What Common Household Items Can I Recycle?

Recycled household items - Austin Metal and Iron

Household Items That Can Be Recycled

You can recycle many types of metal found in household items. You may throw things in the trash that could go to a recycling facility such as Austin Metal and Iron.

Metal recycling is an excellent way to reuse valuable resources. Salvaging scrap metal helps the environment and reduces the costs of mining.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, people recycled about 27.8% of ferrous metals from appliances, tires, furniture, and other items in 2018. Most companies that recycle metals pay for the goods you bring to them. Learn which things you can recycle to reduce your impact on the earth's resources and possibly make some extra cash, too.

Common Household Items You Can Recycle

You can make a difference by identifying types of metal around your home that you can recycle. Metal recycling uses less energy than extracting substances from the earth.

Food and Beverage Cans

You likely already recycle aluminum cans and food containers. Often, your local recycling center allows you to place these items in your curbside recycling bins. This convenience makes it easy to reduce the number of metals going to landfills. Ensure that you remove any labels and clean the cans before putting them in your recycling bin to ensure that the Austin area recyclers can process them correctly.

Household Appliances and Furniture

Steel is a standard material used to manufacture cars, large appliances, and other everyday items, such as shelves and chairs. Recyclers can easily separate impurities from this type of scrap metal with a strong magnet. You can bring your items to a scrap dealer to determine what parts are recyclable.

You may also have old aluminum furniture or other recyclable pieces in your backyard. Aluminum is 100% recyclable, and the process is quick and cost-efficient. In addition to beverage cans, you may find this element in:

  • Screen doors
  • Patio chairs
  • Window pieces
  • Doors
  • Gutters
  • Siding
  • Car parts

Wiring, Piping, and Tubing

Copper is an essential part of electrical components, wires, and pipes. However, copper ore is scarce, making recycling necessary for more manufacturing. If you remodel or replace elements in your Austin, Texas, home, remember to recycle any copper tubing, piping, and wiring. Recycling centers typically pay a higher price for this metal than others.

Brass Fixtures and Plumbing

Faucets, fittings, and plumbing made of brass are recyclable. You may get a high return for these metals, depending on the current market value. Clean your brass by separating it from contaminants like plastic, aluminum, and steel. Some other examples of brass around your home include:

  • Irrigation sprinklers
  • Pump equipment
  • Water meters
  • Gears
  • Brass shells

Find a Recycler in Austin, Texas

Keep a recycling bin to collect scrap, just as you would for junk mail, plastic bottles, papers, or other materials. Once you have identified and gathered types of metal, take them to a facility that offers recycling services. If the center accepts your pieces, they melt them down, pour them into molds that solidify them into sheets. Manufacturers purchase reclaimed metals to reduce their production costs and source materials responsibly.

When you take the time to recycle scrap metal, you help your local community and the environment. Contact Austin Metal & Iron to find out about our recycling programs. As the oldest metal recycling business in Austin, we have the knowledge and experience to answer any questions and help you get started. With two locations serving ZIP code 78702 and ZIP code 78724 plus surrounding areas, we have many ways for you to get your scrap to us and receive compensation for the value.

We have two locations to serve you:

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