You can take all your empty aluminium cans to a Cash for Can Centre, where they will pay you for the cans you collect! Cans can also be recycled by putting them in an aluminium can bank, or by putting them out with your other recyclable rubbish for kerbside collection.
Look for this symbol to see if a can is made from aluminium:
Aluminium foil can be deposited in special foil banks – don’t forget to wash any dirt or food off first! Many kerbside collection schemes, aluminium can banks, and Cash for Can Centres also take aluminium foil now. Ask your teacher or your parents which is the best way to recycle aluminium cans and foil in your area, or contact your local authority’s recycling officer.
Always remember to wash off any dirt or food before you deposit aluminium foil to be recycled. Aluminium cans and foil can be recycled in a number of different ways.
- Cash for Cans Recycling Centres
Cash for Cans Recycling Centres, or buy-back centres, pay you money for all your old aluminium cans. You can find out where your nearest aluminium Cash for Cans Recycling Centre is located by telephoning 0845 7 227722 (local rate). Ask whether they also accept aluminium foil.
Recycling Centres pay by weight. The price paid is about 40 pence per kilo (that’s about 60 cans). Some Recycling Centres offer a collection service for large amounts of cans, but if they collect from you they will usually pay slightly less. There is no minimum amount of cans that you can recycle, but it makes it easier if you can take in at least 1 kilo (60 cans) at a time. Make sure you sort your aluminium cans from steel ones before you take them to the Centre.
Collecting cans and taking them to buy-back centres is a great way to raise money for charities. Perhaps your class could collect all the aluminium cans used at your school over a month or longer, and donate the money you raise to a worthy charity.
- Aluminium Can Banks
If there isn’t a recycling centre in your area, you can deposit your cans in an aluminium can bank. To find out where your nearest can bank is, and whether they accept aluminium foil, contact your local authority’s recycling officer. Can banks are usually situated in supermarket car parks. Remember to squash your cans before you put them in the bank, to save space.
- Foil Banks
There are some specially set up foil banks which only accept aluminium foil. Contact your local authority’s recycling officer to find out if there is one near you.
- Kerbside Collection
If your local authority has a kerbside recycling scheme, you will be given a special box or sack to put all your recyclable rubbish in. Just put all your aluminium cans and foil in the box and it will be collected from your doorstep, and taken away to be recycled. To find out if your area has a kerbside collection scheme, contact your local authority’s recycling officer.