potentially send perfectly good aluminum to the dump. Here are some more easy tips for recycling to make sure you’re always taking the right actions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Which sorts of metal cans can be recycled?<\/h2>\n
All metal cans are recyclable, if they’ve been cleaned. Examples include:<\/p>\n
\n
Aerosol cans<\/li>\n
Beverage cans, like soda and beer, including the tabs<\/li>\n
Canned goods<\/li>\n
Paint cans<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Cleaning metal cans<\/h2>\n
Don’t do this:<\/strong> Toss cans into the recycling bin before cleaning. If foods or liquids are left in the cans, they can contaminate an entire batch of recyclables, rendering them useless. Unrinsed cans can also attract roaches, rodents and other nasty critters that you don’t want crawling around your bins.<\/p>\n
Do this instead:<\/strong> Make sure all cans are clear of liquids or foods that could be left in the container. You can do this by rinsing the can when you’re finished with it.<\/p>\n
Canned goods: <\/strong>Don’t\u00a0<\/em>remove the lid only halfway before placing it into the recycling bin. Instead, completely remove the lid from the can and place it inside the can (after rinsing). Only place lids inside an empty can made of the same metal material.<\/p>\n
Aerosol cans:\u00a0<\/strong>Lids on aerosol cans are typically plastic so you should remove those before putting the cans into the bin. The plastic lids should go with other plastic recyclables, as the heat applied during the metal recycling process will destroy any plastic recyclables mixed into the batch.<\/p>\n
Do I need to remove paper labels before recycling cans?<\/h2>\n\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div><\/p>\n
Don’t worry about removing labels from cans before recycling, but it’s important to remove labels from plastics before recycling.<\/p>\n
Generally, you don’t need to remove paper labels from metal or aluminum cans before you chuck them in the recycling bin. When the cans are recycled, the heat applied to the metal burns away the paper and the adhesive, ensuring there’s no risk that your contributions might contaminate the batch.<\/p>\n
However, there are other cases in which you might want to remove the paper labels before recycling. You can take these labels off your metal cans and toss them in with your paper recycling if you don’t like the idea of them turning to ash in the recycling process. More importantly, you do<\/em> have to remove the paper labels if you’re recycling plastics, because the recycling process for metals and plastics is different.<\/p>\n
When in doubt, it’s best to contact your local recycling facility. One Reddit user familiar with recycling facilities pointed out that, while the mechanics of recycling are important to understand, each recycling plant has its own unique machinery with different capabilities — they aren’t standardized so it’s not simple to give a one-size-fits-all answer.<\/p>\n
Making a quick call to your local plant will ensure that you know what can and can’t be recycled, and what might contaminate a batch of recyclables.<\/p>\n
What else should I do?<\/h2>\n
\n
Avoid puncturing aerosol cans to remove the remaining liquid.<\/li>\n
Make sure all paint is either dry or completely rinsed out before recycling. If you have leftover paint or other hazardous waste, take it to a drop-off center near you.<\/li>\n
Don’t crush aluminum cans before recycling because they can contaminate the batch. Recycling sorting machines also rely on shape to identify and crushing cans and other recyclables can trip them up.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
For more recycling information, here’s how to properly recycle plastic<\/span><\/span> and the right way to recycle paper and cardboard<\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n
Metal recycling FAQs<\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
What’s are the most important things to do before recycling metal cans?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
Before you recycle metal cans, it’s important to rinse them out to remove any excess fluids within the can. This is to make sure that your can doesn’t contaminate the entire batch of recyclables. You can also remove the paper label but this isn’t necessary for metal cans.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
When should I remove the paper label from my recyclables?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
While it’s not necessary to remove the paper label from metal cans, you can still do so if you want\u00a0to put the label in with the rest of your paper recyclables. You do have to remove the paper label from any plastic recyclables, as the plastic recycling process is different from the metal and aluminum recycling process.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
How do I find the rules for recycling near me?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
To find out the particular do’s and don’ts for recycling near you, contact your local recycling facility. Recycling plants aren’t standardized and each one has different equipment and capabilities. Finding out what the local plant can do will make your recyclable prep much easier.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n
[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/www.cnet.com\/a\/img\/resize\/d29921bef2e606dd856b0a6a9663c34d83848f67\/hub\/2026\/02\/03\/75ed3707-4439-4d20-a2a6-01f99796d603\/gettyimages-2210323194.jpg?auto=webp&fit=crop&height=675&width=1200″] CNET Most people approach aluminum recycling with the best of intentions and a surprisingly large number of misconceptions. The crushed can feels virtuous — more efficient, taking up less space, easier on the bin. In reality, it can cause problems at the sorting facility.\u00a0 And the instinct to peel off paper labels […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[67,226],"class_list":["post-1929524","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-cnet-com","tag-crawlmanager"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1929524","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1929524"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1929524\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1929524"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1929524"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1929524"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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<\/div>\n\nKATIE TEAGUE<\/span><\/div>\n![\"Headshot](\"https:\/\/www.cnet.com\/a\/img\/resize\/65e78c774963c47cfc10f51350590e7c8b798fde\/hub\/2024\/07\/10\/aff9d16e-faa0-4acf-b13d-6e5809f5010c\/tyler.jpg?auto=webp&fit=crop&height=64&width=64\")
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