Food Cans

So we recycle the food cans to the city and they pick up every week. Should I be saving these and taking these in myself to get paid off these?

I keep all of mine and cut both ends out and flatten them as I use them. I mix them in with my shredder tin and it usually adds about 200 lbs to my load. Not worth a whole lot but it takes pretty much no effort to keep them either. If it's steel, I throw it in a box to go with what ever load of low grade I haul next (even the caps to the beers I drink).

I know some yards get them to recover the tin, the yellowish tint they have (gray ones are tin free steel) and pay more for them but I've never lived near a yard that did this. Your city is selling them to someone who does. Tin is a fairly valuable metal but you can only find it as plating.

Why give them to the city? Turn them with your steel. Any metal is worth money$$

My yard won't even pay for them. I used to take them in with all my other mixed metal but then the owner was there one day and he told me they're not supposed to pay for them. He told me from now on throw them in the bin next to the aluminum cans before I weigh in. From then on out, I give them to the city in my weekly recycling bin! That'll show him! Pfft

Originally Posted by forwardlookguy

My yard won't even pay for them. I used to take them in with all my other mixed metal but then the owner was there one day and he told me they're not supposed to pay for them. He told me from now on throw them in the bin next to the aluminum cans before I weigh in. From then on out, I give them to the city in my weekly recycling bin! That'll show him! Pfft

If you remove the lables and smash them how will they know?

I just found out why my yard doesn't take food cans any more. A year ago they did but not now and I remembered to ask last week and they said that the cans have a plastic or wax coating in them. Now, some of them have that white plastic/waxy coating in them but not ALL of them so I'm confused lol.

i definitly stuff them in my washing machines. white goods by me go for .095/lb and light iron is at .11/lbs, so the difference is not important to me. Hobo's right though, all metal is worth selling in one load or another

I suppose I could mutilate them so they are not readily identifiable as a can...I'll have to try that.

Originally Posted by newattitude

...they said that the cans have a plastic or wax coating in them. Now, some of them have that white plastic/waxy coating in them but not ALL of them so I'm confused lol.

That seems odd. Don't whole washer machines have plastic on them? Lawn mowers? Grills? Pretty much any household item will have plastic on it and if someone doesn't break it down all the way, the yard will still take it. Seems like a lame excuse to me! I never asked the reason behind my yard's refusing to pay for them. They don't even have a shredder at mine. They just pick all the mixed metal out of my truck with a magnet and put it in a semi trailer. But they still take them, they just get put in a seperate bin.

Yeah my yard dont care. They even take dishwashers that are mostly plastic and still pay shred price for them. I pull the wires and motor off then throw the shell in my shred.

Originally Posted by forwardlookguy

I suppose I could mutilate them so they are not readily identifiable as a can...I'll have to try that.


That seems odd. Don't whole washer machines have plastic on them? Lawn mowers? Grills? Pretty much any household item will have plastic on it and if someone doesn't break it down all the way, the yard will still take it. Seems like a lame excuse to me! I never asked the reason behind my yard's refusing to pay for them. They don't even have a shredder at mine. They just pick all the mixed metal out of my truck with a magnet and put it in a semi trailer. But they still take them, they just get put in a seperate bin.

I know right? I end up scrapping more plastic even with trying to clean it up than the cans might have in them, it seemed an odd reason to say the least.

Originally Posted by newattitude

I just found out why my yard doesn't take food cans any more. A year ago they did but not now and I remembered to ask last week and they said that the cans have a plastic or wax coating in them. Now, some of them have that white plastic/waxy coating in them but not ALL of them so I'm confused lol.

That plastic lining in the food cans leaches BPA into the food, which has been linked to; breast cancer, prostate disease and cancer, diabetes, obesity, hyperactivity, lowered sperm count, and a bunch of other stuff. Sorry this doesn't relate to scrapping, but I felt like sharing that info.

Of all the topics and convorstions on this forum....this has got to be the most ramdom first post ever.?.?.? welcome I guess?

Enough studies have been shown to prove what Claws has said above, that the FDA is FINALLY taking steps to take these cans, and other plastic containers (#3 and #7 specifically) off the market. Items like baby formula, baby bottles, pacifiers and many others.

Sometimes when I'm itching for extra money I work at a restaurant for cash pay. Just call someone and see if they want the night off and I fill in for them.

I get those huge green bean, tomato sauce etc,, cans. Take them back to the dish room and wash um out first. They don't weigh much but I'm the type that won't let any metal go into the garbage.

Originally Posted by Claws

That plastic lining in the food cans leaches BPA into the food, which has been linked to; breast cancer, prostate disease and cancer, diabetes, obesity, hyperactivity, lowered sperm count, and a bunch of other stuff. Sorry this doesn't relate to scrapping, but I felt like sharing that info.

well that explains it !!!

I asked at my scrap yard, i had a potenial source for food cans, They said they didnt want a big bunch. "They were hard to get rid of" But i remove the label,and mix them with my other light steel. No complaints so-far.